A refreshing change from an ale brewer
Written: Aug 05 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice crispness, good mix of malt and hops
Cons: Wheat summer ales have a little more character
The Bottom Line: A decent lager brewed by Sierra for the summer months. Sharp and crisp, nicely refreshing and satisfying fruitiness. Worth trying for most drinkers.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Sierra Nevada IPA |
It’s a little hot today, well over 100 degrees, and with my wife out of town and the night off work, what better way to follow up a little garden cleaning than a summer seasonal brew.
In my short time of sampling American brews, Sierra Nevada has become one of my favorite brewers and therefore it was only a matter of time before I got around to their summer seasonal contribution.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
A Gold Medal winner at the 1991 Great American Beer Festival.
Seasonals do have a habit of changing over the years and this is the first time I have ever tried this one. Before I go into the specifics, I should point out that I was surprised that this is a lager (bottom-fermented). This is surprising because firstly Sierra Nevada is known as an ale (top fermented) brewer, but even more surprising in that most summer brews, which are typically some variety of wheat beer, are ales.
Brewer’s Quote
Summerfest is a delightfully refreshing example of a traditional style lager beer. While lighter in body than our ales, Summerfest displays significant hop aroma and a tangy hop bite. The long lagering period adds a smoothness that makes this beer a great summertime treat.
Specifics for the Technically Minded
Yeast: Bottom fermenting lager yeast.
Bittering Hops: Perle
Finishing Hops: Hallertauer
Malts: Two-row Barley Malt, Dextrin Malt
Beginning Gravity: 11.5 Plato
Ending Gravity: 2.7 Plato
Alcohol Content: 5.0% by volume
Tasting Notes
Summerfest pours out to a pretty light, slightly hazy, pale golden color. There’s a lively carbonation as well as an adequate white foam, which unfortunately is a little too weak and short lived.
There’s a faint mustiness in the nose, then a nice sweet malty aroma. I also get a little fruit, grain and a slight herb.
A spritzy carbonation greets the palate, making for a tingly and refreshing mouthfeel. The crispness and sharpness is appreciable from the first sip right through to the finish. It’s a little heavier than you’d expect from a typical pilsner.
There’s an initial fruitiness that’s briefly orangey but more definitely lemony. The hop bitterness comes into play very early providing for a good counterbalance against what is essentially a malty lager. The hops also provide a little spice in the middle. There’s a sharp hoppy feeling to the finish, providing a nice satisfying dryness that fades out into a lingering lemony sugary aftertaste.
Verdict
I’ve read mixed reviews about this one but the reviewer and critic in me was left adequately impressed, while the drinker in me was left very satisfied and refreshed. It does everything that a summer brew needs to do as well as adding in a little character, something you would expect from Sierra Nevada.
I’d definitely reach for this again if I was looking for a summer thirst-quencher, but if I were looking for a little more character I’d probably go for an ale such as a Hefeweizen or a Belgian White. It may have a little too much hop in the finish for the average lager drinker, but most beer fans should at least give this a try.
Hopefully this beer is just the start of more lagers from Sierra Nevada. I drink ales predominantly, but we’re a little scarce for choice for lagers here on the west coast or as I remember beerfly once calling it, “ale-fornia”
Food
All this beer needs is a little sunshine, so what could be better than enjoying this beer outdoors. It would make a great picnic or barbecue beer. Try grilled light seafood, potato salad and corn, or a cold chicken or fruity salad.
Ratings
Appearance: 3/5 Aroma: 7/10 Palate: 5/5 Flavor: 7/10 Overall: 16/20
Score: 3.8
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
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Member: Andrew Smith
Location: California via Yorkshire
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