Which beer is right for you this summer?

Which beer is right for you this summer?

Welcome back, summer: which beer should you bring?

Picnics. Barbecues. Beach days. The question on everyone's mind: which beer do you bring?

We sat down with a local news segment recently to break it all down. Here's what Paul had to say.

In case you missed it, last Sunday, May 29th our very own Paul Gentile was featured on the Sunday morning broadcast at WFSB 3 Connecticut talking about craft beer.

My wife and I own Gentile Brewing Company. We opened in March and we're located in Beverly, Massachusetts — about a half hour north of Boston. If you find yourself out that way, stop on by.

But we're really here to talk about craft beer in general. We're coming into the summer, and we want to get the word out: go visit your local brewery, taste their beer, and then buy some beer from them. That's what we're all about — getting people into our taproom to taste and buy our beer.

Why is craft beer so popular right now?

I think it comes down to a couple of things. A lot of it is local — knowing who's making the product you're consuming. If you can go into a place and actually taste what they've made, and meet the person who made it, that goes a long way. That's true across the board for food and beverage.

And I think people are starting to like bigger, bolder flavors and well-made products. We're kind of coming out of that mass-produced era. Now people have the skills and the ability to make this stuff for the people they know — the folks who live around the corner. Buy local. It all ties together. As long as people continue to make good products, the people around them will buy them — because they want to.

So what should you actually bring to a summer cookout?

First rule: buy what you like. That is paramount. If you don't like it, you shouldn't bring it.

Here's how to find out what you like: go to your local brewery and try a flight.

At our taproom, we offer four-ounce pours across five different beers — and my dad actually made our flight boards, which was a fun little project for him.

For summer, our Blonde Ale and IPA are selling really well. They're easy-drinking, not challenging, not difficult. If you're going to a barbecue and you don't really know who's going to be there, a lighter style is usually a safe bet.

If you've got a smoker going and there are ribs involved, that's where our Porter and Stout come in. They're more robust and go really nicely with grilled meats. Our Stout is heavily roasted — you're not seeing through that one.

And then there's our newest release: a Saison. It's a style from the Belgium and France region with a very distinctive flavor. Depending on the yeast, it can be really peppery, really fruity, or even a little grassy and funky. It's one of those beers you really need to taste before you commit to a 64-ounce growler and bring it to a party where nobody knows what a Saison is. Trust me on that one.

Our final thoughts

The point is: find your local brewery. Go in. Meet the person who made the beer. Try it, talk about it, and then buy it.

That's what this is all about.

— Paul Gentile, Co-founder, Gentile Brewing Company