Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

jjboesen

Maryland

4.36/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This is Sierra Nevada's version of a crispy Czech pilsner; you know, a refresing beer that one would sip after a heavy day of traipsing around Prague - maybe enjoyed at a table on the Old Town Square (perhaps with fried cheese?). I digress ...

The appearance is one of such a classic style: light gold in color, a translucent body brimming with rushing carbonation bubbles on their way to the top. There are pleasant notes of grass on the nose; the palate is inundated with subtle hops, crisp and clear and crispy on the bite; there is subtle sweetness at the fade. The mouthfeel is somewhat dry.

This is the ultimate sessional quaff, be it in lovely Prague, or not-so-lovely Arlington, Virginia, where I enjoyed it. Ahh... Prague .... ahhh Sierra Nevada!

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2013 01:44:58 | More by jjboesen

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Love this beer in the summer time. Golden color, light & crisp hoppy aroma - nothing special upfront - but a true delight to drink. It's got a mild hop kick to save it from being an ordinary pilsener and goes down nice and easy. A fantastic session beer for those summer nights with friends.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 23:41:14 | More by TheRealBigC

flagmantho

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap in a pint glass at the Barking Dog Alehouse in Seattle.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a light haze and a lazy effervescence. Head is a finger of pillowy white foam. Nice.

Smell: light aroma of malt and some noble hops. Well composed but mild.

Taste: good malt flavor with a hint of grain and bread. A nice noble hop character rounds it all out. Tasty!

Mouthfeel: medium light body with a good level of carbonation-- more than I would have guessed from the effervescence. Creamy and fulfilling.

Overall: actually a very satisfying pilsner. I would gladly have this again, especially on tap like this.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2012 05:27:42 | More by flagmantho

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a light gold with good head retention.

S: Nose biscuity, cracker like with a nice floral hop presence

T: A nice refreshing biscuit, grain and floral hop mixture. This beer is clean, crisp

M: Light bodied, drisp, refreshing with a nice subtle bitterness

O: Overall a good brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2012 12:17:56 | More by barleywinefiend

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A decent pils for a summer afternoon. Pours clear and very light pale yellow with a fluffy white head. Good retention and lacing. Grainy aroma, some grassy, vaguely floral hops, a bit bready but not all that complex.

Taste follows the nose; it’s simple and seems almost underhopped for the style; a bit bland; some grassiness but feels like it needs a sharper hop definition and bite. Light breadiness; some floral and citrus, again plainer and less interesting than I’d like. Body was light and carbonation medium; I feel like this might be one of those beers I’d like more from a bottle than on-tap, as it felt smoother and less bubbly than I’d like for the style, taking away from the crispness and refreshing aspect of the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2012 17:12:24 | More by tobelerone

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap into a shaker glass at the Winking Lizard

A- Poured a clear pale yellow color with 1 1/2 finger frothy head that left some droppy lace

S- Some lemon, pilsner malt, some zesty spice and grains. Good aroma, a little bit light

T- Some big lemon/lime notes, pilsner malt, some spicy notes, and graininess

M- Very high carbonation, effervescent, very refreshing, and thirst quenching. Just got done with a 10-mile bike ride before and this was the most refreshing beer I have ever had.

O- This tastes like what I wish Corona or other macro lagers would taste like. So refreshing, nice pilsner malt character, lemon, and spice notes. Very drinkable summer beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2012 21:34:03 | More by Hoptometrist

jethrodium

California

3.05/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap. Pours a clear light amber with a small white head that has good lacing and retention. The aroma is biscuit, bread, a light mineral note, some grassy hops, and a bit of earthiness. The initial taste has a light sweetness. It is bready with earthy notes as well as some light floral hops. The finish is a bit doughy, but clean and dry. Light bodied. Medium-high carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2012 07:56:26 | More by jethrodium

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served this Pilsner on tap in a pint glass. Poured a nice gold clear color, nice thick white head, poor retention, decent lacing. Aroma smells of fresh cut grass, nice amount of piney hops! The taste of this pilsener is light in body, smooth, malty, dry, has a nice amount of piney hops. Surprise for a Summer Brew. Overall, awesome session beer, high marks for drinkability, great gateway beer, very nice on a hot summer day. Crisp, finish's dry.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 03:09:10 | More by GossageBrewery

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap @ Maewyn's in York, served chilled in a pint.

The color is a pale golden with thick cap of white cream, the clarity is good and the lace clings in ringlets. The smell is good with some gentle floral/herbal hop aromas with mild malt and slight yeast ester which gives a sort of bready backing. The feel is very good, nice hop presence which gives the kind of acidity you want from a pils, plenty of carbonation, but not overboard. I think the malt profile is pleasant adding a bit of sweetness to keep the lager balanced.

The flavor is smooth and malty up front, but mid-taste the flavor of the herbal hop emerges with some nice gentle grassy and tea like flavor, somewhat floral but not too much to be enjoyable with some citrus elements. The taste of the malt is gentle and slightly sweet with a mild yeast that adds some character to the brew and perhaps a tinge of mineral. The overall impression I get from this is it is a great beer, an all around flavorful and quaffable lager which is saying something because there aren't enough of its ilk out there these days.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 11:42:29 | More by Slatetank

Kooz

New York

2.25/5  rDev -38.9%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Sorry for abbreviated notes, but I was in a crowded bar.

Golden yellow, okay color for a summer.

No discernible smell.

Tastes slightly too bitter, which keeps it from being smooth. Unfortunate.

Despite the bitter taste, there isn't a lot of bite and those usually go hand-in-hand. Mouthfeel is really good--creamy.

Overall, not a great summer, but okay.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 01:21:40 | More by Kooz

smakawhat

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Meridian Pint DC into a shaker pint.

Simple classic gold, with a big white head that never lets up. Foamy with uniform pin head sized bubbles throughout. Body has some slow rising carbonation.

Mild malt on the nose, even some very very small hint of lemon, but also a fizzy gas and slight sour.

Taste however is fairly alright. A little dense it seems with a decent malt body, but a faint light bread and great good feel, but missing a little snap and crispness I associate with this style.

Not too bad, but not too gravitated towards it much either. It would do in a pinch on a hot day for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2011 22:35:32 | More by smakawhat

kingcrowing

Vermont

4.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap poured into a tulip.

Pours a very crisp pale light color with a very small white head. Nose is malty and crisp with some light hoppiness.

Taste is crisp and clean with some good good light malts. It's super drinkable and tasty. Very solid summer beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2011 22:33:24 | More by kingcrowing

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap at manny browns in philly

Pours a clear golden yellow with a layer of white head, fades into some filmy retention and patchy lacing.

Scents of bready lacing and butter with lemon peel and citrus. Fairly bland overall.

Some floral hops with citrus juice. Grapefruit and orange with rind and pith. Biscuit and bready malt with some faint hints of caramel and honey. Finishes with honey and sweet hops.

Medium body, higher carbonation, easy on the tongue. Drinks okay, but pretty boring flavor and forgettable overall.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2011 03:12:31 | More by xnicknj

gpatt55

California

3.3/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap @ Philly West

Pours a macrolager-like yellow/green straw color with a thin sudsy head. Nose of straw and light citrus hops. Richer flavor than the color would suggest, nicely malty, medium bodied lager. Front porch beer, refreshing with good flavor. Nothing earthshattering here but a perfectly good summer session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2011 20:51:24 | More by gpatt55

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap. Pours a translucent staw color with an inch of head. Good amount of lacing. Aroma is of lemon, earthy, and grains. Tastes like a pilsener but with a bit more hops and some lemon. Nice bitter finish. Earthy flavor as well as some cut grass. Smooth, crisp and easy to drink pilsener with a good amount of flavor. Perfect for summer, obviously. Overall, I dig it and look forward to having some more.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 18:28:25 | More by PicoPapa

philbertk

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company 2011 Summerfest Lager. 4 oz. Taster @ Fremont, Seattle Hop Scotch Beer & Scotch Festival on 4/1/2011. 5.00% ABV. 28 IBU's. Very thin white head. Clear bright thin yellow gold color. Crisp Saaz hop aroma. Thin textured mild sweet zesty all malt body. Crisp balanced smooth mild hop spice end. Nice Pale Lager. (3.5 / 5.0)

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 02:44:12 | More by philbertk

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -13%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes:

On draft at The Bishop's Collar. Pours a pale golden yellow that is completely clear with a thin white head that quickly settles into a thin lasting ring. No lacing at all and not very impressive looking at all.

Bland aroma with very faint earthy hops along with a pale malt presence. Hints of yeast, bread, pilsner malt, grass, stra and faint light fruit.

Fuller bodied than expected with a nice crisp hop bite up front that lingers throughout over the sweet malt body into a slightly dry, refreshing finish. Dry bitter hops up front countered by sweet pale malts and crisp light fruit notes, especially apple and pear. Slight bready yeast with faint grassy straw notes. Very quaffable especially in hot summer weather.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2011 09:17:03 | More by corby112

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Rustico - Alexandria. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a clear straw color with plenty of visible carbonation and a nice white head. Some decent lacing on the way down. The nose brings a good dose of Noble hops as well as some fresh grain. The hops are key here and add a real zest to this. Nice floral characteristics. A bit of straw and grain in the background. Nice and crisp, this is a really easy-drinking brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2010 21:59:49 | More by Thorpe429

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

3.6/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Bright, but fairly light gold, a very creamy looking head that left behind some nice lacing. A bit of a short pour, making the head seem not so great due to lack of retention, and no beer to fill the void. Shame on you, server.

S: Not that powerful, but malty, herbal and floral scent too, almost dank.

T: Crisp and a decent bite of bitter hops. That dank herbal taste shows up again and again. Finishes fairly malty and overall enjoyable.

M: Kind of thin, maybe a little too carbonated, but still hits the spot for the style I suppose.

D: Really good, one of the better "summer" labeled beers out there, definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2010 01:44:59 | More by mostpoetsdo

david18

New York

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I enjoyed a sixteen ounce glass of this beer at the Amsterdam Ale House on Manhattan's Upper West Side. I am surprised to learn that this is a czech style pilsner and am weary of anyone outside of pilsen attempting this style. In general I liked it a lot. Very light and refreshing. A little cloudy in color with a great smell. Very good summer beer but not my favorite. I generally like german pilsners better.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2010 14:58:49 | More by david18

NorthbayStout

California

4.38/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I'm not usually a huge advocate of light summer beers, but for a lager I found this was a very interesting beer. More depth than most lagers I've drank, and surprisingly sweet for a Sierra Nevada. My customers find it equally delightful. I formidable lager!

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2010 18:53:35 | More by NorthbayStout

benclimbs

California

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours yellow and fizzy with a nice head and some retention, lots of bubbles

smell is fresh bready with some ripe apples

taste is clean lager flavour with a hint of pine in the very end

mouthfeel is pretty normal for a lager but with a bit more dryness at the finish

pretty drinkable and pretty nice for the style

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2010 00:25:57 | More by benclimbs

beerhan

Ohio

1.95/5  rDev -47%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

perhaps it was just where i had this beer but it was disgusting. it tasted lile bud light with lemon. this was straight up awful and makes me want to hurl. there was little to no flavor and I saw almost now carbonation. The after taste was like urine and cake. I cannot exactly figure out what they were going for with this but I am thouroiughly disappointed. The absence of flavor saddened me because of SN's standard of quality but two of us ordered pints and were subject to this. I was told it is supposed to be better but I am not convinced

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2010 04:57:34 | More by beerhan

russellaaron69

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a clear straw color with soft white head that quickly faded into so pretty nice lacing. Smells like summer, fresh cut hay with a nice hoppy smell. Think I picked up a little citrus mixed in there too. The taste is very impressive. Spicy with a hint of citrus. The malt compliments the hops perfectly. Mouthfeel was a solid medium. Drinkability was awesome. Had this sitting on the patio of the local bar. Found it be extremely refreshing and plan on picking some up for a cookout coming up this weekend.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 21:55:07 | More by russellaaron69

wollybugger

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +33.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sierra Nevada obviously knows what they are doing. Although still fairly knew in the beer world, Sierra Nevada Summerfest is clearly one of the top lagers I have ever tasted!

I will say that it is good consumed out of a bottle, but on tap it is money. The beer is clear in appearance with a creamy head (my kegerator CO2 regulator is set at 5Lb psi and pours a perfect head every time.) It has an easy entry with a slight hoppy after taste. Summerfest is only 5% abv, so this becomes a great social beer.

Sierra Nevada is always impressive and once again they don't dissapoint. Treat yourself this summer, and tap a Summerfest

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2010 21:17:30 | More by wollybugger