What would you consider to be a summer style beer?

[mlafnitzegger]

Hi all, I was recently in a competition and found that even though it stated light summer style beer most people had hoppy apa and ipa beers. I would consider those types of beers to be year round ales and not particular to the summer style. When I think of summer beers I think of wits\wheats, blond ales, and Saisons (there are always others but that is why I am posting).
Of course this is very subjective to the consumer\brewer. What do you think a Summer style brew should be? ipe:

 

[Rivenin]

Wheats, Saison, Pils, mostly anything European for me

 

[-DELETED-MEMBER-]

Personally, saison is the style of choice for the summer season.

Summer ale is referred to in Mosher's book, Radical Brewing; specifically British Summer Ale. He writes that it is a new style dating to the mid eighties.

"Paler than most English bitters, summer ales are likely to be a little more intensely hopped as well. Most versions hover between 4.5- and 5- percent alcohol. Hops have a centre stage, with moderate to high bitterness backing up loads of fresh citric aroma."

He goes on to recommend EKG or Challenger hops.

I can see how folks would turn out an apa following a description like that.

 

[Pappers_]

I am brewing a Belgian Witbier on Sunday for my son's graduation party on May 18, hopefully outside enjoying nice spring weather.

50% Pale Malt and 50% Wheat Malt for 1.045 OG
60 min English or noble hop for 15 IBU
Coriander and dried orange peel
WLP400

 

[Canadian_Hussar]

Kolsch & Blonde Ales!

 

[MaxStout]

Kolsch, blonde ales, hefeweizens and witbiers are all great "lawnmower beers" for me. I would even consider a crisp pale ale as well.

I just bottled a blonde ale SMaSH with 10 lbs Bohemian Pilsner, Hallertau, 1/2 oz. sweet orange peel and US-05. Hydro sample tasted great and I can't wait to crack those open when the weather finally warms up.

 

[philosofool]

Berliner Weiss and any sour session beer says summer to me. For a stronger beverage, Belgian Golden Strong Ale.

Overall, I agree about IPA being a "year round" beer. (I love hops too much to reserve them for a subsection of the year.) Likewise for pale ale, however, my preference in pale ale changes by season: summer pale ale should be made with 2-row or pale malt and 15-40L crystal at about 5%, using chico type ale yeast (you could also use certain very fruity british strains like WLP023) and american citrusy hops; in winter, crystal malts should be darker (40-150L) and more aggressive (8%, less for the very dark crystal malts), hops a little more English (Fuggles, Willamette, EKG), and fermentation should use a UK type yeast. Put another way: I like APA in the summer and Bitter in the winter. (I really consider both of these more or less regional variants of the same broader style of beer.)