For many, summer entails lounging on a porch or patio on a warm summer’s night with a cold beverage in hand. More often than not, said beverage is an ice-cold craft beer.
You can pick up a generic six-pack any ‘ol day of the year, while some of the best craft beers churned out in Metro D are only available seasonally—thus, it is your civic duty to consume them while you can.
Here is a list of local breweries, along with their summer offerings. Hurry, before they’re gone!
Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, 311 S. Main St., Ann Arbor
- Luciernaga “The Firefly” is a pale ale released in June
- Weizen Bam Biere is a golden, yeast-y beer available all summer long, with notes of banana, spicy clove and nutmeg
Bell’s Brewery, 8938 Krum Ave., Galesburg
- Oberon is a wheat ale with a fruity essence. It’s available all summer, and I highly recommend making beer cupcakes with this one
- The Oracle DIPA Ale is a double IPA with notes of citrus. It’s a late summer release, available by the bottle and (limited!) draft
Atwater Brewery, 237 Joseph Campau St., Detroit
- Summer Time Ale is a wheat beer with lemon and citrus
- Traverse City Cherry Wheat is a refreshing, fruity summer beer
Motor City Brewing Works, 470 W. Canfield St., Detroit
- Summer Brew is an orange, wheat beer with the slightest bit of citrus; available through September
Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22626 Woodward Ave., Ferndale
- Hefty-Weizen is a summer ale made with Michigan wheat, malt and honey, as well as hints of banana and clove
Grizzly Peak Brewing Company, 120 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor
- El Hefe, a German wheat beer, has notes of honey, banana and clove
Arbor Brewing Company, 114 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor
- Bear Up a Tree is an Arbor Brewing Company/Grizzly Peak Brewing Company collaboration beer brewed with honey malt
- Festival Saison is brewed with pink peppercorns; available through August
- Hop Town Brown is for you IPA lovers out there; available July through September
- Mackinac Island Fudge Stout is made with real fudge, so I need not say more; available until August
- Strawberry Blonde is spicy, citrusy and fruity without being overbearing; available until August
Liberty Street Brewing Company, 149 W. Liberty St., Plymouth
- Clementine Lemon Thyme (say that three times fast) is a wheat beer with notes of thyme and citrus; available until August
Short’s Brewing Company, 121 N. Bridge St., Bellaire
- Nicie Spicie is “crisp and refreshing,” a wheat ale with citrus, coriander and a blend of peppercorns
- Spruce Pilsner is brewed with blue spruce tips, hand-picked in northern Michigan!
- MMMKay, an India Pale Lager, will be available in early July
- Strawberry Short’s Cake is crafted with strawberries and milk sugar; available late July
- Cerveza de Julie is a Mexican lager with lime; available in early August
- Peaches & Crème is a golden ale made with peaches and milk sugar; available mid August
Whether you enjoy your beer out on the town or in the form of a six-pack at home, be sure to drink responsibly!
