Summer beers from New England

Summertime has hit the Hub in full force, which means that it’s time to bust out some easy-drinking beers to cool off with on these sticky afternoons. Here’s our annual roundup of New England breweries’ summer seasonals.

HiCu

Brewed by: Magic Hat

Location: South Burlington, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 4.2 percent

“Gins and other alcohols and even water get infused with cucumber,’’ said Chris Rockwood, lead cellarman at Magic Hat Brewery. “So why not do it with a beer?’’

Why not, indeed. HiCu is an amber to light red ale with an upfront nose of hibiscus and cucumber and a bitter hop taste to finish. Now that sounds like a Hawaiian vacation in a bottle!

HiCu is available only in Magic Hat’s summer variety pack, which also includes its signature #9, last year’s Elder Betty seasonal, and Blind Faith.

Wildflower Wheat

Brewed by: Otter Creek/Wolaver’s

Location: Middlebury, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 4.25 percent

Otter Creek’s Wolaver’s line aims to showcase a variety of local, organic products. This summer, brewers mixed up a raw honey and chamomile mash in an unfiltered, American-style beer with “a kiss of herbs,’’ brewmaster Mike Gerhart said. “It’s the quintessential Vermont day in a glass.’’

Vunderbar!

Brewed by: Smuttynose

Location: Hampton, N.H.

Alcohol by volume: 5.1 percent

Vunderbar is an unfiltered, dry-hopped pilsner. “We tend to not brew too many at Smuttynose these days,’’ said JT Thompson, minister of propaganda. It’s a heavier beer made with German malt and Czech Saaz hops, with a little bit of Noble hop to balance out all that grainy flavor.

“And it’s got a guy wearing lederhosen on the box,’’ Thompson said. “If that doesn’t make it awesome, I don’t know what does.’’

Fisherman’s Sunrise Saison

Brewed by: Cape Ann Brewing Co.

Location: Gloucester

Alcohol by volume: 7 percent

Are they brewers or bakers? At Cape Ann, they might just be both. The Fisherman’s Sunrise Saison is a Belgian farmhouse ale with a very healthy dose of strawberries and rhubarb. “It takes summer flavors but doesn’t boil them down into a light and flavorless beer,’’ said Jeremy Goldberg, owner and head brewer. The saison will be available in bottles only until the beginning of August.

For something a little heartier, Cape Ann’s Spruce Biere de Garde (7.3 ABV) is brewed in the winter with spruce tips and orange peel. It’s availalbe on tap only.

Angry Orchard hard cider

Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.

Location: Boston, Mass.

Alcohol by volume: 5%

Sales of Boston Beer’s Angry Orchard cider have picked up this summer. According to IRI, a firm that tracks liquor sales in retailers, Angry Orchard Crisp was the top cider brand in the US for the week ending on July 21.

The cider is brewed with Italian culinary and French bittersweet apples. Other ingredients, such as elderflower or Nigerian ginger, are added to make one of four varietis. They’re available in six-packs or on draft.

Xavier

Brewed by: Newport Storm

Location: Newport, R.I.

Alcohol by volume: 7 percent

Newport Storm has had three storms a-brewin’ every year since 2005 as part of its Cyclone series. This limited-edition brew will be available until mid-July, Butzbach said. Cherry puree lends it a unique sour flavor. “We’ve never done anything like it,’’ spokeswoman Taylor Butzbach said. “It’s one of the more complicated recipes our brewer came up with– he has a microbiology background.’’

Heather Ale

Brewed by: Cambridge Brewing Co.

Location: Cambridge

Alcohol by volume: 5 percent

CBC’s famous Heather Ale will hit shelves in early August. It’s also brewed with locally-grown malts, but features heather flowers, lavender, and sweet gale herbs handpicked by CBC brewers. It’s got a bright aroma, spicy herbal honey, and a toasty malt character that’ll have enthusiasts running to the heather-filled hills for more.

Watermelon, Pomegranate, and Blueberry Wheats

Brewed by: Blue Hills Brewery

Location: Canton

Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent

Blue Hills’ original watermelon HefeWeizen just wasn’t enough for adoring fans, so the brewery added pomegranate and blueberry to the lineup, said Jim O’Neil, director of operations. They’re usually available from March to September, but O’Neil said that last year the demand was so high that they shipped out in February, despite the snow on the ground.

For those looking for a higher ABV (7.25 percent), Blue Hills’ brand-new, imperial-style King’s Kolsh should be hitting shelves and taps soon.

Meadowlark

Brewed by: Pretty Things Brewery

Location: Somerville

Alcohol by volume: 7 percent

“We were trying to make the best IPA ever,’’ brewer Dann Paquette said. Considering the fact that this seasonal will become part of Pretty Things’ year-round lineup starting when it’s released at the end of July, they might have just succeeded.

Part of that requires getting the recipe just right, all the way down to the water profile. The hops are also rather unique: 60 percent of them are passionfruit-tinged Galaxy hops from Australia, and the other 40 percent is made up of citra and chinook hops that add a touch of grapefruit.

The result is a hoppy, floral, citrusy, and very American beer. “We usually do more English or Belgian stuff,’’ Paquette said. “It was time to get into the untapped market of American beer.’’

Blueberry Hill Lager

Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.5 percent

This version of Sam Adams is only available in the summer variety pack, which also includes their Little White Rye seasonal. It uses citrusy hops and blueberries from Michigan, the Pacific Northwest, and New England, Glanville said. A dash of honey makes it smooth and sweet.

Head Brewer Jennifer Glanville recommends pairing it with seafood and even ice cream. “We made a blueberry float with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream,’’ she said. “I’m still making them for my friends at home!’’ But don’t worry — Glanville assured that it still tastes like a beer.

Melonhead

Brewed by: Shipyard

Location: Portland, Maine

Alcohol by volume: 4.4 percent

“The fruit flavors that we us are traditional summer flavors,’’ founder and co-owner Bruce Forsley said of Shipyard’s Melonhead beer. It was released in May, and Forsley said the response to it so far has been very positive. It’s lighter and more refined, exactly the way a summer beer should taste, Forsley said.

HefeWeizen

Brewed by: Cambridge Brewing Co.

Location: Cambridge

Alcohol by volume: 5.5%

Cambridge Brewing Co. makes this summer favorite with locally grown and malted wheat and rye, Will Meyers, CBC brewmaster, said in an email. It’s an unfiltered beer described as “cloudy, spicy, fruity but dry, with a spritzy effervescence’’ on the brewery’s website, with a high rate of carbonation that’s perfect for a summer day.

White IPA

Brewed by: Harpoon

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 6.2 percent

Harpoon turns 20 this summer, and what better way to celebrate than to bring back last year’s summer brew, the White IPA? Head Brewer Sean Cornelius expects the limited-edition IPA to be gone by the end of summer. White IPA is a Belgian white and hoppy American IPA combo with a zingy orange and citrus background.

Vermont Lager

Location: Middlebury, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 5.25 percent

No wonder brewmaster Mike Gerhart calls the Vermont Lager “a favorite in the rotation:’’ the German-style pilsner has won gold at the Great American Beerfest. Made with imported and dry IPA noble hops, Gerhart said that it goes along well with just about any kind of cuisine.

Belgian White

Brewed by: Longtrail

Location: Bridgewater, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 4.7 percent

First introduced in the spring of ‘08, Longtrail’s Belgian White is based on traditional Witbiers from the 14th century. The brewery’s website calls it clean and crisp, with a light, fluffy head and “soft notes of citrus and spice.’’ It’s become a summer favorite and will be available through the season.

Styrian Aurora

Brewed by: Mayflower Brewing

Location: Plymouth

Alcohol by volume: 8 percent

The Styrian Aurora IPA is part of Mayflower’s Cooper series, in which brewers showcase one type of malt and one type of hop per beer. This one-off, available only in 22-ounce bottles, uses Golden Promise malt from Scotland and spicy Styrian Aurora hops.

Once the Styrian Aurora sells out, it’s gone for good, but Mayflower founder and president Drew Brousseau said that there might be an opportunity to produce another Cooper series installment before the summer is up.

Summer Ale

Brewed by: Shipyard

Location: Portland, Maine

Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent

Shipyard’s annual summer ale is a light wheat option with a golden amber color.

Summer HefeWeizen

Brewed by: Newport Storm

Location: Newport, RI

Alcohol by volume: 4 percent

This summer marks the second year that Newport Storm is releasing this citrusy, unfiltered summer classic. The run is expected to last until August, said spokeswoman Taylor Butzbach.

Little White Rye

Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.3 percent

Brewer Jennifer Glanville says this little gem has an “earthy character, but it’s fresher.’’ Oranges, corriander, and white sage give it a bright and crisp finish.

Summer Rye Ale

Brewed by: Mayflower Brewing

Location: Plymouth

Alcohol by volume: 3.8 percent

Mayflower’s Summer Rye is a light unfiltered ale, perfect for extra-hot summer days. Founder and president Drew Brousseau said that it’s a spicy but mildly fruity brew and a nice alternative to traditional wheat beers.

Wheelman’s Wheat

Brewed by: The People’s Pint

Location: Greenfield

Alcohol by volume: 4.5 percent

This Belgian whit uses a 50-50 mix of wheat and pilsner malt, according to brewery manager Chris Sellers. A little bit of spice and citrus make for a tart finish and refreshing afternoon drink.

Summer Weizen

Brewed by: Smuttynose

Location: Hampton, N.H.

Alcohol by volume: 5.46 percent

Smuttynose put a spin on the traditional Weizen by adding chamomile for a slightly floral flavor. It’s made with German yeast and is available through August.

Czech Pilsner

Brewed by: Berkshire Brewing Co.

Location: South Deerfield

Alcohol by volume: 5.5 percent

Berkshire Brewing uses authentic Pilsner floor malt from the Cech Republic for this brew, according to its website. It’s light, dry, and crisp, with a generous share of Saaz hops for a richer aroma. How’s that for a Bohemian rhapsody? The Czech Pilsner will be available in July and August on draft and in 22-ounce bottles.

Honey Cider

Brewed by: Harpoon

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent

Harpoon’s Honey Cider is made with pressed apples, yeast, and wildflower honey. Sean Cornelius, head brewer, described it as light, tart, and sweet. It’s also gluten-free, making it a great summer drink for those who can’t usually sip a beer. “We seem to be hearing a lot more people asking for it,’’ Cornelius said.