Narragansett Summer Ale - Narragansett Brewing Co.

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

SeussMD

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was very impressed by the Helles Bock and was eagerly waiting for the Summer Ale to appear. I scored a six-pack of talll boys (in a lovely shade of Rhode Island blue) at the Liquor Depot in Simsbury, CT.

Poured from 16 oz tall boy into an Imperal pint glass.

Appearance: Pours bright gold with 1 to 1 1/2-inch fluffy white head, not unlike the foam on the waves at the beach. Laces easily. Head recedes to about 1/4 to 1/8 inch.

Smell: Divine. Lemon, honey, wheat. Very inviting.

Taste: The hop presence is there from the start, but just bitter enough to let you know it's there ... lemon citrus hop flavors provide just enough bitterness to offset mild malty sweetness. Very refreshing finish ... the hops linger, somewhat mouthwatering but not overly dry. A delicious summer beer.

This is the best new beer I've had in a long time and solid proof that Narragansett's rebirth is on solid footing -- it's a hell of a lot more than "Hi neighbor!" nostalgia. Proof that you can make a refreshing "lawnmower" beer with plenty of character that brings the flavor but, at 4.2 ABV, doesn't knock you on your ass. I'lll be drinking a LOT of this...

Serving type: can

06-02-2011 23:32:24 | More by SeussMD

ant5431

Rhode Island

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

Very tasty! got a 6-pack of 16oz cans for me & my uncle, (a former Narragansett brewery worker from the old Cranston RI days) we both thought it was a very good beer.
Poured a straw yellow with a nice white head & sharp aroma taste hoppy with citrus in the background. Crisp taste.
To bad i found these late in the season would have been my summer choice.

Serving type: can

08-16-2011 21:38:13 | More by ant5431

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

Keginator70

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a thick head that lingers in a pint glass, lasting longer than my preconceived notion. Aroma is slight citrus and pleasant. Malts grassy and biscuit in small measure up front followed up with enough bitter to a clean finish. A little mild and watery but hey it's not supposed to be a winter warmer.

This is a good summer thirst quencher and session quaff, ideal for a clambake or cookout. Also a great value and a means to ease swill sloshers into a better alternative.

Another nice little surprise by Narragansett and definitely worth a try.

Cheers!

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 21:12:26 | More by Keginator70

billybrew21

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Two Brothers Pub in Salem, CT.

To be honest my first impression wasn't that great, but as time went on I did come to appreciate this one more. Poured into an 8 oz. tester glass, little head that dissipates quickly; nice light yellow/golden color. Smell is of citrus and those notes come through on the taste a bit. At first it tasted a little flat maybe, or lacking in any strong taste at all, but for a summer-y beer it's actually not too bad. The carbonation was certainly there. Nothing here blows me away though. Overall a crisp and refreshing beer that I could certainly drink a lot of, and isn't this the point of a summer brew?

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2011 19:58:28 | More by billybrew21

benbking

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

So excited to pick this up today.
16 oz Tallboy.
A: I'm committing a BA sin and drinking this straight from the can. The Can is Blue, light blue. There's the Narragansett towers, with waves breaking the wrong way. You wouldn't know this unless you've been to Narragansett. I wouldn't let it subtract from your enjoyment.
S: slight citrus. it smells good!
T: Clean and Crisp.
M: I've always been unclear about how a beer "feels" in your mouth. Bah, we'll skip mouthfeel.
O: Overall a very nice Summer Ale. Pretty excited about it, plan to buy lots more over the summer.

Serving type: can

05-12-2011 21:44:27 | More by benbking

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