It seems that the rains have finally stopped and summer is here. As the temperature climbs, I find myself looking for the most refreshing, clean and easy- drinking beers I can find.

Whether it be for enjoying outside in the warm weather or having a few with friends, this summer it’s all about lighter-style beers with a perfect hop balance for a snappy, thirst-quenching finish.

Lucky for us, breweries recently have been producing a number of fantastic light beers — both ales and lagers — with a bit more hoppiness to them. Don’t be frightened by the term “hoppy.”

Here, brewers use hops to add aroma and provide a clean, dry finish, which makes them perfect for hot summer days and nights.

Keep a supply of these beers in your fridge or cooler all summer long, and you’ll be sure to never be thirsty.

>> Samuel Adams Sam 76: Over the past couple years, Samuel Adams has had a rough go of it. Sales of Boston Lager have been declining for the nation’s largest craft brewery. If you haven’t picked up a beer from Sam Adams in a while, this is one well worth trying.

A unique hybrid blend of ale and lager, Sam 76 has the light, clean body of a lager with a surprisingly bright hop aroma, plus notes of Meyer lemons, pineapple and sweet oranges. Like a great lager should, its flavor starts with clean cracker, biscuit and soft bread notes, and finishes with bright, citrusy hop flavors.

This beer is easily crushable while still possessing a ton of character and flavor.

>> Sierra Nevada BFD: You won’t be able to grab a six-pack of Sierra Nevada’s Beer For Drinking hoppy blonde ale because it comes in extra-tall, single 19.2-ounce cans. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a perfect selection for keeping around through the season.

At only 4.8 percent alcohol by volume, you won’t have any trouble putting down an entire can when the temperature sizzles. BFD has a surprisingly bold hop aroma for such a light beer, with lots of grapefruit, citrus zest and pine. A light malt sweetness and thin body create a smooth, easily drinkable beer that finishes with a bitter snap that’s not harsh or aggressive.

Here again, hops are used perfectly to add both flavor and aroma while keeping each sip fresh and inviting.

>> Maui Brewing Company Fancy Footwork: An easy-drinking lager with a punch of hop aroma, Fancy Footwork is a perfectly timed seasonal release. The collaboration brew from Maui and Austin Beerworks is a simple pale lager layered with citrus hops, exactly what you’d want on any hot day.

The brewers used four types of hops — Chinook, Loral, Citra and Azacca — to add a refreshing bitterness and an aroma-flavor mix of tangerine, lychee, orange zest and ripe pineapple.

So simple, yet so enjoyable, and perfectly suited for cooling you down during the hot months ahead. Available in four-packs while supplies last.

Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, shares his obsession with all things craft beer on the third week of each month. He is part owner of Village Bottle Shoppe in Kakaako.