Must try summer lager styles.

Brooklyn Lager is a Vienna lager, readily available and I think great example of the style.
Helles Lager from Cigar City is one of my go to summer beers. (Available year round)

 

Czech out SN Summerfest (see what I did there?).

 

If you're in Virginia, Devil's Backbone's Vienna Lager should probably be available where you are.

 

DFH piercing pils should be available in your area.

Victory Prima Pils, St. George Pilsner, and Great Lakes Elliot Ness are also excellent and (I think) are available in Va.

 

Munich Helles beers your list should not be without:
Augustiner Edelstof (no date, unfortunately)
Spaten and Hofbrau (get from sealed cases due to green bottles)
Andechs Volbier
Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold

 

Piercing Pils is DFH's winter seasonal, wouldn't recommend grabbing any bottles you see floating around. And agreed on Elliot Ness, best Vienna on the market imo.

 

Both SN Summerfest and Nooner should be readily available.

Look for fresh Pilsner Urquell and Weihenstephaner helles, which can usually be found at a retailer with good turnover.

 

You mention Vienna lagers, which to me are a cooler weather beer, but mandatory on that list is Great Lakes Eliot Ness.

 

Not sure how you feel about these, or if you've seen them in your area yet, but I'd like to add Ballast Point's Longfin Lager and Victory Lager to the list. When fresh these are good US examples that can easily replace the choices above if one can't find the imports even remotely fresh (which can be the case in some areas).

Shh....Don't let @JackHorzempa hear me say this!

I'm also eager to try Von Trapp's Helles this weekend (probably tonight). It tasted good from the bottle last weekend at a wedding, but I find a nice Helles opens up so much more in the glass.

 

sierra Nevada kolsch, delicious summer beer for me anyway.although not a lager, good summer beer.

 

It's pretty much a style unto itself but Anchor California Lager is a must try. Anchor Steam is also.

Also check out this link
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/dining/beers-of-the-times-american-lagers.html

 

Try any lager by Devil's Backbone. They are well made, even if ones like the Schwarz might not be considered a summer beer by some.

 

You are going to love Von Trapp. I sure did =) Wish I could get their beer all the time.

 

Agreed.

 

You're thinking about it in terms that are too black and white on a few levels. That beer is in every seasonal pack regardless of season - it's not there because BBC considers it a summer beer. If some folks here express a preference for Vienna lagers in cooler weather, that's their preference. In addition, SABL is classified here as a Vienna but that's only because it's the closest box it fits in. BBC does not consider it a Vienna. They actually make a Vienna that they claim to be more malt forward than SABL. You are right in that it is lighter than some that are marketed as Vienna, but it isn't trying to be one.

 

I'm starting to dig Kolsch beers, I just saw New Holland's version in the store yesterday, that will be my post-yard work beer on Sunday (supposed to be in the mid 90s, and ungodly humid)

 

Straub makes a very good Vienna Lager that is part of the Summer (Sunshine) Variety Pack.

You can read more here: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-540.308103/#post-3814382

Cheers!

 

Well, Boston Beer Co. is one of those outfits that is constantly changing their website, so I can't find their old "ale/lager" family trees pages, but they used to list SABL as a "Vienna Style" example only a year or so ago.