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What makes a Lawnmower Beer good?

Lawnmower beers are beers that are light and refreshing enough to drink while working in the yard.

Written by CraftJack | Updated | 3 min read

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Mowing a large lawn with a beer
That's, umm, a lot of grass | Photo Credit to Rémi Müller

The name comes from the fact that these beers are the perfect drink to have while cutting the lawn. Or any manual labor really. High ABV beers these are not. But what else makes for a good lawnmower beer? Let's discuss, shall we?

5 things that make a good lawnmower beer

  1. Light, crisp, and refreshing. A beer for mowing lawns is not thick or syrupy. What refreshes one person vs another has some wiggle room. But for this, we're thinking a beer brewed with some Noble hops, such as Hallertau or Saaz. A Bohemian Pilsner could certainly do the trick here, or, your standard Kölsch. Rock on with a Radler.
  2. Flavors are acceptable. But they must be kept in check. A Sam Adams Porch Rocker is definitely a lawnmower beer. Same goes for their Summer Ale. A kettle sour is not. Frazzleberry Bomb Pop Sours should be enjoyed on your own time and not after you've cracked a sweat.
  3. An acceptable amount of hops. Double dry hopped ales need not apply for blue collar work. You can disagree, but that's our viewpoint. No reason to experiment with the amount of hops when you're considering brewing a lawnmower beer.
  4. It need not be craft. That's right, we said it. A general rule here is that if the beer is commonly used for drinking games, you can consider it a lawnmower beer. You know the names: PBR, High Life, Busch Light. We won't judge. In fact, we'll join you. Well, at least every once in a while.
  5. These rules are optional. Whoa?! Ok ok, hold up ... there is a condition. Every beer is a lawnmower beer if it's the only beer you have.
A beer/cup holder with a clamp to attach to your lawnmower

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Accmor's Cup/Beer Holder is perfect for clamping to your lawnmower. It will help you reduce spillage, and that's really what you want.

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3 Commercial Examples of Lawnmower Beers

Lots of breweries have beers that qualify as Lawnmower Beers. We're gonna share a few to whet your palette, tug on your pull-chain, and just generally start up your desire to acquire one.

Lawnmower (St. Arnold Brewing Company)

It's in the name. Like the word sip in Mississippi, it's there, and you can't deny it. Texas's St. Arnold Brewing Company pull-starts the entire beer style category with their Fancy Lawnmower.

Lawnmower has the Hallertauer. It has the Kölsch yeast. The beer is clean and balanced. If you want to skip the line and go straight to the counter, this is what you're ordering.

St. ABC's Lawnmower pairs well with the end of a 90 minute mowing.

Handline Kolsch (Devil's Purse Brewing Company)

Cape Cod knows all about mowing lawns. As in, all of the residents of the Cape mow the oceanfront lawns of the rich Boston folk who spend their summers seaside. Ok, that's not entirely true. But maybe a little. The best lies have some truth to them.

The Handline Kolsch from Devil's Purse can be summed up as such, "A nice crisp beer with a refreshing finish. Hints of lemon. A great day drinking beer."

This dovetails nicely with the description from the brewery itself, "Our interpretation of a German style kolsch, mildly hopped with Vanguard. This unfiltered rendition has pleasant aromas akin to lemon zest and cut grass, with a dry finish and refreshing taste."

For real, they highlight aromas of freshly cut grass. Sold.

Horny Toad (Coop Ale Works)

Oklahoma City's Coop Ale Works brews up the Horny Toad, a blonde ale that totally qualifies for a ride on the ol' Craftsman.

Once again, we're nominating a beer that clean and crisp, and possessed with a touch of bitterness from a pilsner malt body that sits across the aisle from the two-row. Coop Ale Works comes through in the clutch with the Horny Toad.

Wrapping Up

It's nighttime right now, but this makes us want to pull the lawnmower out of the shed and carve up and acre just to justify the Noble-hopped beer we are drinking currently.

Photography Credit

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