Who doesn’t like the thought of a cold refreshing beverage as the temperatures outside continue to rise. Hot summer days are a great opportunity to seek out light, fresh and crisp wines and beers. These choices can be enjoyed on their own after an afternoon of working in the yard or just lying on the beach, and will pair well with lighter summer fair like salads or seafood entrees.

Crisp Refreshing Wines

Sauvignon Blanc: The primary flavors of Sauvignon Blanc are lime, green apple, passion fruit, grapefruit and white peach. Depending on how ripe the grapes are when the wine is made, the flavor will range from zesty lime to flowery peach.

Try: Oyster Bay (New Zealand), Charles Krug (Napa) or Celestin Blondeau Sancerre (France)

Albarino: Albariño is a high-quality, light-bodied white that grows mostly in Spain and Portugal. It’s loved for its high acidity, refreshing citrus flavors, dry taste, and subtle saltiness.

Try: Martin Codax or Kentia 

Gruner Veltliner: The primary fruit flavors in Grüner Veltliner are lime, lemon and grapefruit. There is also a green and herbaceous flavor that is often described as white pepper.

Try: Laurenz V. Singing Gruner Veltliner or Groiss Gruner Veltliner 

Rose: Roses are among my all-time favorite summertime quaffers. They are so versatile that they are a must-pack with your picnics. They are served chilled, just like white wines, so slide a freezer sleeve over this wine, too. It's also acidic, but the red wine it's made from offers a little more melon/strawberry/red fruit qualities that pair well with many food types.

Beers

Lighter beer styles (frequently lower alcohol) beers are great to enjoy during the dog days of summer. Enjoy offering from local breweries in these styles:

Gose or Sour Beers: Gose beers provide a refreshing crispness and twang. A Gose will have a low hop bitterness and a complementary dryness and spice from the use of ground coriander seeds and a sharpness from the addition of salt. Sour beer is the oldest type of beer in history. Nearly all beer used to be at least somewhat sour before pasteurization and sterilization was entirely understood. Sours come in a wide range of styles and can run the gamut from mouth-puckeringly sour to barnyard funky to fruity and light.

Try: Thimble Island Gosaic (Branford) or Two Roads Sauvignon Blanc Gose (Stratford) 

Also: Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (North Carolina)

Pilsner: This style is medium bodied and characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish.

Try: Two Roads Ol’ Factory Pils (Branford) or Connecticut Valley Brewing Company Sky’s The Limit (South Windsor).

Also: Oskar Blues Mama’s Little YELLA Pils (North Carolina)

Session IPA: A session IPA combines the hoppiness of an IPA with the lower alcohol content of a session beer.

Try: Stony Creek L’il Cranky (Branford) or Two Roads L’il Heaven (Stratford)

Also: Founders All Day IPA (Michigan)