Summertime and the beer is easy

Summer may not arrive officially until June 21, but don't tell that to the 90 degree weather and high humidity we're expecting over the next few days. I may be one of the few people alive who seriously dislikes summertime. The heat.  The humidity. The limp locks and constant sweating. Bleh! Give me a good snowstorm over those any day.

Lest I sound too curmudgeonly, there are a few things I do enjoy about summer. The long hours of sunshine. Beautiful blue skies. Baseball games. BBQs. And I definitely dig a lot of the beers that become available. Below are some of my favorites that have been popping up around the city.

Bell's Oberon: An American wheat beer brewed by Bell's Brewery out of Kalamazoo, MI. This is a summer classic. Light, refreshing with a fruity - orange - taste, and touch of spice coming through. Clocks in at 5.8% ABV, so nothing crazy.

Troeg's Sunshine Pils: This is one I've written about. You can read my review here.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest: I love hoppy beers, and this is a hoppier summer beer (even though it's a lager). There are tastes of orange and spiciness, as well as bready malts. Just a really good, really easy-to-drink brew, especially given it's just 5% ABV.

Evil Twin Bikini Beer: I'll admit that adding this one is almost unfair, since your chances of getting one are pretty limited. I bought this while I was road tripping down the east coast about a month ago and the closest I've been able to find it to Philly is at State Line in Elkton, MD. Having said that, it's totally worth the drive if you have the time and inclination to seek it out. To say that this is sessionable is almost an understatement; it comes in at just 2.7% ABV! Most amazingly, it's flavorful. A really nice balance of malts and citrusy hops. I could literally drink this all day long.

Victory Summer Love Ale: This crisp, refreshing blonde ale comes in at 5.2% ABV. It has a nice bite to it that is somewhat hoppier than you might expect from this type of beer, mixed with some nice toasty, breaded malts.

Sam Adams Summer: Another American wheat ale brewed by an original in the craft beer movement. This brew uses Grains of Paradise, a rare pepper from Africa, to impart a slightly spicy flavor in addition to the citrus and crisp wheat flavors that come through. Another day-long drinker, this one is just 5.3% ABV.

One thing these all have in common is the lower ABV (which I like, especially after the triple IPAs and Imperial stouts that get me through the colder winter months). They're also all crisp and refreshing, making them the perfect accompaniment to your summer activities. What are some beers that you enjoy during the dog days of summer?