DESPITE what my family might think, I’m not the fussy sort. I do believe there’s a right way to load the dishwasher and a proper place to stow the remotes, among other things. I’m particular, maybe, but certainly not fussy.

I feel the same way about beer. Now, no one has to sell me on the pleasures of cold beers on hot days. To rail against cold beer would simply be un-American, especially with the Fourth of July weekend coming up. But one must choose a suitable beer. Not all beer is at its best, or even particularly refreshing, when served cold. That’s not fussy, that’s just common sense.

Common sense tells me that in the heat, I want a beer that’s crisp and clean and slightly bitter, that has enough flavor to pique the interest but not so much that the beer won’t go down easily. It must have a satisfyingly ample presence in the mouth, but it also must be somewhat fleeting, to inspire that next mouthful. And since I want to drink, not sip, this beer cannot be high in alcohol. The hammock will beckon soon enough; no need to rush things.

Many beers might meet these criteria. But this summer I’ve found myself fixated on one, a fairly obscure German ale that is an ideal hot-weather beer: Kölsch.