Apart from running headlong into crashing waves or diving into crystal clear lake water, as is bound to happen when the weather heats up, there is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than an ice-cold beer. The epitome of chilling refreshment is Wachusett Brewing Company’s Blueberry Ale. Produced by a local company and using a regional fruit, Blueberry Ale combines taste and affordability. A six-pack of bottles costs just a little more than $10 with tax.

Blueberries are refreshing in their own right. They can be tart, sweet or semisweet. Make a beer out of that? I’m waiting on my porch in anticipation. Also, if you’ve never gone blueberry picking, be sure to put it on your list of Summer Things To Do.

Beer, at least in a modern sense, is meant to be refreshing. The relatively recent trend of independent micro-brewing and the use of wild and innovative ingredients has complicated beer. Newer beers, like some fine wines, are made to be paired with food or sipped slowly and discussed, particularly saisons or some of the crazier IPAs. My beer-drinking companions and I do this on an almost weekly basis. It’s the fun and natural progression of a great drink. Sometimes, though, we don’t want to think about what we’re drinking.

Sometimes, we simply want to relax. There are times when I don’t want to think about hops or malts or the terroir – yes, beers have terroir now – of the Sonoma Valley wine vineyard where my beer was aged in an oak barrel for 10 months. I want to relax and enjoy my relaxation.

Porch-rocking is not about thinking. It’s about taking a sip and saying, “Ah, that’s nice.” Wachusett Blueberry accomplishes this through pure simplicity: Take a standard, well-brewed ale, add blueberries, put it on ice and drink when cold. That’s what makes it so great for summer, because summer is a season of leisure. This beer is not just reserved for porch-rocking, mind you. It’s a great beer for a cookout. The crisp, fruity tones work off of the richness of grilled meats. Plus, you add an element of curiosity by offering something your guests may not have tried before

Still, Wachusett Blueberry doesn’t hold a monopoly on the season. Sam Summer, Wormtown’s Be Hoppy, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy and Porch Rocker are all fantastic. Even Rolling Rock or Corona – provided you’ve added the lime – bring out those feelings of refreshment, enjoyment and fun.

But if you’re looking for a great, independently produced summertime beer that you can pick up on your way home from work, Wachusett Blueberry Ale is the way to go. It’s simple. It’s good. It’s summer in a bottle.

Ryan Cashman