Food and Drink

The best beers for poolside in Charlotte

By Andrew Dunn
An aerial view shows sunbathers in a pool in Hazerswoude, the Netherlands, on July 1, 2015, on a warm summer day. A blistering heatwave sweeping through Europe on July 1 brought blackouts to France and fears of heat stroke for Wimbledon tennis fans. AFP PHOTO / ANP / ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN - NETHERLANDS OUT - ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images
An aerial view shows sunbathers in a pool in Hazerswoude, the Netherlands, on July 1, 2015, on a warm summer day. A blistering heatwave sweeping through Europe on July 1 brought blackouts to France and fears of heat stroke for Wimbledon tennis fans. AFP PHOTO / ANP / ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN - NETHERLANDS OUT - ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN AFP/Getty Images

You can judge me for moving out to the suburban edge of town all you want, but right now there is one undeniable perk: the neighborhood pool.

Unlike your typical public pool, you can bring beer. But there’s one complication — glass is not allowed. No bottles. Cans are your only option.

So ice up the cooler, dig out your koozies and unearth your shopping list. We’ve rounded up the top seven pool-approved beers to take on your trip:

(1) Birdsong‘s Jalapeno Pale Ale
Thankfully they just started canning Birdsong’s Jalapeno Pale Ale. They’re light enough for a hot day with enough kick to keep it interesting.
(2) NoDa Brewing‘s CAVU blonde ale
Fun fact: CAVU stands for “Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited,” an airplane word for perfect conditions. That’s how you’ll feel when your feet are in the pool and their blonde ale is in your hand.
(3) Unknown Brewing’s Pregame Session Ale
Distinctive yellow cans. Inspirational messages.
(4) Triple C‘s Golden Boy
Blonde ales are kind of a pool sweet spot. And it’s not even all that expensive.
(5) Unknown Brewing’s Over the Edge IPA
It was huge when they started selling cans of Over the Edge IPA around Charlotte. The packaging for their 6-packs are tight.

(6) NoDa Brewing’s Nodajito
Let’s be honest: you’re not going to find me pairing a Nodajito with a burger or kicking back with one at a party. However, I will say there’s something about the combination of chlorine and the mint and lime of the beer that does it for me.
(7) Coors Light
Sorry Brewpublik, but sometimes you just want to tap the Rockies when you’re at the pool. At Harris Teeter, you can almost always get an 18-pack of Coors Light for cheaper than a 6-pack of something actually good.
 Photo by AFP/Getty Images.
 Andrew Dunn covers schools for The Charlotte Observer and carries at least  three pens wherever he goes. Follow him on Twitter @andrew_dunn.

This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 12:59 AM with the headline "The best beers for poolside in Charlotte."

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