Sweet Action - Sixpoint Brewery

Ghostbusssted

North Dakota

3.31/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A coworker was recently enumerating the prowess of Sixpoint to which I suggested that the few beers of theirs I had tried were all closer to average than stellar. Today I decided to buy a couple singles.

Poured into a stange. Produces amazingly thick lace. What a laceterpiece I had about halfway through the glass... The color is a muted shade somewhere between amber, umber, and rust. Brighter than the lager.

The aroma is sweet alright, I smelled it from a distance and was not sure I wanted to know more. American hops lend a spicy and citrus bent to the sweet doughy malt.

Sweet breadiness abounds as does the dense foliage of hops tossed into the beer. Seemed out of place but I wasn't really complaining once I got used to it.

Easily drinkable. I was guessing this was some version of a golden ale or session ale - I don't care for the fact that many of their beers are deliberately vague about the style within. If I wanted to taste a beer blind I'd have wrapped it in aluminum foil so that I couldn't see the blue liquid within.

This would be a good one to take to an event or something, well, if it were cheaper at least.

Cheers! Abort!

Serving type: can

03-16-2013 00:02:02 | More by Ghostbusssted

brureview

Massachusetts

3.74/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The web site states that this beer is a combo of styles: part wheat, cream ale, and pale ale.

Poured a 4 finger head in a pint glass, which did not retain itself. Golden color.

Light fruit in the aroma. Mouth feel a bit carbonated.

The taste was weird. A real combo of styles: some fruit, malty, light bitterness. Well brewed, but I not my favorite combo of styles.

This doesn't taste like a cream ale as listed. Definitely a style combo. It's an interesting beer, but not my type of style.

Serving type: can

03-14-2013 02:16:32 | More by brureview

jacket_fan

Georgia

4.01/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured frow a growler into a pint glass with a vigorous pour.

A
Cloudy orange. Large bubble lacing with a lingering head

T
After tasting a sample at the growler store, decided to give this one a try. Really smooth and for me a very different beer. After all of the IPAs this one has minimal bite. Makes up for it it has some complex tastes going on.

M
A little thin with enough carbonation.

O
I liked this one because it I different for me.

Serving type: growler

03-10-2013 03:06:55 | More by jacket_fan

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.54/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured out a few punces in a pint glass to get an idea, but I'm a firm believer in drinking from the can. It poured out a golden amber color. Plenty of foamy pale yellow head. Strong retention and lacing.

S: I was pleasantly surprised from the huge piney hop smell from this one. Behind the hops was some fruity sweetness that kind of reminded me of grape juice.

T: A subtle version of the smell with some hints of apricot.

M: Medium and creamy body with medium carbonation. Very smooth.

O: I was very impressed with this one. Sixpoint are masters at the dry hop. All of their beers that I've tried have this in common. The smell on this one was incredible, especially when I was expecting very little because of the style. On top of that, this beer had a lot more character than any other cream ale I've had.

Serving type: can

03-09-2013 20:47:47 | More by mpedara429

VALIS666

New Hampshire

4.11/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Strong smell of orange and tangerine. Fair amount of carbonation. Quite like an Orangina, but not that sweet. I like it well enough now in 20 degree weather with a blizzard bearing down, but it seems like a perfect match for spring and summer, baseball, hot dogs and freshly mowed grass.

Serving type: can

02-08-2013 23:41:36 | More by VALIS666

laituegonflable

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnished orange colour, little bit of fuzz in the glass. Head is a decent colour, off-white but sunken to a little film. Nice cradle of lace left behind, though. Decent, not wonderful.

Smell is a little off. Quite metallic but with a nice softer fruity hop note behind. Quite distinct pineapple, with a touch of guava and citrus as well. Fairly tangy but a bit subdued under the metallic influence.

Taste is very fruity indeed. Big tropical flavour announces itself in its supple, juice form early - pineapple, mango and guava on there, goes from sweet upfront to tangy, then fizzles out a bit early and quite dry, without a huge amount of finish. Slight fruit juice lingers actually, and makes me feel it could use some bitterness to carry the finish across the line.

Little bit thin, but nice texture as it goes through, slightly bitty and slightly fizzy. Good.

Could use more balance in the flavour. Tangy and drinkable but needs more depth.

Serving type: can

02-07-2013 10:41:57 | More by laituegonflable

dar482

New York

4.26/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

It pours in a bit of a hazy orange. There’s an aroma of slight honey and a bit of citrus with sweet malt.

There’s a delicious good fruity hop in the front. There’s a malt flavor in the middle. It’s a sweet beer and really flavorful at 5% ABV. It’s extremely drinkable. It ends a bit fast, but it has a good amount of complexity and maltiness that I love.

One of the best “sessionable” American beers out there.

Serving type: can

02-06-2013 03:41:17 | More by dar482

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Wow! This beer took me by surprise. When I hear Cream Ale, I think of Genesee. This is nothing like Genesee Cream ale and I am a big fan of that beer.

Poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass.
It is a hazy orange color with an off white head. A little lacing was left behind.

The smell is fantastic. Sweet, hoppy and fruity.

The taste is sweet, & fruity, perhaps a peach or apricot flavor. And then the hops hit you. Just enough bitterness to offset the inital sweetness.

Mouthfeel is soft, more watery than creamy. This beer goes down easy.

Would be a perfect beer for the summer. I could see enjoying this with a salad, or seafood, or other light dishes in the summer.

A Great Beer from Sixpoint!

Serving type: can

01-28-2013 02:22:01 | More by JohnFatAss

BryanCarey

Texas

3.76/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Sixpoint Brewing Sweet Action pours to an orange/amber hue with a nose that emits fragrances such as pine, honey, some toffee, and some fruit. The head of foam on this beer is less than most and it doesn’t last long, even following a good pour.

The flavor profile of this beer is complex and interesting. It offers pine, honey, citrus, bread, and only a mild hop bitterness that is piney and not overpowering in any way. The taste is more toward the sweet side, but there is a good effort to balance the flavors and you will notice the sweet/bitter battle on your palate as you consume.

Sixpoint Brewing Sweet Action is an interesting beer and different from most others. It is classified as cream ale in some web sites and sources, but it is really more of a conglomerate of different styles like amber ale, cream ale, pale ale, and amber ale. This makes it a difficult beer to place, but certainly one that is satisfying overall, even if it does cause you to scratch your head more than once.

I had a tough time deciding exactly how this beer should be classified or rated, but my feelings and my rating improved with each sip. It is a little lighter than other craft brews, but it is still a very tasty beer in its own way and a good introductory beer for newer fans of craft beer products.

Serving type: can

01-27-2013 05:16:09 | More by BryanCarey

wonderbread23

New York

1.05/5  rDev -73.3%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

I am reviewing this against a style guideline of what is considered a cream ale -- basically the malt and hop bill of a light lager that increases the use of corn and uses an ale yeast fermented at cool temps to provide clean lager-like attributes. Think Gennesee Cream Ale as a reference.

This is not a cream ale. The first thing I noticed were intense hop aromas reminiscent if pine. The only aroma you should get in a cream ale are some light fruity esters and maybe some corn. Flavor was sweet and caramelly with a big hit of pine hops. Again, not a cream ale. The color is way too dark for a cream ale.

This beer tastes like a pale ale to me that is heavy on crystal malt. Somewhat tasty, but the victim of wrong categorization. The malt is way too big for a cream ale, as is the alcohol.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 06:01:33 | More by wonderbread23

mralphabet

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured 16 oz can into pint glass

A: Pouted a hazy brown/amber color with a good fingers worth of head that settles to a ring with spotty lacing.

S: Strong sweet caramel/toffee smells with a little piney hops mixed in.

T: First thing I'm getting is a hit of piney hops, followed by a big blast of sweet malt with big caramel and toffee hitting the mid palette. The finish is a little on the bitter side with the piney hops popping back in.

M: Medium-light bodied with a little sharpness coming the hops. There is a little creaminess once the beer warms up.

O: Very good beer here... The extra pop of hops make this Cream Ale not so Cream Ale like... But the big sweet caramel malt is so nice. Worth looking for.

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 23:20:35 | More by mralphabet

Monkeyknife

Missouri

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the can a hazy orange color with a sea of tiny specks. The off-white head was quite thin and left behind a touch of light lacing.

The aroma was juicy orange and tropical fruit along with honey and sweet caramel malts.

The taste opened with a nice bite of tangerine along with a floral spiciness. This was well balanced with the sweet caramel malts, biscuit and white pepper.

Medium bodied and a touch dry with a moderate carbonation.

I really enjoyed this one from Sixpoint. A nicely balanced mix of hops and malts.

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 22:50:31 | More by Monkeyknife

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

3.94/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

First cream ale in a while, so I wasn't sure how much I'd like it. But this turned out to be a decent brew, not hard to get down at all (i.e., not too sweet or overly creamy). This had a fair amount of hops, but it wasn't too hopped up either. A nice light drinker for late night or a summer afternoon. Pretty enjoyable.

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 04:12:54 | More by Beer-A-Lot

andrewjraab

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

A. Hazy golden and yellow with a tint of caramel. Big foamy head after the pour from the can.

S. sweet biscuits, malts, floral, notes, hops present in the nose.

T. Nice snap of bitterness up front followed by Biscuity and Bready flavors. Finishes with a mellow blend of malty sweetness.

O. This brew definitely lived up to the balanced billing on the can. This is a need to try. Simply one of the most balanced brew you will have.

Serving type: can

01-10-2013 02:44:59 | More by andrewjraab

merzeone

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

AP: Light Orange color tight white head that sticks around good lacing, Fairly clear not brilliant.
A bit dark for the style but still a nice color.

AR: Good balance of malt and hops low yeast esters, no Diacetyl good and clean.
Minor bready notes that are a touch more forward than the hop presence, Even though this beer was Dry Hopped

T: Sharp bitterness at first that fades quickly into a bready malt and Corn adjunct flavoring.
Followed up with some fruity ester flavors real nice for the mid taste.
On the back end I get nice floral hop flavoring and a dry finish to it, doesn't linger, Crisp.
A ton more flavor than a traditional cream ale.

M: Medium high carb, good and sparkly helps with the finish. Minor astringency at the end that leaves some bitterness lingering.

O: Not what I would expect from a cream ale, Nice and full of flavor they hit all the marks with fruity yeast esters nice hop aroma and malt/corn adjunct properties. Not traditional in sense but a damn good drinking beer for all seasons.

Serving type: can

01-06-2013 23:04:32 | More by merzeone

dirtylou

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16oz can, imperial pint

Perhaps I don't know what a good cream ale is, or just dont like cream ales, but this is the top rated cream ale on BA and its not doing much for me. She looks mighty nice - a bright orange body and healthy white foam head. It definitely goes down easy, but so do a lot of other more flavorful styles. Bready, light citrus hops, dry finish, sharp carbonation. Nothing wrong here, but it's a tough style to really run back to.

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 01:24:46 | More by dirtylou

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Little Pub in Ridgefield, CT.

Pours a cloudy hazy yellow color, with some foam. Kind of a funky smell. Not terribly pronounced. Taste is an interesting sweet and salty blend. Very smooth. Creamy mouthfeel. The opposite favors get held in check.

Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2012 01:59:09 | More by KTCamm

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16oz tallboy can poured into a New Belgium globe. Best before date of February 2013 means this can had only a few months of prime freshness left.

A: Pours a nice copper color with a tinge of red at its core. Slight haze. Creamy looking white head retains well and leaves a doily pattern on the glass.

S: Fragrant hop aromas are very green, oily, and spicy. Nice zesty citrus character of lemon, tangerine, and white grapefruit as well. Sweet barley and a wheaty twang underneath. Very fragrant and interesting on the nose.

T: Gripping oily hop bitterness at the outset. Very green initially, though the hop flavors begin to shift and go leafy and spicy, then eventually lively and citrusy. Lots of tangerine, some white grapefruit. Hint of white pepper. Sweet grainy barley at its core. Slight creamed corn impression. Wheat drops in toward the end and builds into the finish. Finishes with creamed wheat and a gritty, leafy hop presence.

M: Full, creamy, and pillowy/fluffy in the mouth. Modest carbonation provides a refreshing bite without cutting through the lush creaminess too much. Enamel gripping hop astringency.

O: This beer is an oxymoron in a glass: it's very complex in it's simplicity. Part wheat ale, part pale ale, and part cream ale with a big wallop of hops. On paper it sounds very odd and busy. In reality it works rather seamlessly, and weaves a simple progression of flavors into something much greater than the sum of their parts. There's a lot going on here, but in the end it all translates to one thing: a simple, enjoyable drinking experience. A perfect warm weather beer. I'm also amazed at how fresh this still tastes even toward the end of its lifespan. Is this what cans can do?

Serving type: can

12-01-2012 07:20:06 | More by ryan1788a5

flagmantho

Washington

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 16oz tall can into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich golden hue with a light haze and a strong effervescence. Head is a thick finger of pillowy ivory foam which is leaving a nice lace as it dissipates. Attractive.

Smell: rich aroma which is quite bready and yeasty. The hops add a nice earthy, floral component. Different, but I quite like it.

Taste: the flavor is exactly what you would expect based on the aroma. There's a surprising depth to the maltiness here with just an edge of corn in the flavor. Breadiness persists, and the floral hops remain with just a little bit of bitterness on the end. Quite balanced and tasty.

Mouthfeel: light body with a decent carbonation which yields a smooth, satisfying creaminess. Good stuff.

Overall: probably the smoothest cream ale I've ever had. Tasty and very drinkable. I'll definitely have this again if I run across it.

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 22:59:30 | More by flagmantho

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice boquet of floral and citrus hops, round sweet malt and a nice creamy mouthfeel. Some slightly peppery notes are in there as well. The flavors are all very delicate and none overpower, it is quite a spectacular display of complexity.

Smooth, light, complex and flavorful. This is not your typical brew, it holds the balance between flavor and refreshment better than nearly any ale I have come across.

Serving type: can

11-26-2012 04:52:37 | More by Siriusfisherman

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a (512) anniversary glass.

Didn't see having a third cream ale today, but at least this one is a bit of an oddball take on the style (sort of, anyway). It pours a clear brass topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises wheat, grass, light flowers, light orange rind, and a streak of biscuit. The taste brings in more of the same, with the grass and wheat really strangling out everything else. What results is a mild bitterness that seems a touch out-of-place and detracts from the proceedings for me. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a drying finish. Overall, despite the bitterness, which isn't all that powerful anyway, this is a solid cream ale. It may not be all that indicative of the style, but it's enjoyable enough.

Serving type: can

11-20-2012 06:49:22 | More by TMoney2591

confer

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gold in color with an off white fluffy head.
Smell is all hops but not overpowering. Hops are of the citrus kind, smell like bitter grapefruit.
Taste starts with just a hint of hops until the beer gets swallowed when the real hop flavor come through. Again they are the grapefruit flavored kind. Nothing too strong again this is a very easy drinker.
Overall I'm sure this is how a cream ale should taste. This definitely isn't a genny.

Serving type: can

11-15-2012 00:44:02 | More by confer

JKuras

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a deep burnt orange color with a good inch of fluffy head, and great lacing all the way down. Perfect color for November. One good looking beer.

Smell: True to its name, emits a powerful musky honey-sweetness overlaying the malts and flowery hops.

Taste: Again, a very strong honey-clover sweetness is the most prominent feature of this brew and it hits you right away. Following this is the malt backbone and some apple/pear fruity notes, finished off with a spicy hops that is has just the right amount of bitterness to round things out.

Mouthfeel: It’s got a slightly heavy mouthfeel, with proper moderate carbonation.

Overall: This was a tasty one, and probably one of the best brews I’ve sampled this year. It might be a little sweet for some but I thought it fit perfectly. It has some strong flavors so I’d probably only enjoy one and move on to something else, but it’s a great way to start the evening.

Serving type: can

11-11-2012 00:29:37 | More by JKuras

SadMachine

New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes from 7/27/12

A- Big 2+ finger head that peters slowly to a thin cover that leaves nice lacing.

S- Big nose of creme and caramel, with some bready malt.

T- The flavor is much the same, but with some surprising piney hop character.

M- The creamy finish and mouthfeel makes you want to drink it over and over!

O- A great go-to beer that can be readily found year round!

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 17:49:53 | More by SadMachine

FLima

Brazil

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Made onE finger head which dissipated quickly. Dark amber hazy color. Light-medium body, haven't notice the stated cream.
Nice aroma of herbal and fruity hops. Very well balanced between malt and wheat sweetness and bitterness from its 34 IBUs. Citric aftertaste (gets to it fairly quick), mostly orange. Liked this beer, good drinkability with flavor.

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 02:27:00 | More by FLima