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8 Great Easy-Drinking Lagers to Enjoy This Summer

Crisp and refreshing, the lager may be the ultimate summer beer. These are some of the best to stock in your cooler.

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Whether you crack one open while trimming the yard or sip on one as you fire up the grill among friends, the light lager is one of the best summer beers. Crisp and refreshing, the beer — we’re talking lagers that are golden or pale in color, easy on the hops, and low in ABV — are ideal to drink under the punishing summer sun. Without getting too technical, a lager becomes a lager through the fermentation process. The yeast used in making the style of beer can’t tolerate as much alcohol, and fermentation happens at cooler temperatures than ales. That’s how you end up with a lower ABV and a lighter beer all around.

Low ABV definitely doesn’t mean low on flavor. Brewers use special touches that add and nuance to each bottle, and the best are distinct in the notes they contain. Regardless, the best light lagers are crisp, refreshing, and very drinkable. They’re much easier to imbibe than, say, a hop-packed IPA, and you can put a few away without fear of a nasty hangover. In short? No summer cooler should be without them. Below are eight light lagers to seek out this summer, from classics to new favorites.

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