A session beer is one you can drink several of across a long afternoon without it catching up with you. Low in alcohol, easy to drink, but still with enough character to hold your interest. In summer, when the sun is out and the day stretches on, that is the sweet spot.
Below are eight of the best session beers for summer, each tasted and rated for the site. There is a juicy session IPA that packs full flavour at a low strength, bright light lagers and citrus wheats for pacing, and honest value crowd-pleasers for stocking a cooler. Every pick links to its full review and you can grab a case in a couple of taps.
The whole point is pacing, so keep water going alongside, drink them cold, and enjoy the fact that a good session beer lets the afternoon last.
Best Summer Session Beers at a Glance
| Beer | Style | Our rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founders All Day Haze | Session IPA | 3.9/5 | Best session IPA |
| Michelob Ultra | Light Lager | 3.5/5 | Best ultra-light pacer |
| Miller Lite | Light Lager | 3.4/5 | Best crushable light lager |
| Blue Moon LightSky | Citrus Light Wheat | 3.4/5 | Best low-cal citrus wheat |
| Corona Light | Light Lager | 3.1/5 | Best light and refreshing |
| Yuengling Traditional Lager | American Amber Lager | 4.1/5 | Best value with real flavour |
| Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | American Pale Ale | 4.3/5 | Best flavour at a sensible strength |
| Coors Banquet | American Lager | 3.8/5 | Best honest cooler-filler |
A session beer is built for the long haul: low enough in strength to drink all afternoon, but with enough flavour to keep it interesting. In summer that is exactly what you want, a beer you can pace in the sun without it flooring you.
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
Michelob Ultra
The low-carb, low-calorie lager built for an active summer. Clean, crisp and barely there at about 95 calories, it is made for drinking after sport or all afternoon without the heaviness. Read the full Michelob Ultra review.
- Very low calorie and carb
- Clean and crisp
- Great for pacing all day
- Very little flavour by design
Miller Lite
One of the better-tasting light macros, crisp and low in calories. When you want to pace across a long, hot day, Miller Lite is cheap, cold and endlessly crushable. Read the full Miller Lite review.
- Low calorie and very crushable
- Better tasting than most light macros
- Cheap in bulk
- Very little flavour
- Needs to be near freezing
Blue Moon LightSky
A light, low-calorie wheat beer brewed with tangerine. Bright and easy at only around 95 calories, it is a guilt-light option for drinking in the sun without slowing down. Read the full Blue Moon LightSky review.
- Bright tangerine citrus
- Low calorie and light
- Easy all-day drinking
- Thin body
- Light on flavour
Corona Light
A lighter take on the beach classic, crisp and thirst-quenching at around 99 calories. With a lime it is a low-cal way to keep drinking easy in the sun. Read the full Corona Light review.
- Light and refreshing
- Low calorie
- Classic lime pairing
- Even thinner than Corona Extra
Yuengling Traditional Lager
The champion of value beer. Yuengling delivers more malt, colour and character than any macro at the price, so it keeps beer fans happy without costing craft money. A smart case for any crowd. Read the full Yuengling Traditional Lager review.
- Genuine amber-malt flavour at a budget price
- Suits food and easy drinking
- The best value on most lists
- Regional, so not sold everywhere
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
The benchmark American pale ale, balanced and endlessly drinkable with piney, citrus hops over a solid caramel malt base. Characterful but easy, it is a summer staple that suits food off the grill. Read the full Sierra Nevada Pale Ale review.
- Balanced, piney hop character
- Very drinkable for its flavour
- A dependable classic
- Hoppier than a light lager
Coors Banquet
The honest workhorse of a cooler. More malt and backbone than the light macros, cold and crushable, and cheap enough to buy in bulk. When you just need proper cold beer that goes down easy, Banquet delivers. Read the full Coors Banquet review.
- More backbone than a light macro
- Crushable and cheap in bulk
- A no-fuss crowd can
- Plain flavour
- Best served ice cold
The Gear That Makes an All-Day Session Easy
Beer sorted, now the setup. These three keep a session beer cold and pouring from the first to the last.
Summer Session Beer FAQ
What is a session beer?
A session beer is a low-alcohol beer, usually under about 4.5 percent, that you can drink several of across a session without it hitting hard. The best ones keep plenty of flavour despite the low strength, which is what makes them ideal for a long summer afternoon.
What is the best low-alcohol beer for summer?
Founders All Day Haze is a standout, packing full session-IPA flavour at a low percentage. For lighter options, Michelob Ultra and Corona Light are crisp and easy, while Blue Moon LightSky brings bright citrus at low calories.
Are session beers lower in calories?
Often, yes, because calories track closely with alcohol. Lower-strength beers like Michelob Ultra, Corona Light and Blue Moon LightSky tend to be lighter in both, which is part of why they suit all-day summer drinking so well.
Can you drink session beer all day?
That is exactly what they are made for, but pace yourself and keep water alongside. Low strength makes it easier to enjoy several across an afternoon, but they still add up, so drink sensibly, especially in the heat.
