It’s summer, and it’s hot. BEER! is what immediately comes to mind when temperatures soar. While this hasn’t changed since the advent of refrigeration, the definition of “beer” has, since the revival of traditional beer styles and the emergence of microbreweries during the past quarter-century.

“Never order a beer.” These are perhaps the most famous words of British beer expert Michael Jackson, who wrote tirelessly about traditional styles of beer for more than 35 years until his death in 2007. What Jackson meant was that one should order a specific style of beer, such as lager, pale ale, wheat beer, stout and so on.

Unlike milk, beer is not a universally uniform product, but rather a drink that reflects the climate, food culture and brewing traditions of the place where it is made. In a pub with a good beer selection, ordering a “beer” is pretty much as silly as ordering “some food” when one is hungry.

Thanks to the growing number of beer types now available, hot summer weather no longer leaves a beer drinker prisoner to “light lager, well-chilled.” The days of endless rounds of “Molson Light” are a thing of the past. There is now a good variety of beer with “quenching” as a common trait.

Here are some suggestions to add diversity to your summer beer drinking pleasure.

LAGER
While this style of beer symbolizes the death of diversity to many beer enthusiasts, it doesn’t have to be bland. For summer, a lager should be light in body and low in alcohol. Also, it needs to have a crisp, dry flavor that scours your palate, so it has to be cold. Chilling decreases perceived sweetness, so a beer that is too sweet is a beer that is too warm. Note, however, that the sensation of bitterness does not change with temperature. Go for the brands that have a lot of hop bitterness. Recommended is Sapporo Edel-Pils, which has been a draft-only beer since its introduction in 1987, but was released in cans this year on July 16 and will be available for a limited time only.

WEIZEN
This is a light ale originating in Germany, brewed with about half malted wheat and half malted barley, often as much as 70 percent wheat. Hop bitterness is very low, but there are so many other things going on flavor-wise. A special strain of yeast is used that gives it a spicy, fruity flavor that many people identify as “cloves and bananas,” but some just liken to “bubble gum.” The head is snow-white, and the texture very creamy. Rich in flavors but very light and refreshing. While the popular Ginga Kogen brand is easy to find, seek out the superior Fujizakura Kogen Weizen brewed in Yamanashi near Mt. Fuji.

BERLINER WEISS
This is similar to Weizen and often confused with it, but it is a separate style of wheat-based beer, with about half the alcohol (around 2.5 percent to 3 percent) and a distinct tart flavor due to the development of lactic acid in the fermentation. It is an acquired taste, but positively refreshing. To this thin, sour beer, Germans often add a bit of raspberry or woodruff (herbal) syrup in summer. A very good version is made by Otaru Beer, but the company refuses to ship product further than 100 km from the brewery. Instead, look for German brands such as Berliner Kindl Weiss.

WITBIER (OR BIERE BLANCHE)
The rising popularity of Hoegaarden White beer in recent years is testimony to the full flavor yet refreshing character of this previously obscure style of beer from the Belgian countryside. Called “Wit” in Flemish and “Biere Blanche" in French, it is made with barley malt, wheat malt and unmalted wheat, and spiced with aged hops, coriander seeds and peel of the Curacao orange to give the smooth, sweet beer a bitter and spicy flavor and a fruity citric aroma. While Hoegaarden White is extremely popular in Tokyo, seek out the more obscure Blanche de Namur for its thrilling “flower bouquet” aroma and smooth, subtle sweetness.

LAMBIC
This is a broad range of wheat-based beers fermented naturally using airborne yeast present in the Senne valley of Belgium. The range of flavors is remarkable, and some contain fruit, usually cherry (kriek), raspberry (framboise) or black currant (cassis), but what they all have in common is that they are SOUR, the aged versions remarkably so. Accordingly, they can be surprisingly refreshing, but with complex flavors at the same time. Recommendations include Boon (pronounced “bone”), Cantillon and Girardin. Note that these are artisan-brewed beers, and rather expensive.

KIRIN NUDA
This is practically the only drink in the world that contains hops but is not a beer. Rather, it is a sparkling water flavored with the essences of hops and grapefruit. There is no malt, no alcohol; hence, no calories. The hops used are a North American variety noted for their citrus-like flavor, and this flavor strikes you first, followed by a bitter sourness from the grapefruit essence. The effect is supremely quenching. Introduced in the summer of 2007, this has been my summer drink of choice ever since. At times I add a little gin.
Keep in mind that alcohol warms and dehydrates the body, so go easy on quantity, particularly on very hot days. It would also help to keep a cold glass of water at hand to keep both your brain and palate fresh.

All of these beers can be purchased at Tanaka-ya near Mejiro station on the Yamanote line; phone 03-3953-8888. For a list of other stores, see www.bento.com/beerstor.html. These beers can also be found at the many specialty beer bars in Tokyo. For a list, see www.bento.com/r-beer.html