Summer Ale - St. George Brewing Company, The

mralphabet

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 bottle poured into pint glass.

A: Poured a murky copper color with a good fingers worth of head that settles to a nice layer with light lacing from start to finish.

S: I'm getting hints of sweet caramel, vanilla and bread.

T: I'm getting the malty sweet caramel right up front with hints of vanilla and a little bread, just like the smell... There is a little (very little) peppery hops showing up at the end, but the finish is pretty clean.

S: Medium bodied, soft and pretty smooth from start to finish.

D: Very tasty brew but oddly not very summer like to me.... More fall like, but in either case it is worth looking for.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 02:35:42 | More by mralphabet

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a Shaker pint glass. No date on bottle.

Appearance: Clear coppery orange with a hint of chill haze. Thin off white head with strands of persistent lacing noted.

Smell: When cold, just the barest amount of hops. As it warms up, some pine, citrus, and honey notes. Has a hint of an English pale ale to it, but with an American hop twist.

Taste: Malts and hops well blended together up front with a bit of a lingering hop bitterness. Hops have taste of pine and bitter tea. Maybe a hint of bergamot in there towards the end. Tasty.

Mouthfeel: Nicely thick with good carbonation.

Overall / Drinkability: Overall, I think the Golden Ale by St. George is a better summer ale. This one is good, but it's not as refreshing as I thought it might be. A little too heavy and bitter - not as light, airy, and crisp as one might expect in a summer ale. Going for an English pale ale, it has aspects of it, but it's not quite it. Still, a tasty beer, just not what one would expect from the beer name or style. While I could have another if it was offered, one is enough if that's all there is - I'm not really thirsting for another.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 22:49:34 | More by damndirtyape

paulginva

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

APPEARANCE: This beer, poured from the bottle into a pint glass, produced a 3/4" creamy off-white head with good lacing and good persistence and with moderate carbonation. The body itself was a clear copper color.

AROMA: The aroma was primarily a bracingly fragrant citrus and less pronounced grassiness backed by a pleasing scent of a light bit of vanilla together with fresh-baked bread and lightly toasted wheat.

TASTE: Taste was of a lightly toasted malty sweetness and a hint of caramel balanced with an earthy hop bitterness with some spices and vanilla and a follow on peppery hop flavor. Quite satisfying.

MOUTHFEEL: The beer had a fine, very smooth medium body with moderate carbonation and good body lacing that retreated slowly. The initial flavor was slightly bitter with the medium length finish was pretty much the same with a refreshing spicy aftertaste.

DRINKABILITY: Definitely repeatable -- I could drink this for hours. While it wasn't particularly memorable and nothing about it really stood out, I'd have to call it a good session beer -- one that you could entertain your friends with without any qualms. There just wasn't anything here that knocked my socks off and I felt that it had a bit too much body for a summer ale; it would probably be more appropriate as a fall seasonal instead.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 00:25:31 | More by paulginva

Jayli

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap in Smithfield, VA 10/8
Served in a pint glass.

A: This beer pours a nice clear copper color with a one finger of bone white head. Head recedes at a moderate pace and leaves wisps of lacing on the glass.

S: Nose is pale malts, floral and citrus hops.

T: Taste starts with a bit of grassy notes and pale malts. A decent amount of light breadiness comes through in the middle. Finish have a piney, citrus hop that creates a nice bite in the finish.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, crisp at first but then has a slight oily body and a dry finish.

O: Goes down easy, very tasty, nice kick, not too filling, and good representation of style. This was a perfect beer sitting on the docks on a warm Virginia day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2011 20:50:42 | More by Jayli

Boto

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle: This one pours a crystal clear, darker golden color. There was a small white head that didn’t linger long. Lighter, but decent aroma. Faint malts, grassy and earthy. The taste is not bad. Little on the lighter side, but it is a summer beer. Fairly crisp and clean. Just a hint of bitterness, with a bit of a biscuit malt taste. I found this very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 21:17:43 | More by Boto

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 8/16/11
*From notes

A: Clean 14k gold. A decent pour yields a 1.25 finger head with minimal retention and lacing.

S: Acidic hop oil, citrus and earthy must.

T: Clean. Hints of Meyer lemon and bitters. A kiss of hops and barley preside over the mid, and the finish is slightly yeasty.

M: Reasonable weight. It's extremely quaffable and a pleasure to drink.

O: St. George's Summer Ale is a great little summertime brew. It's got everything you want on a hot day, plus a reasonable amount of flavor. I'll be looking forward to this one next summer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 23:29:45 | More by Rhettroactive

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden in color and a slight haze.
The foamy head is white and loose and fades quickly.

aroma is grainy biscuit and lite hops of a bouquet I do not know.

Taste is light and malty taste some grass and some hops at the end.

light in body and lite carbonation.

Not a bad beer and I possibly could entertain another.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 22:46:48 | More by micromaniac129

PhageLab

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

A - Big head appeared on this clear brown brew, and refused to leave. Had to let it settle down for a minute or two. Left some traces of lacing.

S - Grassy notes with some apricots.

T - Malty body with a good hop balance. Some citrus notes dance about. Fairly simple, yet delicious.

M - Crisp, clean light body. Medium carbonation level. Finishes a bit dry.

D - Excellent session brew. Refreshing, and well constructed. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 16:51:38 | More by PhageLab

pzrhsau

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Nice golden color. Clear and bright with a lace of head that sticks to the glass.
S: Sweet and bready with some tanginess and some good hop finish.
T: The hoppiness gives the beer a nice bitterness. The beer gets really balanced out by the sweetness of the malt.
M/O: Crisp and refreshing beer. Good balance of flavor. Doesn't jump out to me as a summer beer specifically but still a good session type beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 18:54:01 | More by pzrhsau

SuperSpy

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copper and crystal clear, with a small foam cap.

The aroma has a hint of malt sweetness and earthy hops. A decent aroma and nothing to complain about for the style, but also nothing too noteworthy.

Smooth and medium bodied. The flavor is earthy and bitter followed by a dry hop bitterness, oak and light sweet malt. The finish is dry with a bit of citrus, more earthy hops, a raw grain flavor.

A pale ale should be a good session beer and I will be making a session out of this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2011 00:27:35 | More by SuperSpy

ebby82

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber with a little head into a pint mug.

A- light hops, a little caramel sweetness.

T- A little sweet and caramel like up front, with a fresh, lightly hopped taste in the background.

M- Very crisp and light without losing any flavor.

D- Extreme Drinkability. This is definitely a summer beer, and its nice to drink a summer beer that isn't wheat and doesn't have lemongrass or anything else in it. Notably, it's an summer ale, not a summer lager, which makes all the difference to me.

Overall, another really great session beer from St. George.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 19:56:22 | More by ebby82

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a slightly cloudy golden color with a nice white head. Good lacing. Nose is floral with a bt of lightly sweet malt and honey. Some light fruits as well. Taste is malty sweet with a bit of light fruit. Good body and overall feel and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 22:24:59 | More by Thorpe429

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

Nothing says Summer like double-bladed ax. The beer pours a clear deep amber topped by about a finger or so of white foam. The nose comprises dark toffee, walnuts, cashews, greens, and a decent amount of hoppy florals. The taste seems dominated by a combination of walnuts and toffee, but a healthy dose of floral bitternes pervades in the back. The body is a medium light, with a light moderate carbonation and a relatively crisp finish. Overall, not bad; not quite what I was expecting, but pretty solid nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2010 03:33:34 | More by TMoney2591

merlin48

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another bottle from the Dragon Pack sampler. This pours a slightly hazed amber body with a medium offwhite head that retains well and deposits attractive island chain lacing on the glass.

Aroma is melted caramel, ripe pears, and some floral hops.

Medium body and carbonation. I was expecting something a bit lighter.

Taste has a biscuity malt presence that seems to have a subtle honey sweetness. Fruity pear skins and a drying floral hop bitterness contribute a pleasant complexity. Clean finish.

One of my favorites from the sampler pack. Very drinkable and well made.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2010 16:31:41 | More by merlin48

MadTown1000

Virginia

2.9/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Pours a slightly cloudy straw yellow with maybe half an inch of foam. Scent is largely of grain, with a bit of hop. Flavor follows through, but with an unexpected bitter aftertaste. It comes is sweet, with a medium body, and the bitterness really does clash a bit too much with it. I expected this to taste something like Sam Adam's Summer Ale, but it actually is much more similar to Pete's Wicked Ale. Not bad, I especially like the smooth mouthfeel, but I think that aftertaste is going to stick with me for a while.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2009 03:00:55 | More by MadTown1000

ArrogantDeadGuy

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This pour lacked any head and left little to no lace. The light amber pour contained visible carbonation. The aromas were muted to nonexistent, with understated hints of yeast and hop. This summer ale was a bit on the hoppier side which I did enjoy but lacking in any real character. The brew is crisp and clean with good bubbles. I don't mind it for a better than average summer ale, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I stored a bottle for next summer, we'll see how it goes.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2009 02:13:57 | More by ArrogantDeadGuy

blackie

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 version of the same beer

a: low head over an ale glowing the copper hue of a new penny

s: the st. george typical biscuit malt aroma is the overwhelmingly dominant character, subdued grapefruit, underripe pear, dried apricot, interesting enough

m: carbonation around medium or just over, body on the lighter side of things but not thin, clean

t: same deal as the aroma, clean biscuit malts dominate with dried grapefruit rind hops, granny smith apple, pretty dry overall, mildly crisp finish with a gentle hop bite lingering

d: highly

single from La Bodega, Hampton, VA

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 03:38:20 | More by blackie

Seanibus

California

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours copper with slight head and lively carbonation. Smells rich and summery, floral and earthy. The flavor is rich with malt with floral and earthy hops, like a sweet, beefy tomato. It is pleasantly bitter on the back end. It has a pleasantly thin mouthfeel. Refreshing. A good summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 21:31:55 | More by Seanibus

argock

Virginia

2.93/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. No freshness date.

A: Appetizing-looking golden hue with ruby-brown highlights. Respectable foamy head with nice lacing.

S: Caramel malt at first then met with a harsh herbal and spice aroma which was unexpected and not pleasant.

T: Spice in the aroma is unfortunately carried forward in the flavor with strong cardamom-nutmeg quality -- a strange choice for a summer ale. Malty, mostly nutty and caramel, with herbal hops flavor.

M: A little thin and watery with relatively low carbonation. Spiced aftertaste.

D: Not a typical summer ale and not a very good ale in total.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2008 04:14:02 | More by argock

bkilpatr

Oregon

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. 07/20/08.

Pours a clear golden color with about two fingers of soft beige head. The head faded to a thin layer and left nice lacing behind. Aroma is English hops and a malty biscuit smell.

Taste starts with a nice sweet malty and biscuit flavor. Ends with a nice slightly bitter English hop finish. Very nice balanced flavor between the malts and the hops.

Feel is pretty good. Low-medium carbonation and a medium body. Crisp and clean finish. Drinkability is also good. It goes down smooth. I could easily drink a few of these in one sitting.

Overall, a pretty good English ale. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2008 02:36:14 | More by bkilpatr

oelergud

Virginia

4.47/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tall classic 12oz brown glass bottle with the standard St. George brewery label. Pry-off cap.
Straw golden to clear ruby body with low carbonation, pure white creamy head with decent retention that falls to a good float and clumpy lace.
Spiced grass scent with mild resin hops and a nice malty backbone with a kick of pepper.
Mild mannered ale in the classical english style. Grassy malts, pine hops, sour pepper, nut skin and an aftertaste of biscuity peppery hops.
Medium body, good coating and a dry finish.
This is one very drinkable ale. Smooth, mild and gentle yet full of flavor.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2008 03:17:16 | More by oelergud

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is actually the 2008 summer ale, but it is the same as the 2005 version, so I simply put it here.

Golden body with a slight white head.

Smells mostly of of sweet/caramel malts with just a little but of hop aroma.

There's a lot going on with this beer. First is a biscuity taste,with sweet and caramel malts coming through next. Some grassy hop bitterness comes through in the finish. Medium carbonation, light bodied.

A very drinkable, balanced summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2008 21:35:09 | More by Hojaminbag

JamesS

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very excellent summer ale. It has an excellent bright color and has wonderful head (especially for a bottled beer). Very nice aroma, reminds me a bit of road side fruit stands. It has an excellent balanced tasted, leaning towards the bitter with a great summer flavor, including what I thought to be orange and coriander. It was one of the few left from my sample pack I bought at the brewery, as I don't always care for summer style ales, but I was pleasantly surprised. I did try a taste of this from the tap, too, at the brewery, but just enough to know it was worth one bottle in a six-pack. Now I know it's definitely worth trying a pint or two from the tap.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2007 01:07:09 | More by JamesS

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured chilled into a pint glass, it pours a pale straw color with a seemingly pretty dense 2 cm of white head on top. Some clings to the glass as it dissipates.

Aroma is quite mild. Mild citrus hops come through mostly on the nose. Maybe also some pale malts detected, but pretty disappointing really.

Sipping, I notice right away that this is a rather hoppy-flavored, bitter ale. Some biscuits come through as it crosses my palate, and the finish and aftertaste are quite grainy and of biscuits. Some florals also come through with a bit of pepper. Overall, quite bitter from the start through the finish.

Body is light to medium at most, with a dry bitterness. Carbonation is nicely balance.

Drinkability is decent. As advertised, this would make a nice summer session brew. However, it isn't something that knocked my socks off. I think Sam Adams offers a nicer Summer Ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2007 00:17:01 | More by Fish113d

JohnnyM2002

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

NOTE: Reviewing from notes on 10/9/06.

Sampled from a 12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass at 40 degrees. Part of the Dragonslayer pack.

A - Pours a brownish-golden color with a small head. Decent amount of carbonation.

S - Faint aroma of grassy wheat and yeast.

T - Pepper and mild spices on a wheat flavor...unfortunately, the spices never really develop, so they're more of an introduction to a wheat beer. Too bad, because there really was some potential.

M - Creamy light-to-medium body with a fair amount of carbonation. Spicy aftertaste.

D - This is my first from the Dragonslayer pack, and I hope its not a fair representation of the other 5. It's just not what I expected at all, compared to other summer ales. I can't yet make a call on the entire Dragonslayer pack, but I'm still glad I picked it up. I'd say don't pick up a single of this...go for the whole pack.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2007 01:37:59 | More by JohnnyM2002