A day at the beach calls for a very specific kind of beer. Light, crisp, ice cold and easy enough to drink in the sun without slowing you down. This is not the day for a big imperial stout or a resinous double IPA.
Below are eight of the best beers for the beach, each one tasted and rated for the site. There are light Mexican lagers made for exactly this, a Jamaican holiday classic, and a juicy session IPA for when you want a bit more flavour without the strength. Every pick links to its full review and you can grab a case in a couple of taps.
One tip before you go: cans travel better than bottles on the sand, and a lime and a full cooler of ice will do more for your beach beer than any fancy label.
Best Beach Beers at a Glance
| Beer | Style | Our rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corona Extra | Mexican Lager | 3.5/5 | The classic beach beer |
| Pacifico Clara | Mexican Lager | 3.6/5 | Best crisp thirst-quencher |
| Presidente | Pilsner | 3.3/5 | Best served near-frozen |
| Modelo Especial | Mexican Lager | 4.0/5 | Best step-up crowd-pleaser |
| Red Stripe | Lager | 3.4/5 | Best holiday feel |
| Sol | Mexican Lager | 3.2/5 | Best cheap and cheerful |
| Allagash White | Belgian Witbier | 4.7/5 | Best for a bit more flavour |
| Founders All Day Haze | Session IPA | 3.9/5 | Best low-strength session pick |
The beach is no place for a heavy beer. You want something light, cold and crushable that keeps you refreshed in the heat, not a big hoppy number that fills you up after one. Pack a lime, pack ice, and keep it simple.
Corona Extra
The beach in a bottle. Corona is light, clean and barely there, which is exactly the point on a hot day. Drop in a lime and it turns into the most refreshing thing going. Read the full Corona Extra review.
- Ultra light and crushable in the heat
- The classic lime-wedge refresher
- Everyone knows and likes it
- Very little flavour on its own
- Skunks fast in the clear bottle if left in sun
Pacifico Clara
A crisp Pacific-coast pilsner-style lager built for sunshine. A little more character than Corona with the same easy, thirst-quenching finish, and it loves a squeeze of lime. Read the full Pacifico Clara review.
- Crisp and thirst-quenching
- A touch more flavour than Corona
- Made for hot weather
- Still a light, simple lager
Presidente
A Dominican pilsner served near-frozen on Caribbean beaches, and it makes sense the moment it hits the heat. Crisp, light and very cold, it is pure thirst-quenching sunshine. Read the full Presidente review.
- Extremely refreshing ice cold
- Light and sessionable
- Caribbean holiday in a bottle
- Almost no flavour if it warms up
Modelo Especial
A step up from the usual macro without costing much more. Modelo is crisp and lightly bready with a clean finish, the crowd-pleaser almost everyone reaches for happily. It barely needs the lime. Read the full Modelo Especial review.
- Crisp, clean and widely loved
- More body than a light lager
- Great value by the case
- Costs a touch more than the cheapest cans
Red Stripe
The stubby Jamaican bottle that screams holiday. Red Stripe is crisp, faintly sweet and endlessly easy, a fun, sunny lager that suits jerk chicken and a hot afternoon. Read the full Red Stripe review.
- Crisp and easy with a holiday feel
- Iconic stubby bottle
- Great with spicy grilled food
- Light and simple
- Best served ice cold
Sol
A light, sunny Mexican lager (the name means sun) built for drinking outdoors. Not much to it, but crisp and cold with a lime it does the job on a scorching day. Read the full Sol review.
- Very light and refreshing
- Cheap by the case
- Made for hot sun
- Thin flavour
- Needs a lime and a cold hand
Allagash White
A benchmark American wit, hazy and soft with orange peel and coriander over a pillowy wheat body. Bright, refreshing and beautifully drinkable, it is one of the best summer beers made. Read the full Allagash White review.
- Bright citrus and spice
- Soft, refreshing wheat body
- World-class witbier
- Pricier than a macro
Founders All Day Haze
A juicy, hazy session IPA built for exactly this: all-day drinking in the sun. Low enough in strength to keep going, with all the tropical hop flavour of a full IPA. A near-perfect summer beer. Read the full Founders All Day Haze review.
- Big hop flavour at low strength
- Made for all-day sessions
- Juicy and refreshing
- Still hoppier than a lager
The Gear That Keeps a Beach Beer Cold
Beer sorted, now keep it cold in the sun. These three stop a beach beer going warm and sandy before you have finished it.
Beach Beer FAQ
What is the best beer for the beach?
A light, crisp lager you can drink ice cold in the sun is the classic beach beer. Corona Extra with a lime is the obvious pick, with Pacifico and Presidente close behind. If you want more flavour without the strength, a session IPA like Founders All Day Haze is ideal.
Should I bring cans or bottles to the beach?
Cans, every time. They chill faster, do not shatter on the sand or rocks, are lighter to carry and easier to pack out. Many beaches ban glass altogether, so cans keep you on the right side of the rules too.
How do I keep beer cold at the beach?
Pack a cooler with plenty of ice and keep it in the shade. Slip a koozie on each can once it is out, bury the cooler slightly in the sand, and only open the lid when you need to. Frozen water bottles double as ice and drinking water later.
What is a good low-alcohol beer for a day in the sun?
A session IPA or a light lager lets you pace yourself across a hot day. Founders All Day Haze packs full IPA flavour at a low strength, while Michelob Ultra and Corona Light keep things crisp and light if you want to keep going.
