When the weather turns properly hot, the beer you reach for changes. Rich, warming, boozy styles suddenly feel like hard work, and what you want instead is something bright, crisp and genuinely refreshing that cools you down rather than filling you up.
Below are eight of the best summer beers for hot weather, each tasted and rated for the site. There are world-class wheat beers and wits, crisp thirst-quenching lagers, a benchmark pale ale and a low-strength session IPA. This is our pick of the most refreshing beers going when the sun is out. Every one links to its full review and you can grab a case in a couple of taps.
Serve them cold, drink them fresh, and keep water alongside. In a heatwave, a well-chosen beer served properly is one of life’s simple pleasures.
Best Summer Beers at a Glance
| Beer | Style | Our rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allagash White | Belgian Witbier | 4.7/5 | Best all-round summer beer |
| Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier | German Hefeweizen | 4.8/5 | Best wheat beer in the world |
| Hoegaarden | Belgian Witbier | 4.5/5 | Best classic refreshing wit |
| Pacifico Clara | Mexican Lager | 3.6/5 | Best crisp thirst-quencher |
| Corona Extra | Mexican Lager | 3.5/5 | Best light and easy |
| Founders All Day Haze | Session IPA | 3.9/5 | Best low-strength session pick |
| Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | American Pale Ale | 4.3/5 | Best with summer food |
| Presidente | Pilsner | 3.3/5 | Best served near-frozen |
When it is genuinely hot, the best beer is the one that refreshes. That means bright wheat beers, crisp lagers and lighter ales served properly cold, not big, warming, boozy styles. Match the beer to the weather and it tastes twice as good.
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
Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier
Widely rated the best wheat beer in the world, from the oldest brewery on earth. Banana and clove over a fluffy wheat body, brilliantly refreshing and deeply satisfying. A summer must-drink. Read the full Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier review.
- Classic banana-and-clove hefe
- Fluffy, refreshing wheat body
- World-class quality
- Best fresh
- Pour it properly for the head
Hoegaarden
The original Belgian wit, cloudy and soft with orange, coriander and a gentle tang. Light-bodied and endlessly refreshing, it is a classic hot-weather beer that goes down like sunshine. Read the full Hoegaarden review.
- Soft, spiced and refreshing
- Light and very drinkable
- A summer classic
- Delicate, can feel light
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
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
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
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
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
The Gear That Keeps a Summer Beer Cold
Beer sorted, now keep it cold in a heatwave. These three stop a summer beer going warm before you have enjoyed it.
Summer Beer FAQ
What are the best beers for hot weather?
The most refreshing styles win in the heat: wheat beers and wits like Allagash White and Hoegaarden, crisp lagers like Pacifico and Corona, and lighter ales. World-class Weihenstephaner Hefe is a standout, and a session IPA adds flavour without heaviness.
What style of beer is most refreshing?
Wheat beers, wits and crisp pale lagers are the most refreshing, thanks to their light body, gentle carbonation and bright, citrusy character. Sour styles like a gueuze are extremely refreshing too. Rich, malty or high-alcohol beers are the opposite in the heat.
What temperature should I serve summer beer?
Serve light lagers and wheat beers cold, around 3 to 5 Celsius or 38 to 42 Fahrenheit, to keep them crisp and refreshing. Pale ales are best a touch warmer. Chiller sticks and koozies help keep a beer at its best once it is out in the sun.
What is the best summer beer overall?
Allagash White is our top all-round summer beer, bright and soft and endlessly drinkable. For pure quality, Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier is widely rated the best wheat beer in the world and is superb on a hot day.
