The top beer trends for summer (and five tinnies to try)

Anyone looking to satisfy their thirst with a beer this summer has never had it so good, says James Smith, founder of craft beer news website The Crafty Pint.

"The big name lager brands continue to do the job for many, but if you're after something different – bolder in flavour, lower in alcohol, local in nature – the choice is almost endless," he says. "Or at least it can seem that way when perusing fridges at a specialist beer retailer."

Smith suggests trying one of dozens of new pale ales and IPAs (Indian pale ales) to go toe-to-toe with barbecued meats, and the ever-growing range of alcohol-free beers for anyone spending time off the booze after the holiday season, or just taking things a bit easier.

"A few years back, I might have focused on the rise of flavoursome mid-strengths as a sensible option for those tasked with driving or planning to enjoy their first campsite beer at lunchtime," Smith says.

"While there are still plenty of cracking mid-strengths around, the advances in ultra-low [0.5 per cent alcohol or less] and non-alcoholic beers add another option. What's more, they come in many forms – lagers, pales, sours, even stouts."

Low calorie and low carbohydrate beers are becoming a thing too, says Smith, partly in response to an increase in "healthier living" marketing from other brands.

Hazy pale is one step up from a lager, but not so far detached that it will smack you in the face.

Mazen Hajjar, Hawkers Beer

"You don't have to look hard to find low-carb options such as Ballistic's Low Ha Pale Ale and Brick Lane's Hi-Fi Dry."

Hazy pale ales are also on the up, says Smith. "They're typically softer, fruitier and less bitter than ales of yore."

The founder of Melbourne's Hawkers Beer, Mazen Hajjar, says the hazy pale is approachable yet still complex enough to be interesting.

"It's something that you can drink and feel refreshed and not think about too much. We make hazy pales at Hawkers because they're a continuation of our love for hops. One step up from a lager, but not so far detached that it will smack you in the face."

Fruit is cropping up everywhere, too, often added to the beer in puree form. Says Smith: "Whether it's sours, pale ales, [Indian pale ales], you name it, someone's doing a roaring trade [adding fruit puree] to beer."

"And for those further down the craft beer rabbit hole, summer refreshment may feature locally farmed fruit in a spritzy mixed-ferment saison, or a barrel-aged, blended delicacy years in the making."

The rise of craft lagers can't be ignored either, Smith says, with Sydney's White Bay Beer Co a leader in the independent lager market.

White Bay head brewer Dennis De Boer, lager is as regionally specific as any kind of ale.

Says De Boer: "Nothing is nicer to have a session with than well-made lager. It's also the perfect beer for the Australian climate."

James Smith's five beers to try this summer

Non-Alcoholic: Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy

Chances are you've come across Heaps Normal and their flagship non-alcoholic beer, Quiet XPA. The Half Day Hazy is a hazy pale without the booze, but with a soft, tropical-citrus allure.

$14.95 a four-pack, heapsnormal.com

Lager: White Bay Lager

Sydney's White Bay Beer Co. is known for hefty IPAs, but it pours a large range of lager styles at its Rozelle tap room.

$20 a four-pack, whitebay.beer

Hazy Pale: Hawkers Hazy Pale

If you're after something close to the style's Platonic ideal, Hawkers have you covered. It's blend of hops is refined to a tee.

$18 a four-pack, hawkers.beer

Fruity: Atomic Mando Sour

Sydney-based Atomic's Mando Sour brewed with a trio of mandarin varieties. It's a vibrant and delicious display of how well brewers are working with fruit.

$18 a four-pack, atomic.beer

Low Carbohydrate: Wolf of the Willows Crisp Lager

Burleigh Brewing's Big Head has been flying the low-calorie flag for independent brewers for more than a decade, and now there's Wolf of the Willows' Crisp Lager – a late 2022 debutant with a dry profile from the Melbourne brewery.

$16 a four-pack, wolfofthewillows.com.au