Narragansett Summer Ale - Narragansett Brewing Co.

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16oz. can served in my Sam Smith tulip nonic. Pours a translucent straw gold with a pillowy, 1.5 inch bright white head. Head eventually settles into a 1/8th inch cap with delicate strands of lacing encircling the shoulders. Nose is light and pleasant - wheat, citrus, apricot and a kiss of floral hops. Taste consistent with nose with the floral hops character present in the nose revealing itself at the finish. Really quite flavorful for such a low abv beer. Mouthfeel is light in body with a refreshing, palate cleansing carbonation and a semi-dry finish. This is a fantastic session beer and the 16oz. tallboys make it perfect for summer. I see this as becoming a staple in my fridge over the coming months.

Serving type: can

05-15-2011 18:03:22 | More by Jwale73

BigH75

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A- a little more color than a pale lager, but lighter yellow than most summer ales. appealling frothy head

S- not alot of smell

T- pleasently more malty and bitter than I expected. still not an overwhelmingly flavorful beer

M- light to medium feel exactly what I wanted from a very good "lawmower beer

O- you may never find a better hot summer day session beer value

Side Note - along with my inexpensive 6-pack of tall-boy cans, I got a free neck tie. It is polyester blue with anchors and the traditional Naragansett "Hi Neighbor" Can't imagine actually wearing it, but found it quite amusing

Serving type: can

06-15-2011 11:59:33 | More by BigH75

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Special thanks to Huhzubendah for popping on of these open at his house.

This is currently the #2 ranked American Blonde Ale.

A: Golden, clear, and with great retention. The frothy, nitro-esque head stuck around in at least a small way throughout the session.

S: Sour dough bread quality in spades and with a very yeasty quality in general.

T: Sweet, crisp, and with a hint of honey for added sweet flavor. Smooth as silk and perfect for the summer heat.

M: Prickly, but not overly carbonated. The lacing was mild and certainly was a lot less than I expected.

O: It really can't get much better for this style. Recommended!

Serving type: can

07-28-2011 23:08:04 | More by Chaney

dbexpert

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Light gold/yellow in color, head is stark white on aggressive pour building to a solid inch
S: Nose is a subtle sweet cereal grains (lageresc), with citrus hop notes
T: Very clean, Straight forward. Sweetness is nicely cleaned up with light acidity.
M. Light, crisp refreshing, clean
O: definitely nothing complex. Very drinkable, as it is intended to be. Best summer beer of 2011!

Serving type: can

08-17-2011 17:33:15 | More by dbexpert

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.11/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: crystal clear body that yielded a one finger white head and stayed a good two minutes, rapidly rising carbonation, it left some foamy rings. Some speckled lacing appeared sporadicly around the glass

S: light floral tones with some grapefruit coming out mixed with the hops and malts.

T: no different than the smell.

M: light to medium sort of feel and left a slight dry finish. This was a very drinkable beer.

O: not a bad beer. It was an enjoyable beer. I'm glad I got a sixpack of this. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: can

05-19-2012 13:28:28 | More by kangarooAdam59

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16oz can into short's imperial pint glass.

A- Big fluffy head, very active, settles to 2cm. Bright golden body.

S- Light malt and lemony sweetness.

T- Mild grassy hops and some light, sweet notes. Bitterness creeps in at the finish. Little bit of lemon and spice.

M- High carbonation, lively, refreshing. Good flavors.

O- Overall I'm impressed- Very drinkable, and tasty to boot. Will be buying a lot of this this summer.. Better than most summer beers I've had.

636

Serving type: can

05-08-2011 18:29:24 | More by ShogoKawada

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16oz Tall Boy (of course). Pours a translucent golden color with a half inch of frothy head. Lots of lacing. Aroma is of grains, floral hops, a bit of lemon and some cut grass. Taste is a nice crisp bite of hops upfront. Some breadiness along with a slight hint of lemon. Most summer brews have an abusive amount of lemon flavor but this one has only a bit and it works well in this beer. Somewhat sweet at the end. This is an outstanding summer beer. Great balance of taste and drinkability. 'Gansett's newest offerings have yet to disappoint. Overall, I will be drinking my fair share of these beers over the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 20:17:12 | More by PicoPapa

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 5/18/11

Appearance: Bright golden color with above-average head retention for this kind of a beer - some unexpectedly nice lacing, too

Smell: Very light, sweet and grainy pale malts with a hint of lemon, citrus and borderline tropical-smelling hops - this aspect was unexpected

Taste: Decidedly mild, but it works surprisingly well - some grainy sweetness - not really any bitterness to speak of, other than a mild citrus bite - lemon is more obvious than in the smell - malts are very balanced with the flavor of the hops - a lot of flavors in a low ABV brew

Mouthfeel: Crisp and effervescent, perfectly carbonated, absurdly refreshing

Overall: Quite possibly the most inoffensive beer ever made

This is insanely drinkable. I have encountered some summer beers that are simply garbage; this is far from one of them. This is an easy-drinking and flavorful summer ale without being some kind of hard lemonade-beer disaster.

Update: 5/8/12

I bought a six pack this year as soon as it appeared on the shelves. In the past year, I have had some remarkably mediocre summer beers and American Blonde Ales. As a result, I am bumping this to a 4.5 overall. It's not a mind-blowing beer, but it is one of the best of this style.

Serving type: can

05-18-2011 07:21:28 | More by angrybabboon

turfy

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Okay, what's a guy from Texas doing drinking Narragansett Summer Ale? Well, it's burning up down here and I had read on the forums that this brew was highly regarded as a summer /lawnmower beer. TheManiacalOne was kind enough to hook me up with a 6'er in a trade. Thanks Mark!

A- Poured a deep gold with an impressive 3 finger head. Nice, fluffy white head. This baby hung around to the end, too. And nice lacing. Off to a great start!

S - Not much aroma, but that's to be expected from this style, right? My initial thought upon smelling was 'clean'. Kind of a crisp, grain aroma with a trace of lemon.

T - What a perfect balance for a summer beer! Mild malts followed with a bright, bitter hop finish. Not any of that sweet or 'corn' taste you get with some others of this style. Very clean and crisp.

M - Not light but not too much on the medium side....say, light medium? Again, just right. The level of carbonation matches up great.

O- If this was available in my area, it would be my go-to beer throughout the hot weather season. What an impressive beer that absolutely nails what it set out to do!

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 00:19:07 | More by turfy

Brad007

Vermont

4.18/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Finally, another seasonal from Narragansett that I have not tried.

Pours a mild golden color with a one-finger head. Looks light-bodied but will it taste that way?

Sweet malt with little, if any hop character. It certainly fits the style criteria.

Wow. Grassy hops mingle with malt that's balanced (not sweet or dry). Tasty. Kinda pulls ya by the honker.

Carbonation is not so great though. It's too hard to gulp or chug, which means that you'll enjoy it more after mowing the lawn.

Why couldn't they market this as their "light" beer? Regardless, a decent example!

Serving type: can

06-10-2011 02:21:59 | More by Brad007

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Impressive starting head. Leaves extensive lace, both as a ring and as a spider web. Crystal clear with a deep golden color.

Like a malty pilsner--it is balanced with a soft hop presence.

Malt flavor with a touch of grain that wasn't present in the aroma. There's a flowery hop punch in the swallow. A very smooth beer with enough crispness to keep the body spritzy. An excellent Blonde.

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 23:52:09 | More by smcolw

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bright blue tallboy into a shaker pint...

A: Pale golden in color with a nice foamy, frothy head. Stuck around for a while and left some pretty good clumps of lacing.

S: Pale malts, mild sweet bready aroma with a bit of citrus and just a touch of a lemon zest.

T: Malty, bready sweetness followed by a bit of floral/herbal hops, lemon and mild citrus/mixed fruit. Really crisp and very refreshing.

M: Thin and light but in a good way. Good carbonation with a bit of slick creaminess. Really refreshing and perfect when it gets hot up here in New England.

O: Really enjoyed this summer offering from the boys (and girls) at Narragansett. At only 4.2 abv, its extremely sessionable, goes down easy and would be perfect on a hot summer day at the beach. The best of the best for summer beers as far as I'm concerned.

Serving type: can

07-31-2011 03:23:29 | More by Dools9

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finally got some of this at Julio's after waiting a couple days. WELL worth the wait as Narragansett continues to impress with their seasonal offerings. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - A crystal clear golden straw colour with a big, fluffy two finger head that fades at an average rate only to leave behind some nice sticky side lacing. Considering the ABV I'm quite pleased with it.

S - Only thing that was somewhat underwhelming for me. Pale malts and some very light citrus notes. Really wanted a little more citrus/hops on the nose.

T - The taste though, this is good. Very light tasting, as it should be with some nice bread notes as well as a good lemon zest flavour as well. Slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and nice and clean.

M - Nice carbonation here. Very crisp and refreshing with a slightly dry finish.

O - Overall, this is a damn good beer from Narragansett and quite possibly my favorite seasonal of theirs. For the price ($7.99/5 tall boys) you cant even come close to value. Hands down my new summer session beer.

Serving type: can

05-14-2011 20:25:49 | More by rudzud

keeganfrank

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Golden beer with a thick, foamy head that dissipates slowly and leaves lots of lacing. Crisp grass and zesty lemon aromas with some floral hints. Flavors of grasses and grain with soft lemon rind notes. Has a light, dry body that makes it perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.

Serving type: can

08-12-2012 18:17:13 | More by keeganfrank

zoolzoo

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is by far my favorite summer time beer this year.

Narragansett Summer drinks like a super crisp lager, but with some subtle citrus zing derivative of the hop profile and ale yeast.

The malt bill is bready enough but really tight, sweetness is present but in check. Finish is squeaky clean, save some slight lingering bitterness and almost a kiss of lemon.

Low ABV, clean and enjoyable flavors, really an excellent beer for the summer season (or any season). Nice can too...

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 01:37:39 | More by zoolzoo

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

All of Gansett's seasonals have been pretty good so far. I am excited for this one considering I like the style, and the use of citra hops.

A-Pours a radiant gold that is completely transparent. A fluffy bleach white head forms and settles leaving consistent lacing. Single bubbles rise slowly from the bottom of the brew.

S-Bready malts are paired with a light but attractive citrus hop aroma. Lemon zest and a clean grassy scent as well.

T-The taste definitely warrants two sips back-to-back. The beer tastes very clean and crisp. The hops are mellow but are quite tasty. Smooth green grassy tastes. Light lemony citrus as well. Bread, and some spice mix into the taste as well.

M-Very light but not watery. Crisp, smooth, clean, etc. More carbonated than it looks.

O/D- In order for a summer beer to score relatively high on my scale it needs to be light-bodied without sacrificing flavor. It obviously needs to be drinkable as well. I believe that this beer is an excellent summer brew. Unique taste combined with light body. Doesn't hurt that it comes in tallboy cans as well. Might be their best seasonal in my opinion. I will be drinking these all summer.

Serving type: can

05-09-2011 21:30:05 | More by VelvetExtract

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rich amber in color, light with a nice head of white on top. Lots of carbonation coming up toward the surface throughout the session, reinforcing an already strong look. Light hops get stronger as it warms up. Nice bit of grain mixing in as well now, nice depth to it I have to admit. Crisp, clean taste and feel here. Really again very well done I have to say. Light finish which was quite dry and I have to admit this was very, very session able. You never can tell what is going to happen when you try a new pale ale, but this was surprisingly very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 02:41:18 | More by mikesgroove

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Acquired from TheManiacalOne ... and I'd say thank you but everyone in this area is sold out and I'm jonesing for it!
From a 16 oz can poured in to a pint glass...
Consumed 6/28

A: This beer pours a clear light golden color, carbonation is very visible. A three finger of white foamy head sits on top receding at a moderate pace and leaves clumps of lacing that eventually lend to thick sticky lacing.

S: Nose is grainy, light fruits, and a bit of citrus hops.

T: Taste starts with nice and very light caramel malts mingled with a bit of mango flavoring. A light graininess comes through that holds through the middle before a very pleasant albeit light grapefruit citrus hop hits up the finish.

M: Lighter bodied, moderate carbonation with a somehwat slick feel at the forefront and a bone dry finish.

O; Goes down easily, extremely tasty, not filling, not much of a kick, and a great representation of style. Hellooo - if the local liquor stores can keep up with the demand, you SHALL be my summer beer.

Serving type: can

07-02-2011 05:01:03 | More by Jayli

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Can from drabmuh. Thanks Matt!

The beer is completely transparent and yellow in color, with a finger of white head that displays lasting retention and leaves ample lacing on the glass (not a run-on sentence, though it feels that way). Steady effervescence emanates from the depths of the pint glass. After fifteen minutes, no let up. Impressive.

The aroma is great, especially considering the beer is so low in alcohol. Light fruits and the smell of summer. Mmm...

The flavor is delicious. I could throw back several of these in a session. Perfectly balanced and teeming with flavor, this is certainly a top notch example of the style. I definitely want more of this. Recommended.

Serving type: can

07-18-2011 21:47:33 | More by Huhzubendah

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour - glass is filled with a yellowish, straw color with some golden highlights. Nice large, foamy, white head on top. Looks clean and clear with nice carbonation.

Aroma - hints of hay, lemon, pale malt, wet grass and Rice Krispies.

Taste - light and refreshing. The first two words that come to mind, seriously. Very crisp, it dances on the tongue. Its a bit citrusy, a bit malty sweet but neither is in anyway dominating. Delicate in flavor and balance. At only 24 IBUs the hoppiness is pretty subdued with no real bitterness to speak of. It has a biscuity, malty flavor that provides a bit of tanginess. Very clean taste with a slightly dry finish.

Overall - this is a very well put together blonde ale. At only 4.2% alcohol this is an excellent candidate for the beach or an afternoon BBQ. Plenty of flavor to keep you interested but nothing heavy or overpowering. Again, this is light and refreshing which is perfect for the season. A great summer ale from the folks at Narragansett.

Would I buy more of it? - I would and I will. The price for a six-pack is hard to pass up and summer has just begun. The hottest days are ahead and this beer at 16 oz. a time is the way to go!

Serving type: can

05-13-2011 20:01:52 | More by indiapaleale

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased online from Grand Vin.

It pours a clear light gold with about an inch of foam and some pretty good lacing.

Light notes of lemon citrus and malt in the smell. The malt shows some nice sweetness with a touch of grain.

The taste...whoa, is a very well balanced; lemon citrus bitterness with sweet malt and light graininess. The hop character is very good but makes this brew special to me is what the malt brings to the table. and at 4.2%abv, I am *super* impressed!

Medium bodied with the carbonation on the light side of medium, I'm digging the mouth feel and if I had this around my neck of the woods regularly, I'd drink a heck of a lot of it. Wonderful brew!!

Serving type: can

05-16-2011 23:16:32 | More by Bitterbill

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 16oz can into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright gold color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains citrus fruits, light caramelized malts and a good amount of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a grainy bready flavor from a hearty but not too heavy malt character. Then some citrus and caramel sweetness quickly follow. The hops presence is quite complementary and is a bit stronger than most beers in the style creating a very good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not filling at all, mild kick, good representation of style, this is an excellent BBQ beer to pound down for a very long time.

Serving type: can

05-19-2011 02:51:09 | More by TheManiacalOne

kecarl7

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tallboy poured into an imperial pint glass.

Pours beautifully. An inviting golden color topped off by an impressive white head.

The smell of Summer Ale is equally enticing. A great combination of hops and malt. Nothing overpowering, just a great combination of subtle scents.

The appearance and smell are great, but it's the taste and mouth feel that make this an exceptional beer. The subtle, citrus scents detected in the nose are amplified in the taste. A nice citrus blast with a dash of grassy notes and sweet malts. The mouth feel is totally unexpected from such a low ABV beer.

Over the past few months I've been able to drink a lot of fantastic beers from all over the country, but this one might be the MVP of the Summer. It's perfectly priced, extremely refreshing, highly drinkable, and it appeals to both craft and non-craft drinkers.

Serving type: can

07-12-2011 11:34:40 | More by kecarl7

uustal

Rhode Island

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a very pale yellow with a slight bright white head. Aroma of sweet citra hops and toasted grains. Great summer flavor begins with a good hit of those delicious citra hops. Grain and cereal malt add great balance and sweetness before a crisp hop finish. Flavor profile is not huge, but perfectly constructed for such a sessionable ale. Not a wussy, fruity, hopless summer beer, but a well crafted, hop and flavor friendly sessionable summer ale

Serving type: can

08-12-2011 21:24:47 | More by uustal

tzieser

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

surprised i haven't reviewed this one yet.

a: poured from a 16oz can into a standard pint glass. clear golden in color with plenty of carbonation; whispy white head settles into a thin lacing.

s: bready aroma with notes of wheat and light citrus hops.

t: refreshing from start to finish. bready malt flavor with some cereal grains and wheat. finishes a tad dry with a little bit of citrus hop flavor (gotta love that citra). does a great job of balancing flavor and drinkability.

m: great mouthfeel.

by far the best summer ale available for the price. after reading the profile on the website, i was very surprised to see the addition of citra hops to the recipe. i look forward to this every summer. recommended.

Serving type: can

04-15-2012 00:24:12 | More by tzieser