The summer of 2011 is just around the corner and the Booze Dancers are on the hunt for the perfect summer brew(s). Here are the search criteria:
- Beer must be available in cans (no glass)
- Beer must be both refreshing and tasty
- Beer must be widely available
- ABV must be below 7% (Session worthy)
- “Big Beers” will be considered but must be full flavor brews (no Bud or Miller, please!)
- Beer must cost less than $8 per 6 pack. Extra points to cheap and tasty brews.
- No Light or “Lite” beers
So far here are the brews we are considering:
From Sly Fox: Phoenix Pale Ale, Pikeland Pils, & Rt. 113 IPA
From Anderson Brewing: Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema
From Butternuts Beer and Ale: Hennieweisse Weissebier & Porkslap Pale Ale
From Oscar Blues: Mama’s Little Yella Pils & Dale’s Pale Ale
From Saranac: Saranac Pale Ale
From 21st Amendment: Brew Free or Die IPA & Hell or High Watermelon
Watch “It’s Just the Booze Dancing …” over the next few weeks for reviews and our final selections for refreshment this summer.
So what are you favorite canned summer brews? We want to know. List your choice in the comments section below. We’ll add your favorite brew to our search (if we can find it here) and see how it stacks up against our contestants.
Categories: Brew and Booze News, Brew Review
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
I like the no light beer rule!
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Agreed! As I’ve said before, why bother?
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As you can see the “no light beer” requirement is also known as the “G-lo rule”. I don’t mind an nice cold can of Amstel Light on the beach.
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You’d think with summer fast approaching, G-lo might want to find something lower in calories. Afterall, he does fancy himself a Skinnygirl.
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Someone has to keep you company at the scrapple, egg, and cheese on my burger bar!
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Maybe you two heavyweight lovebirds should consider splitting one of your beloved Leinie Shandys?
NOTE: The Leinenkugel Summer Shandy (now available in cans) will not be considered in my summer beer search … The Wookie has spoken!
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Look what I found…
http://www.craftcans.com/db.php
A Canned Craft Beer Database. Life is good!
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I have that link. It’s a great resource but the problem is the availability of much of the canned beer. Most of the stuff that is distributed widely is either draft or bottles. And while kegs technically are cans they are not very portable and hard to hide at the pool club.
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I highly recommend Avery’s Joe’s Pilsner, 4.7% ABV.
Crisp, slightly hoppy, my go to on hot summer days.
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Gotta love a great Pilsner! I wonder if they distribute that to the Philly/South Jersey area. Just saw the White Rascal in cans, so there might be hope. Would make a great side by side tasting with the Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils. Two canned Colorado Pilsners go head to head!
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Mama’s is great also, the wife loves it. Joe’s is lighter than Mama’s, but much hoppier.
If they carry White Rascal, I would imagine that you could get Joe’s as well. Luckily I live in Denver and get both very easily. It’s the 21st Amendment that I have trouble finding, but I haven’t checked in a while, so someone may be carrying it now here.
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The hunt is on …. Love the brews from Avery. If we can find them they will certainly be considered.
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Given my prior experience with the humorless Avery rep, I might still be banned from their products.
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Yeah… he didn’t take it too well when you called Avery the “other” brewery from Golden, Colorado.
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I enjoy a good Boddingtons – and it used to be my “go-to” canned beer – but it’s been a while.
Personally, I didn’t care for the Modelo Especial (see my review) – but my husband loves it, it comes in a handy can and is very affordable. It may be one for you guys to try.
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Boddington’s is tasty, especially with the nitro widget thing going on. I usually enjoy the Modelos, particularly with authentic Mexican food. Not great, but not bad either.
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Love the Boddingtons…I used to take the train to DC 3-4 times per year for work. There’s a news-stand in Union Station that I would always pop into before the train ride home. I’d grab a Boddington’s and a Starburst for the ride home!
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Boddington’s and Starburst?? Is that a GleeKer thing?
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I’m guessing The ROK meant to say Starbucks.
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Did he?
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Starburst and Boddington’s has long pre-dated my association with any of you…
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Two things…
#1 – Is that what you call the good old days?
#2 – I shouldn’t have 2nd guessed your sweet tooth.
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Tecate instead of Modelo?
Or what about Breckenridge Avalance Ale? It might break the dollar limit though…
One last sugguestion, but it’s definitely not a summer beer: Oskar Blues Old Chubb Scotch Ale. Much more of a winter beer, but it is fantastic!
Good luck on your search guys!
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Picked up some Avery White Rascal, 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, and Boulder Beer Hazed and Infused. All good, but let’s see how they stack up to the competition…
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Hazed is great too, definitely better on tap, but a highly sessionable brew. Haven’t seen it in cans around the Denver area, but haven’t been looking for it as such.
Avalanche has degraded drastically (in my opinion) in recent years, but haven’t tried it in cans. Used to be you’d trip over it everywhere it was available on tap here, but now not so much. 🙂
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The Avalance is a budget buster and tough to find in our drinking radius.
The Old Chubb is a great beer but busts the ABV requirements at 8%. Two of these after mowing the lawn on a hot summer day I would be toast.
Tecate will be considered but given the flavor profiles of some of the other brews I think it is going to get its ass kicked.
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I’m sure this is on your radar, but just incase it’s not, Brooklyn Beer is having their “Summer Canibalization” party (aka: Summer Can Release Party) tonight.
Here’s the link: http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/blog/?m=20110519&cat=6
$3 summer ale cans all night w/food & a DJ, 6-10pm @ Good Company, 10 Hope St in Williamsburg, Bklyn
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Thanks for the update! If only I lived closer.
Cheers!
G-LO
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DOH! I was in the city yesterday and will be tomorrow but can’t make it there tonight. We do need to add some Brooklyn Beer cans to this list.
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A challenge of daunt to be sure…..
I have to admit that I was slow to embrace the concept of craft beer in cans. After all, packaged cubes of canned swill are still a hallmark of the Macro Empire and their ubiquitous and overwhelming presence dominates valuable shelf space, choking out access for more craft options. That said, the benefits of canned beer are hard to ignore so I’ve come around, sort of.
Here are a few canned craft beers for you to look at. Not sure that they meet your price or ABV requirements but no list is complete without exceptions, right?
1. Boulder Hazed & Infused
2. Sly Fox Royal Weisse
3. Brooklyn Lager
Cheers!
@TheAlemonger
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G-lo has added the Hazed & Infused to the mix and I’ll be on the lookout for the others.
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