Summer Solstice - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

KFBR392

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Solid red color. Good amount of lacing on the glass and a solid head on the pour. Good carbonation but overall nothing too crazy.

Smell: A lot of the creamy dairy one would expect. Some aromas of apples, fruit, slight molasses, and taffy. The aroma is certainly not overpowering, you have to dig for it a bite. The bright creamy accents jump out the most.

Taste: One of the better cream ale tastes I've had. So much of the dairy and taffy on the front. The body and finish have many of the same accents which overall are just muted. Yum, the front end keeps you coming back for more.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and buttery.

Overall: An easy drinking summer beer. A good one to give to your non-craft friends. Not as much traditional character as one would hope but overall isn't a bad brew to sip on.

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 06:38:15 | More by KFBR392

magictacosinus

California

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Thanks, Jon. Poured out of a 12oz bottle into a tulip pint glass. Bottle says "natural flavor" was added, but I for the life of me would not be able to know what it is... And neither does their website for that matter.

Pours a dark brownish amber body complete with 2 fingers worth of head that dwindles down to pretty much nothing. Carbonation is not too present. No lacing to speak of. Average body retention and character, but definitely good to see a summer beer taking on a different appearance.

The aroma is very heavy and toasty, almost like whiffing straight into a box of biscuits coated with citrus and vanilla. This took me by surprise, especially as this barely is a combination of flavors that I get in a summer beer. In fact, I'd go as far to say that it smells like S'mores, believe it or not! Cinnamon, wheat, candied cream, and a bit of caramel and milk chocolate are all present here, but it's not a dessert beer by any means. It contains a spiciness that overlaps these flavors, only to bludgeoned by all the caramel and toffee. There's a syrupy sweetness that I've gotten with every AV beer to date, except for their oatmeal stout, which makes it cloying. There's also a candied fruity flavor (I'm going to go with oranges) that persists, and while not pleasant, it's not necessarily horrible. I'm enjoying the variety of flavors, but not the sweetened caramelized backdrop so much.

Right from the start, I can see where this is a cream ale with added spices and citrus notes. The cream is instantly there, and melds itself with the caramel and candied orange notes, only to finish with a bittered, toasted barley flavor combined with brown sugar. Again, this never gets to the point of excessive sweetness (although the syrupiness is ridiculous), but it isn't something that I could down quickly either. As this warms up, there are notes of butterscotch (which makes me wonder if Irish yeast was used), as well as sweetened elements that make this resemble caramelized orange sorbet of sorts. Definitely similar to orange sodas as well, which the brewery seems ready to agree on. The cracked barley finish is a little distracting, and the hop profile is pretty low, but I believe would not have contributed so much to the beer's flavor. Luckily it's pretty thick, as I would hope all beers of this style to be.

Considering the fact that summers in NorCal in the far north (where AV is located) are usually pretty chilly, rainy, and misty, I could see this as a perfectly enjoyable beer to have during the days where the weather becomes mild during the season in the region. While I enjoyed a lot of the sweetened, creamy flavors this has to offer, the bittered, flaky finish, as well as the enormous syrupy, sludgy body, makes this one something that I patiently sipped on. I'd pair it with food in a heartbeat (think fruit-glazed butter fried lamb with sweet potatoes), but on its own, not so much. More of an ambivalent dessert than a quaffable summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 05:23:59 | More by magictacosinus

caels1991

Georgia

4.36/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz can into Red Hare Brewery Pint Glass.

App- It's a very simple, true to form beer. Fairly clear through with a great dark gold, copper, and amber color. Slight bit of chill on the glass, but very welcoming. Poured about 1.5 finger creamy off white soap-y head.

Smell- Very soft smell, some hop, malt, and confectionery sweetness. Not too much going on, but nothing to really turn off the drinker.

Taste- Sweetness. This is definitely a great beer, it is a bit on the sweeter end of the scale. Lots of vanilla, honey, sugars, almost reminds me of malty Nougat in drink form. Cannot get enough of this, especially as someone who is a huge fan of sweet, dark, and heavier beers. A great summer beer I would recommend to people who are looking for less hop and more "flavor" out of their lighter and easier Ales.

Mouth- Very crisp, but coating mouthfeel. Feels much the way you would expect based around the taste.

Overall- I have heard people say this is like Cream Soda for adults and I get that. It definitely has a Cream Soda like quality and it comes out strongest in the mouth & taste. The nose is definitely a more "beer-like" aroma, it's not unappealing though if you were to introduce this to someone. All in all, an easy quality drink. If you are looking for something sweeter, something that's a bit more than your typical summer-y Ales, this would be a great starting point.

Serving type: can

05-10-2013 12:50:18 | More by caels1991

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.06/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz. can poured into my 40oz. Brandy Snifter.

A: Thin, white, lightly carbonated head; caramelized sugar body; large, but limited bubbles.

S: Creme Brulee, meringue, and whipped cream all come together in one of the most perfectly aromatic beers outside of a chocolate stout.

T: Creamsicle; light, charred sweetness; whipped cream.

M: Very smooth with light carbonation and light maltiness.

OVERALL: This was such a great beer and probably the best Cream Ale I've ever had. Through and through the scents matched up with the taste and the idea behind the scents matched up with the texture. Summer Solstice is a great beer for the warmer months when you want to get away from IPA's/DIPA's for a few days and give your wrecked palate some time off.

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 16:11:32 | More by RobertColianni

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the can, lots of foam on a almost clear, deep amber colored body.
The aroma is caramel and cream.
The taste is nice. A dark summer brew with moderate bitterness balance with some malt sweetness; with vanilla worked in nicely.
The texture is smooth and soft with low carbonation.
It's a lighter ale but with good flavor.

Serving type: can

04-29-2013 03:24:57 | More by Fatehunter

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Aroma has wheaty and yeasty notes plus a firm tone of honey. It pours a dark, coppery amber with a fairly thick wheat head. Looks more like a regular ale than a wheat, but so what. Crisp, wheaty, malty flavor has yeasty and honey undertones and just a hint of sweet fruit. Smooth flavor has good body and plenty of fizz. Good for summer - hell, good any time of year.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:03:47 | More by Cyberkedi

Samp01

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a rich copper amber hue with medium off white slowly fading creamy head. Aroma and Taste of caramel malt, some wheat and light spicy notes with some bitterness. Palate is a medium body with mild carbonation. Finish is sweet caramel malt, some wheat and light spiciness and some bitter notes on the for balance. Overall a good, solid summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 16:32:05 | More by Samp01

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 355ml bottle. Pours a deep copper colour with a modest head. Not a lot going on as far as aromas. On the palate there's a little more as there are plenty of caramel, nutty flavours with a hint of vanilla. Very dry finish, but nothing much in the way of hops that we can detect. Not sure why this is called Summer Solstice when it tastes more like a fall beer, sort of along the lines of a marzen.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 19:58:44 | More by CookstLiquor

TheFlern

Idaho

1/5  rDev -72.9%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I can't begin to describe how much I loath this beer.

Um, its basically a watered down juice drink. No carbonation. nasty off flavors. ugh. nothing is going good for this beer. this is the last straw for me and anderson valley. their beers all suck top to bottom. i'm done with them.

Serving type: can

11-18-2012 20:31:42 | More by TheFlern

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

My friends have all praised this beer very highly, so now it's my turn to give it a critical shot. It pours a lightly hazy copper-brass topped by a finger of lightly cream-white foam. The nose comprises vanilla, cream, light wheat, light orange glaze, and a touch of caramel. The taste brings in more of the same, with the sweeter notes unionizing for better flavors for all, and the orange being joined by some pineapple and red apple to vainly balance out the sweetness (it's a valiant effort, though). The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a creamy feel Overall, a deceptively complex, highly enjoyable beer, one of the highlights of coming Summers, indeed.

Serving type: can

10-25-2012 16:46:23 | More by TMoney2591

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a pint glass, it has a honey colored body with a very small head that doesn't hang around long. The smell is sweet, some vanilla notes come through. The taste has a nice sweet taste up front, i get a vanilla flavor to it, its like cream soda. Then comes a nice suttle hop taste on the back of the tongue. the mouth feel is good, nicely carobonated and smooth. Overall this is defently a nice summer beer, would taste good after a long hot day at work.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:37:09 | More by chefhatt

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Pours a dark honey colour with a finger width of frothy creamy head.

Smell- honey, wheat, apple, sweet malts, hint of grains

Taste- The honey and the wheat flavours stand out followed by the sweet malts and the grains. Not as sweet as the aromas suggest. There is also a hint of plum or cherry.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with light carbonation. A tad sticky.

Overall- A tasty APWA by Anderson Valley. I enjoyed the honey and dark fruit flavours as it neutralizes the wheat flavours. The aroma is a tad cloying but the taste makes up for this aspect.

Serving type: can

10-07-2012 03:46:45 | More by leaddog

tectactoe

Michigan

3.49/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

On tap at the Park Bar in Detroit. Pours a burnt amber-traffic-light kind of color with a small, wispy white head that remains as a thin film on the top of the beer. Virtually no lacing was left on the way down. Upon the first sniff and taste, you immediately get a sense of some wild, fruity flavors, maybe like wild berry and white grape. However, I knew there was a stronger taste that I couldn't quite put my finger on until the beer warmed up -- figs. Halfway through, the figs were prominent and easily noticeable. By the end it was like a liquid Fig Newton. Very unique and very tasty. Little bit of hops in the background, but overall more malt. Body was medium-thin, clean, left your mouth a little wet afterwards. Sharp carbonation on the back of the tongue, maybe just a bit too much.

Overall, a nice and refreshing beer that tastes of berries and figs. Very commendable for being so unique, I'd most likely have this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2012 11:52:12 | More by tectactoe

superspak

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce can into pint glass, no canning date. Pours hazy orange copper color with a small white head with decent retention, that reduces to a thin cap. Minimal lacing on the glass. Aromas of orange, biscuit, toast, caramel, nuttiness, vanilla, grass, floral, light chocolate, and herbal. Very nice aromas with good balance and strength. Taste of orange, biscuit, toast, nuttiness, caramel, vanilla, floral, grass, and herbal. Lingering notes of citrus, toast, biscuit, caramel, nuttiness, vanilla, and light herbal spiciness on the finish for a bit. Fairly robust flavors with nice balance; no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and lightly crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming present on the finish. Overall this is a damn nice cream ale. Nice amount of flavor and balance; very smooth and easy to drink. Really enjoyable, I would have it again.

Serving type: can

09-18-2012 03:33:56 | More by superspak

jpro

South Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz can into a shaped pint glass...

A: Clear copper; cream, one-finger head; decent retention, but no lace.

S: Light toasted malt; cinnamon graham cracker; fruity breakfast bread... kind of a cinnamon-raisin-banana bread aroma, I guess; big aroma for the abv.

T: Cream soda notes; ginger snap; light malt character and just a smidge of dryness on the end.

M: Light body; moderate carbonation; a touch watery... it feels just a little too light.

O: An interesting, refreshing summer brew; feel a little incomplete, with the watery mouthfeel, but good; seems more fitting for late summer / early fall for some reason.

*from notes 8.23.12

Serving type: can

09-14-2012 14:51:58 | More by jpro

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours an amber to brown color. The head is good at pour but disappates quickly and a small amount remains on the top of the beer and the rim of the glass for a while. No lacing is present. Smell is nondescript with a hint of spices and sour. Mouthfeel is creamy and taste is light with a hint of sour from citrus - orange and grapefruit.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2012 17:44:47 | More by Oakenator

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – Served an amber colored brew with a tiny white head. The head faded fast to give very little lacing.

Smell – The smell was a nice blend of sweet caramel and vanilla as well as some bready and citrus notes.

Taste – The taste began with a bready flavor that was accompanied by the caramel sweetness detected in the nose. These two flavors remain a base for the beer, for which other flavors will come and go upon. Toward the middle flavors of a more cream and vanilla flavor come to the tongue. These don’t last long and are quickly subdued by some citrus flavors. The citrus is sweeter at first, but bitters more toward the end and gives a light bite to the aftertaste of the beer.

Mouthfeel – The body f the beer was on the below average to average side in terms of its creamy and thickness with the carbonation being quite average. A boost in the body thickness may have done well for the cream and bready flavors, but the feel is by no means bad.

Overall – Easy drinking with some nice flavors. One to give a go if you have a chance.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2012 22:55:33 | More by Darkmagus82

ruckus232

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 Ounce brown bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Slightly hazy amber color with a little white head that goes away quickly

Smell: Fruity scent with only maybe a hint of bitter smell

Taste: It isn't a complex flavor but it has a unique sweet dessert type taste to it. This is somewhat unusual but I do like it.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 00:36:55 | More by ruckus232

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

appearance: Is this classed right? Sure doesn't look like an American Pale. Clear amber with a pretty thick off-white head.
smell: A little fruit but mostly malt and a hint of spice. Very interesting and pleasant. Quite rich for a low gravity beer.
taste: Much like the nose indicates. Very nice.
overall: Pleasantly surprised.

Serving type: can

08-18-2012 22:34:41 | More by cindyjeffsmith

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear deep orange color with a white head that thins out but never totally disappears. There is a touch of fruit on the nose and a hint of vanilla. Nothing strong, but sets you up appropriately. Sips are certainly creamy, but the texture might get dull after one beer's worth. I like it - it's a stand out in the summer beer crowd - but at the same time it's not as refreshing as I like my summer beers to be. I still get at least one 6 pack a season, though.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:07:22 | More by TheRealBigC

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours clear orange with a creamy white head. Great retention, minimal lacing.

S: Lightly fruity on the nose with scents of pear and white grape juice. Undertones of warm vanilla. Touch of grassy hops and slightly floral. Caramel. Simple, but pleasing.

T: Hints of pear and grape juice open. Big taste of caramel chew candy takes over shortly after, with warming vanilla riding its coattails. Slight bread and toast. Grassy hops keep the sweetness in check just enough. Short finish of grassy hops with a touch of spice and some more vanilla.

M: Light in body. Full and very lush in the mouth. Moderate carbonation.

O: An interesting summer pint. It's rather simple, but that's appropriate for a warm weather quaff. Unique flavor profile at work here, but it all meshes well. I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 03:48:46 | More by ryan1788a5

GR_Rick

Michigan

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured July 13, 2012 from undated bottle.

Reviewing with New Glarus' Spotted Cow as my anchor for this style.

A: Pours a nice deep caramel/amber color with a little under a finger of head (aggressive pour). Short head retention, gone after a few minutes, but nice lacing. Darker than I expected for a summer seasonal.

S: Caramel/sugary sweetness with a little bit of grainy undertones. Follows the appearance pretty well.

T: Taste doesn't quite follow the nose for me. I get more grainy taste and less sweetness, although there certainly still is some sweetness underneath showing up in the form of cream soda and graham cracker near the finish. No hop and very little bitterness.

Taste is definitely to style, but with a little more complexity than I'm used to in a cream ale. Cream ale isn't necessarily a style of choice for me, but I'd heard such good things about this beer that I had to try it when I saw it at the store.

M: Nicely carbonated and medium bodied. A little thicker than I personally like in a summer beer, but seems to be to style. Goes down easy, but not something I'd want to have multiple of, which is something I look for personally in a summer beer.

O: I had pretty high expectations coming into this beer and overall I was disappointed. It's not a bad beer by any means, just not as good as I was expecting. I'd try it again, but there are a lot of beers out there I'd go for first before having one of these again.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 03:00:08 | More by GR_Rick

StoutHunter

Michigan

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up a can of Anderson Valley's Summer Solstice for $1.79 at The Lager Mill. I like Cream Ale's but I haven't tried many so I thought I should give this beer a try, lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but I know it's a fresh summer release. Poured from a 12oz can into a imperial pint glass.

A- The can looks good, but similar to all their other cans, I do like the golden background. It poured a hazy amber color that looked the same when held to the light and it had three and a half fingers worth of creamy off white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left some nice rings of lacing. This is a good looking Cream Ale, I have no complaints.

S- The aroma starts off with malts that have a medium amount of sweetness and impart some caramel, grainy, and bready aromas. Next comes a light vanilla aroma that is followed by a nice and noticeable creamy aroma that is a little similar to the way a cream soda smells. Towards the end I get a slight toasted aroma along with a little more caramel malts and some earthy and slightly grassy hops. I like the aroma of this beer, it's nice and malts with some light cream and vanilla aromas to make it stand out.

T- The taste seems to be pretty similar to the aroma and it starts off with a good amount of malts that have a lower amount of medium sweetness and impart some grainy, caramel malt, bready, and slightly toasted flavors. Next comes the cream aspect which imparts some lighter creamy flavors along with a slight bit of vanilla. On the finish there is hardly any bitterness and it had a grainy and slightly creamy aftertaste. I like the taste of this beer, it's got some good balance and it has a nice creamy aspect.

M- Very smooth, creamy, slightly crisp, medium bodied with a good amount of medium carbonation. I liked the mouthfeel of this beer and it worked well with this style, I have no complaints.

Overall I liked this beer and was a little impressed with it, I also thought it was pretty good example of a Cream Ale, the Cream Ale aspects of this beer showed up nicely and made this beer pretty true to style. This beer had great drinkability, it went down really smooth and it had enough flavor to hold my attention, this would make a good warm weather beer, I could see drinking three or four of these on a nice summer afternoon. What I liked most about this beer was how true to style this beer was and how well put together it was. What I liked least about this beer was nothing, I can't think of anything that I would want to change about this beer. I would buy this beer again when in the mood for a nicer Cream Ale and I recommend this beer to just about anyone. Anderson Valley makes some pretty solid beers, while this isn't my favorite from them, it sure is close. My gt to Cream Ale is Genny Cream, it's cheap and tastes good, but I feel that this beer has much better flavors and overall is better a Cream Ale, but till Anderson Valley can match the price and put this in 30 packs, I will still be keeping the Genny Cream on hand, but when I want to switch it up with a better tasting Cream Ale, I will go with this beer. Good job guys, I will be on the look out for more of your beers.

Serving type: can

07-09-2012 03:41:54 | More by StoutHunter

kojevergas

California

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger beige-light khaki head of fair cream, pretty decent thickness, and above average retention. Colour is a clear gold. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Clean malts, wheat, ripe orange peel (over ripe methinks...), cream, and caramel. Orange flavored toffee hints perhaps. A mild strength aroma.

T: Wheat, orange peel, vague butterscotchy notes, a hint of toffee, caramel, and cream. Interestingly built, with bright malts coming through. The fruit is vague and indistinct. The butterscotch is off, perhaps a diacetyl note. Simple and lacking depth or subtlety.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some nice coarseness about the climax. Nice carbonation. Moderate on the palate.

Dr: Drinkable but boring and underwhelming. It's a fair summer beer - pleasant and fresh and that - but there's little here that would bring me back to it. A decent offering, but still rather meh.

C

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 02:55:35 | More by kojevergas

maximep

New York

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

this is one of the more accessible beers to a wide audience in both taste and availability. Anderson Valley always crushes malt profile in their beer and this is no exception; this brew is absolutely phenomenal. One of the most drinkable ales in America. SRSLY.

A- Golden, wheaty

S- really bright and vanilla-y sweetness that has a hint of grassy and chocolate

T- sweet, vanilla, chocolate, amazing brew. Light tasting, not overly complex. really nice highlighting of the malt. no hop bitterness but grassy hop aroma.

M- creamy, full bodied yet light. Nice pure white head.

O- one of America's great beers. Perfect sweetness and ABV so you can drink 2-3 and feel well satisfied and light.

Serving type: can

07-08-2012 19:55:40 | More by maximep