Lawn mowing beer, Dad beer, beach beer. These are some of the nicknames for American light lager, a style commonly associated with mass-produced beer from the Midwest.

Clark County brewers are taking this ubiquitous beer and transforming it into something light and crisp, but with more flavor and balance than those produced by large beverage corporations.

This is no easy feat because there’s no way to hide imperfections behind the piney aromas of hops or the sweetness of malt. In addition, the low alcohol content (about 4 percent by volume) makes these lighter brews perfect for drinking during the day, whether after a hike or while nestled on some driftwood at the beach.

Lite Beam

Trap Door Brewing : 2315 Main St., Vancouver; 1834 Main St., Washougal

Trap Door Brewing owner Bryan Shu

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