It is quite recurrent that, according to the changes of the seasons, we look for the beers most suitable to the weather, to the foods of the season, or to the types of activities that I am going to do during this period specific. And with the arrival of summer it could not be different, the heat asks us to FRESHNESS to the fullest and beer is the number one drink to meet this need for multiple reasons.
But, as we know, the world of craft beers has many different styles, so we have decided to explain here 4 very important characteristics to help you choose your craft beers during this #BrewSummer :
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Alcoholic content: in general, beers with a lower alcohol content or beers that have a less alcoholic sensation in the mouth are more appetizing during the summer, because one of the sensations transmitted by the alcohol in the mouth is that of warmth, and precisely during the summer we are looking for freshness. There are styles or breweries that, during the production of a beer, can balance the flavors and make a beer with a high alcohol level go a little unnoticed in the mouth, since it will be in harmony with the other ingredients of the beer. For us, more than 7.5% ABV is a high intensity beer for very high .
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Drinkability: This is a Spanish word translated ("invented") from English drinkability, and when you see it in the description of a craft beer it is because we are talking about a beer that is easy to drink, so that we want to repeat the drink. This happens because these drinkable beers, in general terms, are quite balanced in their flavors, but this is a very broad field, there are many different theories, but the important thing is to take into account the ease of drinking drinkable beers.
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Body: This term directly refers to beers with density and pastiness in the mouth, which comes for different reasons, such as malt proteins, as well as certain large sugars
(dextrins) also present in them. Beers that are more “malty” and rich in sugar tend to have a greater body. This aspect is quite particular to each person, but keep in mind that full-bodied beers are very dense and, depending on the temperature, the beer can become an unpleasant experience.
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Carbonation: carbon dioxide (CO2) originating naturally in
fermentation is a very important element of the beer palate, as it provides freshness, aroma, creaminess and crunchy texture . The level of carbonation is a characteristic of the different beer styles and can range from nothing or almost nothing in some to a lot in others, such as Bavarian wheat beers or Belgian Trappists. So keep in mind that heavily carbonated beers are the ones that will directly convey the feeling of FRESH.
Now that we have defined the 4 main characteristics for choosing fresh beers for hot summer days, we are going to make several suggestions for styles that, in general, follow these particularities:
WITBIER
Belgian wheat beer, whitish-yellow in color with dense white foam. It is a refreshing style of beer with a dry and often slightly acid finish, usually with the addition of coriander and lemon peel (sometimes orange).Medium bodied, with the smoothness and creaminess of unmalted wheat. It has effervescent characteristics due to high carbonation, which generates a refreshing sensation.
SAISON
Another Belgian style, with a color that ranges from gold to amber, with a dense and persistent foam. They are generally known for the combination of spicy (typically peppery) and fruity (citrus, orange and lemon) flavors, which are supported by the somewhat soft character of the malt. The fruity flavor that is perceived is frequently citrus. Light to medium body, high carbonation, effervescent.
BLONDE ALE
They are the blonde beers of Belgium, that is, light or deep golden in color, with a high, dense and creamy foam. It has a moderate sweetness from the malt, with a slight note of alcohol, in addition to the mild sweetness of lightly caramelized sugar or honey. The body is medium, they have medium-high to high carbonation, and can have a light alcohol note.
PILSNER
The well-known blondes originating from the Czech Republic, golden in color, crystalline, with a creamy foam and good retention. In the mouth they have a medium body and a perfect balance between the sweet maltiness at the beginning and a dry and hoppy finish with a fine bitterness. It has a high drinkability, they are among the easiest beers to drink on the planet.
KOLSCH
Of German origin (from Cologne), this is a lightly hoppy, clear, blonde style of beer. It has a pale golden color, with a delicate white foam. Mild aroma of grain-sweet character, quite subtle, balanced, clean and fresh. Mouthfeel is usually medium-bodied, carbonation ranges from medium to medium-high: smooth, crisp, and well attenuated. The low bitterness and dryness make it a beer that can be drunk in large quantities.
IPA SESSION
The term session in any beer means that it is a low alcohol content beer (more or less between 3 and 5 degrees, we explain more here). So the Session IPAs are very smooth and even more drinkable, and their organoleptic pattern will depend on whether it is a version adapted from the American style (hoppy character that can be citric, floral, perfumed, pungent, resinous, a pine and/or tropical fruits such as mango or pineapple) or from the English style (more marked hop character, medium body and a balance that favors bitterness. The earthy, slightly floral and woody touch of British hop varieties is very recognizable).
BERLINER WEISSE
German wheat beers with an acidic and very refreshing character, at the beginning of the
19th century Napoleon came to call them the “Champagne of the North”. Generally pale in color, medium foam, but intense and spicy carbonation. Its aroma has a remarkable fruity character that ranges from lemon to sour apple. On the palate they are characterized by a strong and clean lactic acidity with a retronasal background of wheat, which gives it a balance between acidity and maltiness, in which acid always predominates. The mouthfeel is usually refreshing, due to the acidity and fruity character.
SOUR
Sour is a classification that brings together different styles of beer that go through fermentation with microorganisms other than brewing yeasts Sours, in general, are specialty beers with very creative interpretations, which is why it is difficult create an organoleptic pattern for all of them, since many examples have different fruit additions, different fermentation processes, etc. But what we can highlight here is that these beers are intense and spicy carbonation, light-bodied and refreshing, due to the acidity and fruity character. In the fruit or wood-aged versions, a slight astringency may be noted.
SUMMER PACKAGES
And if you want to try a variety of fresh craft beers ideal for summer, here we have our #VeranoCerveceroPacks for you:
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