Beer Money: Michigan-Made Summer Ales

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!