Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

CloudStrife

New York

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled January 8th 2013.

A: Pours a clear golden yellow with a half finger white head. Average amount of visible carbonation. Dissipates to a thin covering in a minute or two leaving some spots of lacing.

S: Aroma matches what one would expect from a lager. Light maltiness with a touch of hop bitterness. A bit of a crackery aspect as well as some spicy notes.

T: Mild blend of pale malts, light hops and lager yeast. Great bread like cracker taste that really rounds this out. A good deal of spiciness in this too.

M: Crisp, clean and refreshing. As expected this is a great brew for the summer. Ample carbonation.

Overall a tasty pilsner that is as the name suggests perfect for the summer. A lot more spice than I had anticipated, seems to come from both the yeast and the hop.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:24:37 | More by CloudStrife

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

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

12oz bottle poured into a shaped pint glass.

Appearance
Pale straw color with 2 fingers of white, fluffy head that dissipates quickly. Excellent clarity with low carbonation.

Nose
Lemongrass, Pilsner malt and bubblegum.

Taste
Follows the nose. Pilsner malts and caramel covered grains. Lemongrass and bubblegum.

Mouthfeel
Light bodied, crisp and clean.

Overall
Nothing special to speak about. A sub-par Czech Pils.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 00:10:56 | More by justintcoons

DerAtomsmasher

Washington

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Best way I can describe this is as lemony (hops) corn Pops (subtle grains). I mean this in the best way possible. A good refresher and a good alternative to a thicker Sam Summer, or something else with too much hoppy dryness making the refreshment just out of reach.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 03:33:34 | More by DerAtomsmasher

lsummers

California

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden yellow with a great two finger white fluffy head.

Smells of citric buscuty hops and hay.

Tastes of sweet buiscut nutty barley sugar with some grassy almost apricot like hop notes to end on. Very pleasant and light, maybe a touch too light.

Mouthfeel is fairly round actually yet still retains it's sharpness from the carbonation.

Overall, this is a great lawnmower beer. Perfect for those hot days out in the sun. If your looking for something that is going to be brimming with taste, this one is a little subdued. Can't wait to try it again though.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 01:23:18 | More by lsummers

cjnuxoll

California

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

here's a strong, flavorful lager that makes me forget how much i really don't like everyone else's favorite pale ale. summerfest reduces the bitterness of SNPA and adds the wheaty flavor that should be common to a lager. i know i'm comparing a pale ale to a lager, but i'm just qualifying my preferences so you know where i am coming from in my beer tastes in this review.

it's lightly carbonated and full bodied. the alcohol content is slightly higher than that of a normal lager, so you know from the stronger flavor you're getting a micro brew from a company that is quickly becoming one of the largest distributors in the country. it's not a sell-out beer - it still has the uniqueness that tells you it's a sierra nevada without overwhelming or offending. just a solid contribution to give you some additional options at the beer store.

[edit] had a few more since the review. It's growing on me. The Summerfest is pretty good; but I've found, that like a fine wine, you need to let it "breathe," so the yeast oxigenates and mixes. It's lightly carbonated, but as the yeast dissolves when opened, it maintains the bubblieness and stays sharp.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 01:19:09 | More by cjnuxoll

bennetj17

Arizona

4.46/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Clear, pale straw, with lots of effervescent carbonation, but little head. Mild, yet inviting aroma of grainy malt with a light citric hop note. Clean and crisp flavor with a proper grassy bitterness kicking in early and lingering nicely on the tongue. The malt backbone is bready and dry without any residual sweetness. Carbonation is very nice. The body is light but never thin. This beer just goes down so smoothly, and the alcohol is not discernible at all.

This beer is damn near perfect and is just a fine example of a proper Pils. It's drinking very fresh right now and for 6.99 a sixer it is unbeatable. Way underrated in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 06:13:12 | More by bennetj17

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

Samp01

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a good medium fluffy lasting white head. Aroma and Taste of biscuit malt, grass and grains, some yeast and lemon citrus flavors with some mild bitter and tangy notes. Palate is medium crisp body with moderate carbonation. Finish is biscuit malt, grassy and grains, yeast with some lemon citrus flavors. Overall a good crisp and refreshing summer crew

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 23:34:21 | More by Samp01

tectactoe

Michigan

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

Pours a straw-yellow color with a silky white head; tame, yet vibrant, no apparent lacing left on the glass. Aroma is crisp with some grains in the background, playing secondary to a nice helping of bitter, earthy hops. Some lemon zest pulls through and plays tertiary as well. Lots of carbonation on the initial sip; this was to be expected - it gives a nice, clean, crisp taste on the palate and brings out the strength of the hops. The hops make up a good percentage of the taste here, but make no mistake - this beer is far from "bitter", even compared to pale ales. Malts and grains come through in around the edges, again followed by a lemon-orange-citrus like sweetness that shows up for a moment and washes away. Some clove and light spice shows up once the beer is significantly warmer, although this isn't typically a beer that takes too long to put down. Thin body, crisp, clean, dry finish.

I'm not extremely well versed in "Czech Pilseners", so I don't know how this differs from the American type, but it certain makes for a refreshing beer to drink on a hot summer day. Hits the spot after mowing the lawn in 95 degree heat for hours.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 12:54:39 | More by tectactoe

danreitz

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a mason jar. Appears a slightly cloudy gold with a foamy, quick-dying head. Aroma is bright and malty. Immediate hop flavor followed by a slinky citrus flavor. Finishes lightly bitter with a bite that gets stronger after you've taken a sip. The citrus flavor gets slightly less prominent as the beer warms. It's very bubbly on the tongue and light-bodied.

An easy-drinking, bright-tasting lager. Complex enough to please my palate, but refreshing and light enough to throw back a few. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 19:23:46 | More by danreitz

Vashtar

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice lacing, Average head retention, pale rotting fingernail color.

The smell is inviting, especially as it loses its cool.
Not only is the smell nice, but this beer literally has a nosefeel. It's almost frothy.

The taste gets better as the beer looses its chill.

The mouthfeel runs from the base toward the end of the tongue, like a slide. It froths at thr back of the throat. The froth is more enjoyable in the nose.

To be continued

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:36:42 | More by Vashtar

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle was poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a small dismal head that has reduced to nothing. It is a golden straw yellow with great clarity and signs of carbonation coming through the glass.

Smell: Bready and sweet malts with some pepper and grassy notes mixed in there.

Taste: spicy, bready, sweet, bitter, grainy and spicy.

Mouthfeel: smooth, medium bodied, medium carbonation, lingering bitterness, crisp, and easy to drink.

Overall: not a bad pilsner, but the bitterness lingered around way too long. Still enjoyable and definitely a warm sunny day beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 06:35:49 | More by Flounder57

heygeebee

Australia

3.03/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

From Leura Cellars.

Pours pale straw, very clear and light, very little lace.

Lovely aromas of pineapple and floral hops.

Taste is in lager territory firmly, but an astringent aftertaste suggests poor transport.

Mouthfeel not quite carbonated enough.

Ok beer but not a great one - drink fast

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 10:18:51 | More by heygeebee

Vigilante

Nevada

3.3/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a Czech Pilsner glass.

A: Light yellow color with one finger of head that fades quickly leaving light lacing. A ton of carbonation.

S: Pale malt, pepper, and hops.

T: Pale malt, hops, grapefruit with a citrus aftertaste. Taste of grapefruit lingers afterwards.

M: Light body mouthfeel which transforms with the bite of the hops. Semi-dry finish.

O: Mouthfeel is a little weak when the drinker is confronted with the fairly bitter hop character. The beer doesn't seem to have the malt backbone to stand complement the bite of the hops. There are certainly better Czech style pilsners out there. I am slightly disappointed by this one as I am usually very impressed by Sierra Nevada's brews.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 08:27:11 | More by Vigilante

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a weizen glass

A - Light hay amber with 1 finger white head with good lacing and good retention

S - Playdoh, wheat

T - Pretty earthy, herbal and fairly bitter. My palate does not enjoy this composition but I respect it.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation.

O - Good summer beer, just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 21:32:08 | More by williamjbauer

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager pours a clear light yellow with a small, white fizzy head on top. The foam fades away quickly leaving a few spots of lace on the glass. Lots of small bubbles float slowly to the surface.

The aroma is rather faint. It has notes of lemon grass, a touch of pale malt and a little skunk mixed in.

Each sip of this light bodied beer is watery on the palate with a mild to moderate carbonated fizz. The flavor begins with some notes of lemon and a touch of pepper. In the middle some light grain appears that presents some malty sweetness. It finishes mildly bitter and floral with lingering grassy bitterness and lemon.

This is a tasty, very easy to drink beer. It's well balanced and quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 20:35:42 | More by WanderingFool

claspada

New Jersey

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

Pours a cloudy, yellow-orange color with a small, fizzy white head that dissipates leaving little to no lacing.

Aromas begin a bit grassy with a bit of citric lemon peel. As it warms I get a bit more of sweeter crackery pale maltiness with floral notes.

The tastes are an improvement from the nose with more of a crackery pilsner base malty crisp and sweetness. As it warms you get a hint of lemon and some floral hoppiness with some lingering minimal spicy bitterness.

The mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with medium carbonation. Finishes crisp with a light, lingering spice on the tongue.

Overall this is one of the few summer style beers that I still enjoy and will revisit year to year (along with Anchor Summer and Harpoon Summer). It is the perfect pairing for anything from a backyward BBQ to a nice dinner of Asian or Spanish cuisine. Not overly complex but above average flavor wise for the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 15:15:28 | More by claspada

ChrisPratz

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours to a single finger with of head that dissipates quickly to a very blotchy veil that covers the top for most of the way down. Coloring is a nice pale yellow thats nice and transparent.

S: Very aromatic. Nice lemony citrus flavors dominate, with a slight skunkyness typical of a czech pilsner. Catching some hints of grass/garden aromatics as well. Very very enjoyable.

T: Nice clean and dry flavorings, very crisp. That skunk from the nose hits u at the start, along with some nice citrus and spicy hops bitterness. Skunk follows in the aftertaste. Not as citrusy as the nose let on but very nice crisp flavors. Def a nice summertime beer.

M: Nice amount of carbonation works well with that skunk flavor and citrusy spiciness. Dry feeling on the palette but lets the aftertaste linger.

O: Not a bad summer brew at all. Def noticeable skunk, typical of the czech pilsner, but with a slight addition of citrus. Would def get this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 04:01:06 | More by ChrisPratz

Hatzilla

California

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

A: Clear straw color with minimal head and lacing.

S: Floral, Lemon, pepper, cereal and grass.

T: Lemony hops and pepper. Malty and clean.

M: Smooth, oily, well carbed with a dry, slightly hoppy aftertaste.

O: A great summer beer from Sierra Nevada. Crisp, light, flavorful, and highly drinkable. A perfect beer for a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 22:57:56 | More by Hatzilla

Farewell_Transmission

4.33/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottle.

a- nice head, very light white colored beer. Head fades quickly.

s- smells as if you are in a garden. Very fitting for the style of beer.

t- strong hops flavor very up front in it's flavor.

m- what you would expect from a czech pilsener.

o- this is a very fine beer for a weekend afternoon, preferable with 90+ degrees temperatures.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 21:20:58 | More by Farewell_Transmission

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 350ml bottle with a BB of April 2013. 2012 vintage (heh). Picked up recently from Trembling Madness in York.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A bright pale-yellow hue with faint haze and light carbonation. Forms a decent head of creamy white foam that lasts for a few minutes before dissipating. Aroma of light malt with subtle notes of floral hops and citrus. A hint of grain and noble hop character. Nice.

Tastes of light malt with a crisp bitter finish. Notes of faint grain, mild citrus, aromatic noble hops and stewed hops. Dry, with a suggestion of sweetness and a slighty spicy quality. A restrained bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is light, smooth and tingly, with good body for the style. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of bitter aromatic hops.

Tasty - a quality lager. The flavour/aroma is subtle but nicely balanced and drinkable. Good malt, and the hop aroma has a citrus edge to it. An unmistakeable 'SN' aroma lurks in the background - perhaps the yeast strain? At any rate, worthy of your time. Grab one if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 23:11:33 | More by jazzyjeff13

Mojo

Alabama

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This beer pours a light straw with a massive 4 finger soapy head that never quite goes away. Substantial lacing is left on the glass. Smell is very subtle, but I picked up apples, fruits, and a floral aroma. Mouthfeel is excellent with lots of carbonation. Taste is malt and fruit, well balanced with nice hops on the finish. I recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:46:24 | More by Mojo

slassy

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours a very light and marigold yellow. Hardly any foam, just some traces on the top that fade quickly.

S: Mainly malt mixed in with some floral tones...which almost smell like freshly mown grass.

T: Not as malty as I anticipated. Some mild sweetness, but no other flavors are too pronounced to this tongue.

M: Extremely light and 'fluid'. Carbonation level is perfect- enough at the beginning of a sip to be interesting and reminiscent of soda but not annoyingly strong like you get with many beers.

O: Very refreshing, and not by bad by any stretch, but certainly forgettable. Wouldn't be a bad session alternative to drinking megabrews.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 03:56:49 | More by slassy

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Poured a light golden color with a two finger white head. The head fades rather fast to leave a moderate level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma was of a light b ready malt mixed with notes of lemon and pine hop aromas. Light, but quite refreshing.

Taste – The taste was overall much hopper then I would have originally expected. It began with a malt base with some light notes of a caramel nature. A citrus hop flavor was present up front. While mainly lemon in taste it did have some grapefruit mixed with in as well. Soon some pine hop flavors come to the taste with the lemon hop tastes also being accentuated by a lemon peel taste. These flavors take the taste to the end. Overall it has a crisp flavor with some nice hoppy notes.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer was of average thickness with a carbonation level that is rather average. Both made it very drinkable, but yet did not take away from the maltier and hoppier flavors.

Overall – A great session beer on a warmer day. It has a nice lighter-yet pronounced enough hop flavor to make for a crisp, refreshing, flavorful beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 00:00:47 | More by Darkmagus82

fixscott

4.18/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one of the best pilsner style lagers I have ever had from an American brewery. I wish that it was a year round offering. The "kick back on a summer night" thing I think is more about marketing than anything. It is easy drinking but still quite complex. If you are accustomed to huge IPA's or stouts this may seem like a beginner beer. However, This can stand next to any pilsner in the world and command respect. This is no adjunct lager.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 22:47:06 | More by fixscott