Welcome to Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, arctic winters and tropical summers. No matter the weather, Minnesotans are out and about in gardens, parks, cabins and lakes. We are a hardy lot.
And through it all we need beer. While winter's chill requires big, boozy, barrel-aged behemoths, summer calls for crushers. For days spent angling for walleye in a boat or fighting mosquitoes in the forest, you need lightweight, low-alcohol, fizzy, fruity refreshers. (But don't forget to drink a lot of water, too.) Here's more than a 12-pack of summer sippers to beat the heat.
Standard American lagers are great for summer sipping. But there are fuller-flavored options that offer a similar profile.
Köld from Fair State Brewing Cooperative in Minneapolis is a Kölsch-style ale that is less weighty and bitter than a pilsner, but more flavorful than an American lager. Hops and fermentation-derived fruit take the aroma lead with lemon spice and apple. The flavor follows suit. Hops bring light lemon and spice, and kölsch yeast provides a delicate apple overtone. It all sits on a soft bed of grainy/bready malt. Bitterness is low. The finish is clean and crisp with light, lingering bitterness.
Another Kölsch-style beer that's perfect for the summer swelter is Skölsch from Utepils Brewing in Minneapolis. The aroma is mostly grainy malt with some pomme fruit overtones. The flavor follows suit, adding a touch of spicy hops to the mix and just enough bitterness to counter the low malt sweetness. It's a light and lovely balance that goes down so easily.
St. Paul's Summit Brewing Co. has four iterations of its Cabin Crusher Kölsch-style ale on the market — lime, lemon, tangerine and mixed berry. Each puts a fresh, fruity twist on the basic beer. The fundamentals are there — grainy malt with light bitterness and spicy hops. The addition of fruit peel and purée lightens and brightens with slightly tart and slightly sweet fruity refreshment. Pick up a mixed 12-pack as a tasty treat for an afternoon in the sun.

Mexican Honey Light is a lower-alcohol version of Minneapolis-based Indeed Brewing Company's Mexican Honey Lager brewed with honey, orange and lime peel. Orange and lime shine on top. Honey and malt form a base like honeyed bread. Low-level spicy hops and moderate bitterness round it all out. It's super crisp with a clean, dry finish that leaves you wanting another sip.
There are currently many options for pale lagers brewed with lime and salt. All of them are good, but Lime Time from Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater stands out. Lime juice and peel are prominent, but it hasn't forgotten that it's a pilsner. Bready malt and spicy hops make it through along with moderate hop bitterness. The salinity is noticeable, but Lime Time is not salty. Like in a well-made dish, the sea salt serves to enhance the other elements without becoming a flavor all its own.