What We’re Drinking Now: Beer Recommendations for Early Summer 2024

Are you a beer enthusiast looking for your next hoppy adventure? Look no further! We’ve scoured the United States to bring you the finest craft beers from all corners of the country. Whether you’re in New England, the Midwest, the Southeast, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest or on the West Coast, we’ve got you covered. Let’s embark on a flavorful journey and savor the fresh brews that are the toast of the country during the early summer months.

Disclaimer: It’s impossible for our judges to review every single beer released by the nearly 10,000 breweries in the U.S. each week. As such, while this story serves as a peek at some of the best beers released recently that have scored highly in our Official Review, it also features beers that rank highly on other beer reviewing platforms, beer that have medaled in recent competitions or have been burning up message boards and forums with immense hype. If you’re in the regions where these beers are available, we hope they become What You’re Drinking Now!

Editor’s Favorite!

Ruby Red Kolsch by Genesee Brewery

New England Region – Freeport, Maine

Wolfe’s Neck IPA by Maine Beer Co.

Untappd score: ⭐4.05 out of 5

ABV: 6.5%

Maine Beer Co. is one of the premier breweries in the state – and even across the entire New England region, which is chock-full of some of the most innovative and influential breweries in U.S. at large.

Renowned for their IPAs and Pale Ales, such as Lunch, Dinner, Peeper, MO, Another One and a tiny beautiful something, this brand-new brew perfectly fits in with those legendary creations and is a special collaboration with Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment.

According to the brewery, Wolfe’s Neck (the entity, not the beer) “is a farm-based education, research and visitor center set amidst more than 600 acres of conserved open space on the coast of Maine. Their work is focused on the implementation of regenerative agriculture principles to create healthier ecosystems, increase farm resiliency, and build soil health to mitigate the effects of and adapt to a changing climate.”

This is an incredibly important cause, and it’s nice to see a top-flight beer paired with such an impactful organization.

West Coast Region – San Francisco, California

Hell or High Watermelon by 21st Amendment Brewery

Untappd score: ⭐3.51 out of 5

ABV: 4.9%

An archetypal fruit beer, this summer seasonal from 21st Amendment was one of the pioneering beers that introduced beer fans to the wonderful world of watermelon in the beer sphere.

Available starting in late spring all the way until September, this hugely popular brew delivers lip-smacking watermelon flavors alongside the zesty profile of a wheat beer, making it the perfect beer for early summer sipping – or late summer sipping, considering it’s available well into September!

Per the brewery: “Like Lady Liberty, we stand for independence and perseverance. In the pursuit of innovative beer, there is no obstacle too great. No journey too long. No fruit too gigantic. This American wheat beer is brewed with real watermelon, for a flavor that’s surprisingly crisp, dry and refreshing—it’s summer in a can!”

Nationwide

Summerfest by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Untappd score: ⭐3.48 out of 5

ABV: 5.0%

One of the biggest and most historic craft breweries in the U.S., Sierra Nevada, is known for its innovations in hoppy beers – specifically Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the iconic craft beer that transcended its West Coast roots to become one of the most famous examples of the craft beer movement.

However, the brewery also releases a wide variety of terrific seasonal beers, with its delightful Summerfest being a fan favorite that is available from April to July every year.

According to the brewery, Summerfest represents the real SPF: “Summer Pilsner Flavor.” The beer pours a crystal clear bright golden, and it deftly balances delicate yet complex malt flavors alongside light, spicy hops. Hints of lemon zest lead into a dry finish, and its sessionable 5% alcohol content “invites another round on those endless summer days.”

Mid-Atlantic – Rochester, New York

Ruby Red Kolsch by Genesee Brewery

Untappd score: ⭐3.76 out of 5

ABV: 4.5%

A beloved Rochester, New York-based brewery delivers top-flight lagers and light lagers year-round across a wide swath of states, and its Genesee Cream Ale might be this writer’s favorite inexpensive beer.

One rarer option from the brewery is this late spring/early summer seasonal that combines the tart flavor of a ruby red grapefruit with the eminently quenchable mouthfeel and light flavoring of a Kolsch-style beer.

It sounds like a match made in heaven, and it is. This is slightly harder to find than some of the brewery’s more notable brands, such as Cream Ale, Genesee Light, Genesee Lager and Genesee Ice, but if you can find it near you using the brewery’s beer finder tool, jump on the opportunity.

Midwest – Indianapolis, Indiana

Trash Panda by Metazoa Brewing Co.

Untappd score:⭐3.86 out of 5

ABV: 5.3%

Not to be confused with the Marvel character or the amusingly named Minor League Baseball team, this is, instead, a terrifically interesting and delectable craft beer that’s inspired by a vanilla latte from one of Indiana’s top breweries.

One might think that a standard porter or stout is the base beer style for a beer with inspiration from a coffee beverage, but you’d be mistaken. This is actually a blonde ale with coffee as an added ingredient, making for an intriguing and unusual choice as an early summer sipper.

Per the brewery, which won Brewery of the Year at the 2021 GABF as well as a gold medal for this beer the same year, Trash Panda is “made with coffee from Blue Mind Roasting [and] finished with marshmallow to add a touch of sweetness. With a balanced body from flaked oats and wheat, Trash Panda is the perfect answer to your next latte-inspired craving.”

So, next time, skip the coffee and grab a can of this in the morning!

Southeast – Sandy Springs, Georgia

99Xperiment by Mutation Brewing

The Beer Connoisseur score: 94

ABV: 5.0%

99Xperiment by Mutation Brewing in Sandy Springs, Georgia recently scored quite highly in our Official Review – and that’s understandable. This delightfully smooth “West Coast Pilsner,” per the brewery, is a terrific beer to sip as spring turns into summer and temperatures truly start to skyrocket in the South.

Brewed in collaboration with beloved local radio station 99X, this daring combination of a West Coast IPA and a European Pilsner is perfectly fitting for the maverick brewers at Mutation, as they’ve been “mutating” the boundaries of what beer can be since their founding a few years ago.

The 99X radio station frames this beer beautifully: “Step into the lab with the 99Xperiment, the hybridization of a West Coast IPA and a Traditional European Pilsner. Meticulously crafted, this elixir deliberately unites the drinkability of a Pilsner with the explosive hopping of a West Coast IPA. This meshing of frequencies is born from a daring collaboration between the resurrected 99X radio station, back on air after two decades, and the mad scientists at Mutation Brewing. In 99X style, experience the collision of tastes, the revival of iconic sounds, and the spirit of experimentation and discovery.”

Rock on!

Photos Courtesy Respective Breweries