Far be it for me or anyone to tell you what beer to drink and when. You want a double-digit ABV double IPA? Just know that the more alcohol you consume, the greater the risk of severe dehydration and, by extension, heat stroke you assume. Which is why the first hallmark of a good float beer is one that is lower in alcohol, so where you’re typical craft beer weighs it at 6% ABV or more, we’ll be looking at beers in the “low fives” or even in the four percent range.
There’s the old joke about “what do Bud Light and making love in a canoe have in common,” but in this case, you probably do want a beer that’s waterier than the above-referenced craft beers which are more diuretic. You probably also want to make sure you’ve got some actual water in that insulated tote you’re dragging behind your inflatable-of-choice.
Let’s start with Wild Ride Brewing’s Whoopty Whoop Wheat. Where other American Hefeweizens are frequently garnished with a slice of lemon, this wheaten ale features lemon peel in the brew. Wild Ride brew Matt “MattKat” Katakura notes, “(The lemon) is added in the hot side and surely helps drive the refreshing, crisp imbibe. It’s perfect for river floating and absolutely crushable on these 90-plus degree days.”
Speaking of fruit beers, we’re all aware cucumbers are botanically fruit, yeah? The creator of my previous fave float beer, Tonya Cornett’s Cucumber Crush, created UPP Yours at her year-old UPP Liquids. Winner of a silver medal at the 2025 Great American Beer Fest, tart ale — specifically, a Germanic gose — ends up tasting more like sour pickle than cool cucumber, which in this era of pickle Cheetos and pickle cashews, simply means the world is ready for it. And with a can in hand, procured directly at the pub or a small number of retailers including Third Street Beverages, you’ll be ready for those class I rapids beneath the Colorado Avenue bridge just a half mile from UPP.
The brewpub that’s even closer to the river is Monkless Belgian Ales, which has won four GABF medals over the years, but all of them for the stronger Belgian style ales for which they are famous. But brewer and co-owner Todd Clement has a cloistered secret. Unlike his Abbey inspired ales that typically weigh in around 8% ABV, he created the Brother’s Bier “exactly” as the “perfect float bier.” Stylistically, it’s an obscure single or pater’s bier. It’s crisp, dry, and at 4.8% ABV, the perfect sipper going 3 MPH, especially given its 19.2-ounce can size.
When it comes to float beers, many think to reach for a light lager, and that’s exactly what Van Henion Brewing’s Leichtbier translates as. Brewer and co-owner Dana Henion remarks that Leichtbier “is traditionally the go-to summer-time lager in Germany. As a rare sub-4-percent beer (3.8% ABV), it’s also 100% German malt — no filler — meaning it’s fuller in flavor than it almost has any right to be. “If I was sipping this on a tube, cruising down the Deschutes, the only thing that could make it better would be a sando or a light snack of some chips,” notes Henion, who obviously doesn’t mind risking her chips getting soggy.
Which brings us to a personal favorite for any occasion, be it water or land-based. Japanese lagers are finally having their moment, including getting their own competitive category at GABF. So while you can expect to see more hitting the market, whitewater time is the right water time for Crux Fermentation Project’s Bochi Bochi (4.9%). “As a Japanese-American, it’s important to me to make a proper Japanese rice lager to pay homage to my culture and heritage,” said Crux head brewer Ryan Atagi. He discloses that the grist (the grain bill) consists of 40% whole-grain Calrose rice — a relatively high quotient — that yields a super refreshing beer that’s extra crisp, as well as extra complex and all-around extra ideal for enjoying mere inches above the water surface.
This article appears in the Source July 30, 2026.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
So you’re saying it’s ok to drink and float down the river? How irresponsible! I’m a beer drinker but there are places alcohol doesn’t belong. What’s next, great beers for driving on that long road trip? We’ll probably find cans of these beers in next years River cleanup.