The hot humid days synonymous with DC summertime are quickly approaching, and there’s no better way to combat the miserable heat than with a beer in hand… unless, of course, it’s a local beer. Here are our recommendations for top local brews you need to be drinking this summer.

DC Brau: Brau Pils
The clean, crisp German-style pilsner was the fourth brew to be added to DC Brau’s lineup. The light lager is on draft at many local bars and available for purchase in 12 oz cans throughout the DMV area. (Pilsner; 4.6% ABV)

3 Stars Brewing: Citra Lemon Peel Saison
The light and refreshing session beer is made with citrusy hops resulting in a bright, tart flavor. This saison goes great with grilled food and is a great beach beer option, and it’s available in tallboy cans throughout the DC area. (Saison; 5.2% ABV)

3 Stars Brewing: Ghost White IPA
This hopped wheat beer strikes good balance between bitter and citrusy-fruit flavors. This crisp white IPA pairs well with grilled fish or roasted meats, so pick up a few of these tallboys for your next cookout. You can also find it at a handful of local bars. (IPA; 5.9% ABV)

Right Proper Brewing: Kodachrome Dream(ing)
Perfect for summer daytime drinking, Right Proper’s farmhouse radler is made with citrusy hops Galaxy and Citra, wheat, fresh grapefruit, lemon and lime zests. A light and refreshing option for those hot summer days, find it on tap at the Shaw brewpub or bring in your own growler for a fill to enjoy this radler at home. (Farmhouse radler; 4.5% ABV)

Port City Brewing: Optimal Wit
A Belgian style witbier, the award-winning Optimal Wit is one of the Alexandria brewery’s more popular brews and was their first beer made available to the markets back in 2011. Brewed with wheat, orange peels and coriander, Optimal Wit is crisp and refreshing, perfect for drinking on a summer DC day. It is readily available at a number of area restaurants and bars and available for purchase at various stores. (Witbier; 4.9% ABV)

Photo via Flickr user Image Catalog