Sippin’ on Summer: 10 Must-Try Watermelon Beers

Fireworks, boating and brats will probably fill your 4th of July weekend, but I can’t stop thinking about the beer — particularly all the watermelon beers that are in season from small and independent breweries.

I love watermelon — a lot. So when I first discovered Odd Side Ales’ Wheatermelon, my summer took on a whole new level of amazing. I’ll admit it, I was a bit skeptical at first. I wasn’t sure how the watermelon flavor would come through, and the last thing I wanted was a beer that tasted like a Jolly Rancher candy. Well, my worries were completely unfounded, as I discovered a perfectly balanced, refreshing wheat beer with a soft, fresh watermelon flavor. Summer perfection in a glass.

We’ve rounded up a list of 10 sessionable watermelon beers that will pair nicely with whatever you’re doing for Independence Day.

Wheatermelon | Odd Side Ales | Grand Haven, MI

The perfect summer treat. A wheat ale brewed with tons of fresh cut watermelon. (5% ABV)

Hell or High Watermelon Wheat | 21st Amendment Brewery | San Francisco, CA

21st Amendment starts with the base of a classic American wheat beer, but then adds fresh watermelon during secondary fermentation. The end product is a straw-colored, refreshing beer with a kiss of watermelon aroma and flavor. (4.9% ABV)

Watermelon Hefeweizen | Strange Craft Beer Co. | Denver, CO

Strange Craft celebrates the return of summer with watermelon in a glass. Over 660 pounds of organic watermelon go into this refreshing hefeweizen, making it a bright, crisp, easy-drinking wheat brew. (5% ABV)

Not Too Sweet Watermelon Wheat | Tin Roof Brewing Co. | Baton Rouge, LA

Tin Roof Watermelon Wheat is perfect for the sweltering Southern summers. This beer has a noticeable watermelon aroma, but the actual flavor of the fruit is mild and balanced. (5% ABV)

Watermelon Ale | Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. | Bloomfield, CT

The light and crisp Watermelon Ale has a hint of watermelon essence resulting in a very refreshing thirst quenching brew. (4.8% ABV)

Melonhead | Shipyard Brewing Co. | Portland, ME

This beer is a crisp, quenching wheat ale with a refreshing essence of fresh watermelon. (4.4%)

Watermelon Wheat | Horny Goat Brewing Co. | Milwaukee, WI

The backbone of this brew is heavy on the wheat with just a touch of Vienna malt for complexity. Horny Goat Brewing Co. adds real watermelon to the tanks during fermentation, leaving a fruity essence on the back end. German hops balance the fruit for a slightly dry, refreshing finish. (5.6% ABV)

https://www.instagram.com/p/5FkabqxBFQ/?taken-by=hornygoatbrewco

Laimas Watermelon Kölsch Style Ale | FATE Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO

GABF gold-medal winning Laimas Kölsch is infused with fresh watermelon puree. (5.0%)

Watermelon Wheat | Cape May Brewing Co. | Cape May, NJ

Towards the end of each summer, Cape May Brewing Co. chops over 1800 pounds of fresh-off-the-vine watermelons. It’s an all-day affair for their production team. The brewers wait until fermentation has completed before adding the juiced fruit, so only a minor secondary fermentation occurs because of the fruit. Refreshing, juicy, and fresh, Watermelon Wheat doesn’t come around for long, brewing only a small batch at watermelon’s peak season. (4.4% ABV)

Watermelon Wampatuck Wheat | Blue Hills Brewery | Canton, MA

Blue Hills takes their Wamaptuck Wheat beer and adds an all-natural extract to give this beer a wonderful fruit flavor. Not overly sweet, this beer is a great treat on a warm afternoon. (4.8% ABV)

What’s your favorite watermelon beer?

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