This Summer’s Favorite Beers

by

Eat/Drink

Every summer, we beer lovers gather around ourselves a circle of our favorite beers. And our circles of favorites vary as much from each other as they do from summer to summer. This summer, we’re gathering a circle of the season's favorites from representatives of every strata of the city’s beer trade—from a brewer and brewery owner, Russ Klisch of Lakefront Brewery, to the beer buyer and co-owner of a large retailer, Marie Greguska of Discount Liquor, to a small retail shop’s co-owners, Rebecca Sue Button and Jerel W. Hall of Thelma Carol Wine Merchants, to the lead bartender of a restaurant, Stevie Ruiz of Birch.

Rebecca Sue Button

Co-owner, Thelma Carol Wine Merchants

  • Duchesse de Bourgogne
  • Flanders Red Ale
  • Brouwerij Verhaeghe
  • Vichte, Belgium

“As a person for whom beer is not always my first choice, The Duchesse, which is a Flanders sour traditionally blended from an older and younger ales and then aged for 18 months in barrels, brings a whole range of aromas and flavors to your glass, including sour dried cherry, oak vanillas, and dark malt.”

Jerel W. Hall

Co-owner, Thelma Carol Wine Merchants

  • Cerveza Toña
  • American Adjunct Lager
  • Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua
  • Managua, Nicaragua

“For summer I usually head straight to the coldest clear beer I can find, and this delightful lager from Nicaragua blends just the right amount of flavor with a super refreshing finish. It’s lighter in body but sings with a purity not found in many other beers in this style. It goes really well with brats straight off the grill.”

Marie Greguska

Beer Buyer & Co-Owner, Discount Liquor, Inc.

  • Chimay 175 (175th Anniversary Blonde Ale)
  • Belgian Blonde Ale
  • Bières de Chimay
  • Baileux (Chimay), Belgium

“Champagne-like effervescence with notes of coriander, spice, red apple, floral, grass, banana, and that undeniable Chimay house yeast. Lighter in body and alcohol than a typical Trappist Ale at only 6.5% alcohol, but with all the richness and flavor you’d expect from a world-class brewery like Chimay. Absolutely delightful!”

  • Oude Gueuze Cuvée de l'Amitié
  • Belgian Gueuze
  • Brouwerij Lindemans
  • Viezenbeek, Belgium

“Made exclusively for the American market, its name translates to ‘friendship blend.’ A limited release blend of three-, five-, and six-year lambics aged in oak foeders. Notes of green apple and elderflower, with a clean, dry, and sparkling finish. Nicely balanced tartness, fruitiness, oak, and brett. Great aperitif beer or with oysters and fresh seafood.”

More Recommendations from Marie

  • To Those Who Wait & Wurkwar
  • Czech/Bohemian Pilsner
  • Working Draft Beer Co.
  • Madison, Wisconsin

&

  • Wurkwar
  • Czech/Bohemian Pilsner
  • Working Draft Beer Co.
  • Madison, Wisconsin

“Two excellent examples of traditional Czech-style beers. To Those Who Wait has notes of bread crust and grape nuts, with a spicy bitterness and a wonderful crisp finish. The Wurkvar, which is modeled after the world-famous Budvar, has a more malty profile, with notes of bread and a dry herbal spicy hop character on the finish. Great beers for kicking back on the patio with friends.”

Russ Klisch

Owner, Lakefront Brewery

  • Weissconsin
  • Hefeweizen Ale
  • Lakefront Brewery
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

&

  • New Grist
  • Gluten-Free Grapefruit Radler
  • Lakefront Brewery
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“This summer, I'm reaching for Weissconsin and New Grist Radler. Weissconsin is a classic German-style wheat beer with subtle clove and banana notes from the weizen yeast, and it's incredibly drinkable at 5.0% ABV. When it's really hot outside, New Grist Radler is hard to beat. The combination of grapefruit soda and our gluten-free New Grist beer makes for a crisp, refreshing beer that's just 3.0% ABV and 110 calories. Both are great examples of the easy-drinking, flavorful beers I enjoy during Wisconsin summers.”

Stevie Ruiz

Lead Bartender, Birch Restaurant

  • Blizzard of ’67
  • Imperial IPA
  • Hop Butcher for the World
  • Chicago, Illinois

“One of my favorite local spots in Milwaukee to get wings after work is called Points East Pub. They always have really good beers on tap. My favorite this summer is Blizzard of ’67 by Hop Butcher out of Chicago. It’s a strong Triple India Pale Ale, with Citra, Mosaic, Eldorado, and Ekuanot hops. It’s potent and malty, with notes of overripe tropical fruit. I think it’s a great beer to drink to start a nice summer day.”