Joie Gerhardt

My New England peers may find this month abrasively hot and sticky…but I’m no stranger to year round heat- my life in the Virgin Islands gave me the constitution of a lizard. I made the most of the Caribbean’s most persistent heat, enjoying light beers or sipping the tacky song-inspired cocktails accompanied by the most potent hangovers. With a pursuit of sweaty nostalgia sparked- it’s time to embrace our embarrassing tan lines and most sophisticated beer choices. Below is my guide to approachable beer styles to aid in your survival of this year’s 4th of July cookout.

To inaugurate this list- my favorite anytime beer is Exhibit A’s Goody Two Shoes. It’s a refreshing Kolsch, with a crispness that lends itself very well to grillside activities. I love to have this one in my arsenal for family members that are unattuned to craft beer. Next on my list is Honest Weight’s Grisette, Gate 37. Another crowd pleaser, but this one offers an ambitious step towards saisons, with a lightness emboldened by a fruity, bread and spice backbone. This beer is a nod to tradition, and a companion to the laid back ambiance of a patio party. With such limited time in New England, I thought my perspective would be bolstered with a little help from the experts, so I enlisted the leadership team at Redemption Rock to share their favorite summer enhancements:

The first opinion was offered by our general manager, Dan Carlson. He endorsed Redemption Rock’s summer sweetheart- The One with the Coconuts. It’s a cream ale, with a cult-following for its pleasant, toasted coconut subtlety and crisp finish. “If not that, then Gin.” he said, jokingly, before suggesting- “Just go to Notch, and order anything from them.” adding (with less vague advocacy)- “You can’t have summertime without Allagash White”. And he’s right, why didn’t I think of that?

Our sales director Bronwyn, kept it real about her summer beer fridge collection-

You’ll typically find it stocked with Red Stripe and Lagunitas. In the craft beer realm, she mentioned a sleeper-agent, Redemption Rock’s Dry Irish Stout “For chores, it’s Blackstone. It’s that breakfast, mow-the-lawn type of beer” With Bronwyn hailing from the West Coast, her all time, hands down favorite is Fremont Brewing’s Lush, a Seattle-based, crushable IPA (certainly a boutique-packy scavenger hunt beer, if I’ve ever heard of one).

Our brewer, Greg Carlson, assured me that you can never go wrong with Notch’s 12oz session pilsner, and our CEO Dani, mentioned Allagash’s sessionable belgian- River Trip, as well as Oxbow’s Saison Dupont. 

This conversation brought into consideration the taprooms we’re currently excited about, all with a focus on community and inclusion that, while out of Worcester, deserve the summer escapade: Such as black-owned breweries Brockton Beer Co. (Brockton), White Lion (Springfield) and 67 degrees (Franklin); latina-owned Hot Plate (Pittsfield); and Mass Moca’s treasure, Bright Ideas (North Adams).

After my chat with the team, I wanted to round out these suggestions. I went home and picked the brain of my live-in bartender, and partner, Carlos. His brother was there to weigh in too: One of the first summer favorites Carlos discovered was at Far From The Tree, a Salem-based cider house. He found love at first taste (for lack of a cheesier term) in their Pineapple Jalapeño Cider. His brother Jose was the control person in my study, as ‘Los is the trailblazer in all things craft in his family. Jose cited Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy as his cookout beverage of choice. 

There are no wrong answers here- it’s summertime. I only encourage you to embrace the oppressive heat with a drink in hand. There’s no harm in stepping outside of your typical perimeters: take the drive out to that taproom, or spring for the four-pack that intimidates you… You might just find a summer tradition that sticks.