During the summer in New York City, beer has to serve as a replacement for those venues that city-dwellers lack, like the town pool or a nearby lake. Thus, these beers have to be refreshing, cool, relaxing, and evince a hint of natural surroundings. The following New York-made brews accomplish just that. Watching sweat drip down the sides of these bottles and pint glasses will serve as a perfect break from observing the sweat glistening on our skins this June through August.

Apollo
Sixpoint Brewery
Another extremely golden ale (pictured above), Sixpoint’s Apollo draft beer looks like it dripped directly from the sun instead of a beer tap. A Bavarian Kristallweizen, Apollo comes from a classic recipe, including both barley malt and plenty of wheat with German Hersbrucker hops. A slight taste of vanilla, banana, and cloves with low bitterness makes this beer easy to drink fast so as to stave off summertime thirst.

“Easy” Blonde Ale (Kolsch Style)
Alphabet City Brewing Company
With humble beginnings in an East Village apartment’s kitchen, this small brewing company features this light-bodied ale as a fitting option for summer imbibing. With a relatively low alcohol content (at 4.7% ABV) and flavors of citrus and white pepper, this perhaps insensitively named beer provides a smooth finish to cap off the hydrating sensation it provides when going down.

Sunset Red Ale
Chelsea Brewing Company
Brewed by the infamous Hudson River, this medium-bodied red ale evokes a summer scene of rivers much further south. Featuring both caramel and fruity flavors, this beer indulges in the slow, sweet aspects of summer without getting bogged down in the molasses-style pace.

Summer Pale Ale
The Bronx Brewery
Available during the summer months only, this pale ale is brewed with 2-row malt, both British and American. Offering a crisp hint of citrus, this brew will bring you back to life just when you think the summer heat has gotten the best of you. It’s also unfiltered and dry-hopped.

Industrial IPA
KelSo Brewery
This beer comes from a brewery conceived with the purpose of creating “fresh and easy drinking beers” for New Yorkers. Living up to its initial goal, the KelSo Beer Company brewed the most alcoholic beer of the summer’s best. At 10% alcohol by volume, the Industrial IPA remains easily consumable in summertime with its bold citrus backdrop and warming malts. Over six different hop varieties have gone into making this beer since its 2012 inception.

Summer Ale
Blue Point Brewing
Available April through July, Blue Point’s Summer Ale undoubtedly meets the needs of the season. Lots of wheat malt added to the usual barley malt mix will make you pucker your lips without leaving them dry. A light golden color matches the beer’s low alcohol content (4.39% ABV), and it’s great for pairing with salads, fish, and other light summer fare.

Dandelion and Fennel Bulb IPA
Big Alice Brewing
Hazy golden in color with Belgian esters, this IPA calls to mind a freshly mown lawn. Though that may seem off-putting at first, the slight grassy taste and moderately bitter finish cuts right through the thick heat of summer in the city. Lots of herbal notes and carbonation will make this 9.6% ABV beer announce itself to all of your taste buds at once.

Photos: Sixpoint Brewery, The Bronx Brewery, Blue Point Brewing