Sankaty Light - Cisco Brewers Inc.

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sankaty Light Lager is named after an historic lighthouse located on Nantucket island, the home of Cisco Brewing, although the beer itself is brewed in Utica, New York. As though that were not ironic enough, the beer named after a lighthouse has a dim tone and misty complexion. Its pale golden colour notwithstanding, this thing couldn't aid navigation any more than it could attract a moth.

But of course I jest, as that was not the brewer's aim. The idea here was a beer that could satisfy the appetite without doing much damage to the waistline (or liver, for that matter). Going by smell you'd never know this was only 3.6% alcohol and 128 calories. The aroma has enough cereal graininess to feed an entire daycare breakfast. It smells biscuity and bready, and has a mist of floral hop accenting. It's simple but lovely.

The taste, somewhat surprisingly, provides one more curtain call for hoppiness; faint, rose-like florals and a trace of grapefruit or citrus arise. They provide a light perfumed contrast to the prominent grainy notes. Those flavours are sweet and agreeable, like fresh bread (and a curious touch of vanilla). Despite this soft maltiness, however, a carbonation with the prickle of a cactus makes for a finish that is hard and dry.

The beer doesn't suffer when brewed with cheap, poor quality ingredients - it's the person drinking it that suffers. The converse is true too. And in this case, wholesome and good quality ingredients have made for a happy, satisfied drinker. It's also made for a beer that disappears rapidly. Sankaty Light does exactly what it was intended to: gives the palate plenty of flavour without giving the belly too much bloat.

Sankaty Light is a light beer that would make Coors Light cringe (not Coors Light drinkers, mind you, I bet they'd prefer it). It offers big flavour in a low-calorie serving and a level of quality that you simply can't find in macro, commercial brands. It is a reminder that lower alcohol beers are still real beers nonetheless; they have maltiness and bitterness just like any others. Good on Cisco for sticking up for the little guys!

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 15:50:38 | More by biegaman

grittybrews

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a clear, pale gold with a finger of bright white head. Not much aroma, just some light grain.

Moderate carbonation and a light, crisp mouthfeel. Mild grainy sweetness followed by a touch of lemon with biscuit and grass on the tail end.

Clean and refreshing. Nice lager!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 02:50:55 | More by grittybrews

flagmantho

Washington

3.63/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a dimpled mug.

Appearance: pale golden hue with a hint of haze and a mild effervescence. Head is a thin layer of frothy white foam with little retention or lace. Not exciting, but OK.

Smell: nice sweet malt aroma with a light graininess and a hint of yeasty character. Aroma is awesome for such a low-ABV light beer. Quite good!

Taste: light malt flavor with a balanced graininess. Hop flavor is minimal but there is a hint of bitterness here. Not bad for a light beer.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a very good level of carbonation and a smooth, satisfying creaminess. I like it.

Overall: a good light lager. For a beer of this ABV, it's quite tasty and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 03:54:15 | More by flagmantho

rdacey

Connecticut

3.3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Aroma: corn-like sweetness, slight grain, clean yeast characteristics, little to no diacetyl, no hop aroma or esters

Appearance: Thin, white, lasting head, great clarity, golden color

Flavor: Slight spicy hop flavor, malts are grainy, slight diacetyl slickness on the back on the tongue. Tastes slightly watery, could benefit from increased carbonation.

Mouthfeel: Thin, slight diacetyl slickness on the tongue, finish is slightly dry although the carbonation is lacking for the style.

Overall: Aroma and appearance are appropriate to style, but the flavor was slightly watery and could have benefited from a more dextrinious wort

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 03:13:45 | More by rdacey

horshack7

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pale golden and clear with a bright white head that is a good two fingers thick.

Aroma: Floral hops that have a dryness in the nose. Grassy, grainy, lemon zest, biscuity.

Taste: Light bodied with crisp mouthfeel. Lemon, grainy, grassy notes. Some dryness on the palate. Minor notes of pear.

Notes: This is a great summer beer light bodied for a warm day and very drinkable. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 02:25:46 | More by horshack7

jsanford

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear light gold with a white head that settles to a dense 1/4 inch cap, leaving slight sheets of lacing. Mild aromas of doughy malt, grassy hops, and sweet grain. Not bad for a Light beer. Taste is similarly impressive, with more bready malt, sweet toasted grain, and faintly herbal hops. Not watered-down in the least, and easily the most full-flavored Light Beer I've had (edging Sam Adams only slightly). Mouthfeel is very crisp and drinkable, with a medium-thin body and excellent carbonation. Overall a superb Light Lager, probably the best on the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 22:38:19 | More by jsanford

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Starts with a near white head which leaves some slippery lace. It settles to a single layer of bubbles. The liquid is light gold and nearly clear.

A blend of raw grain and light malted barley. Nearly no hop.

Tastes like the smell but with a good dose of bittering hop. More grainy than I like. The body is rich for the style--carbonation is low. One of the best light beers I've ever had, but it's still a light beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 20:41:48 | More by smcolw

SLeffler27

New York

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fills a pilsner glass with a clear, pale straw and nice, creamy half-inch, white head that settles quickly, leaving little lacing. Thin streams of carbonation add interest.

The aroma is sweet and yet very clean with some hay and honey tones.

Sankaty Light is clean and crisp, with a mild orchard fruit undertone. Pears and some honey come to mind. The finish is short and mild.

A light body and watery texture with prickly carbonation, this one meets the style rather well.

While light lagers are not my staple, this one gives me reason to reconsider. Sankaty Light far surpasses the ubiquitous alternatives typically found at a tailgate party. A perfect sessionable beer for a long afternoon. Far and away the best “lite” anything I have ever had.

The first time I had this was in Sconset during an unexpected, and much needed, weekend of relaxation with close friends.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 21:21:34 | More by SLeffler27

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

12 Oz Bottle - Oct 7, 2007. Aroma is a gentle, light sudsy barley kernel and toasted almond. Subtle, soapy and with leaf. Pours a heavily opalescent pale gold, straw inflected, with rocky white head above. Flavor has three nice movements, first a bubbly fresh plain, clean malt, mingled with some Cascade hops and general resin and sugar. Then a faint whiff of bready yeast, doughy and creamy. Good middle body. Finishes off with a long, unexpected draw of hops, in good tones of Cascade and other west coasters. All around I was impressed by the body, drinkability and flavor of this beer. The hops are very enjoyable, the yeast character desirable and helping and the smack and body full and refreshing. Good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 15:01:27 | More by CharlesDarwin

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I admit: part of the reason I bought this brew was because, as the label says, "A portion of the proceeds...[help] to save Sankaty Head Lighthouse from falling off the bluff." I've never seen this lighthouse, but I'm apparently a sucker for a good story. A quick whiff of the brew luckily tells me that my heart didn't lead me wrong, as the lager is thickly malty (despite being "light"), bearing strong caramel and brown sugar notes, with hints of maple syrup and a touch of hops.

On the tongue the brew comes across lighter than the nose would belie, relying mainly on cereal-like flavors such as Grape Nuts and toasted wheat. A few fruit flavors swim in the background, but never manage to make the beach. Hops are quite light as well, providing a quiet bitter buzz that mostly fades in the surf. Mouthfeel is light--near the viscosity of water--and the aftertaste is a combination of grains and hops that fades quickly.

Overall, it's a good light lager--definitely better than anything Anheuser-Busch manufactures--but could use a bit more liveliness.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 20:04:42 | More by jondeelee

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Golden/yellow with a large amount of head but it drops quickly and leaves nothing. The nose contains hay and grass. A lot of freshly ground pale malt as well. Flavor is grainy malt almost like eating malt out of the bag. Finishes grassy with some subtle lemon. Bitterness is light but gets extremely dry after a while. Smooth drinking beer. Crisp and refreshing at first but it makes me want to keep drinking it to stop the dryness.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 16:42:43 | More by DrinkingDrake

jmerloni

Massachusetts

2.05/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - murky, hazy yellow. Not a real big head and pretty pathetic lacing here.

S - Kinda gross. Yeasty but musky at the same time. Smells kinda like yeast, lemon, citrus, and smelly boots. Or pond water. Not very pleasant.

T - Yeasty as ever, but musty as indicated on the nose.

M - Pretty separated. Hoppy and yeasty up front and dead on the swallow. Not real dry either, and overcarbonated.

D - Not impressed. In the least. One of the worst craft beers I've tried. I never thought I'd drink something this poor from Cisco, which has become one of the best breweries in the New England in just a couple years. This is BAD, though. Enough to turn me away from the brewery as a whole, for quite a while. There's no reason a brewery of this quality should produce a beer this bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 03:06:44 | More by jmerloni

nebula1999

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle pours clear into mug, straw colored with a thick white head.

Aroma is initially of cold cereal (Life?) with some surprising maltiness. I get some hops in there too.

Taste is rather smooth. There is a sharpness followed by a dry bitterness. There's some nice malt coming through too.

Mouthfeel is smooth, and somewhat bitter with a lasting dryness. Not full in the mouth or heavy, and it shouldn't be. It's light but with a nice flavor and character. Quaffable.

This is a light beer? Wow. I'm pleasantly surprised. Blows away most micro lights including the much touted Sam Adams Light. I'd buy a case of this as a summer brew. I highly recommend this, and at 3.8 percent ABV it's highly sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 01:53:49 | More by nebula1999

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a golden color with nice clarity and some light lacing clinging to glass, very odd for a light beer.

S: Smells grainy and citrusy nice balance in aromas.

T: Grainy and crisp with slightly citrusy hopped feel in the finish.

M: Very odd again for a light beer to be so full of flavor and body it has a medium body to it and with a light swirl of the glass the foamy head comes back to life.

O: Very drinkable overall and sadly have never seen this in the Pittsburgh area and so thanks to Okey for bringing this one to my attention.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 04:28:47 | More by nukem5

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on May 29, 2011. It has a straw yellow pour with a bit of a fizzy, white head that settles down in typical light lager fashion. Lots of sweet malts, corn, and grain on the nose. The body is better than many lights. The taste has this vague bitterness with a weird mixture of sweetness and grains. A decent enough light lager.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 19:26:58 | More by puboflyons

cbutova

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Hmm, thought it was a new style for me but I just realized that it is re-named from Adjunct Lager.

A- Golden hue with a white head. Frothy white cap gets to about two fingers but dies down pretty quickly. A few spots of lace down the glass.

S- Not much going on, a bit of light malt, fruit, bread and earthy hints.

T- A bit of a plastic hint in sort of throws me off at first but it fades in the finish which brings light caramel malt, bread, grassy/earthy and fruit notes. A bit of citrus zest.

MF- Highly carbonated with a light body, somewhat creamy overall.

I suppose it is pretty nice for a light lager. The plastic hint off-flavor bothers me at first but it seems to fade with time.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 01:53:13 | More by cbutova

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is hazy yellow in color and poured with a thin white head that faded away and left a bit of lacing in the center of the glass. A light amount of carbonation is visible.
S: There are faint aromas of bready malts and citrusy hops in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of grainy malts and hints of sweetness; it finishes with a mild amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light-bodied and a bit watery on the palate with a light to moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is very easy to quaff because it isn't very filling and has a low amount of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 13:30:43 | More by metter98

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours pale gold with a bubbly white head that disappears. No true lacing but the head reduces to a skim.

Light malt and bready aromas. Ok.

Biscuits here. Plain and simple. Light toasted malt, light bitterness, some raw dough and biscuit in the flavor. Light bitter in the finish. A little too light.

Lighter bodied, but appropriate.

Thinner in flavor, but watery. Flavors continue throughout the drinking process. It is ok, and very different from others in the style. Pizza beer, maybe grilling beer, but that is about it. Not bad, but why go here? Buy a single, not a 4 pack/6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 00:07:58 | More by OtherShoe2

erosier

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

L: Pours a light orange-yellow with a small and thin off-white colored head that leaves little lacing down the glass as it fades quickly.
S: Smells of sweet malts, a hint of hops, and that's about it. A very light smelling beer, about what I was expecting.
T: Tastes of sweet malts and a hint of earthy and citrus-y hops. Neither flavor is overwhelming which is nice since it's a light beer.
M: Light feeling, crisp, perfect amount of carbonation.
D: Very drinkable, the flavors were not overwhelming and neither was the alcohol. The flavors mixed well and it was a decent light lager.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 12:36:40 | More by erosier

billybob

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a not quite clear golden color just over a one finger head that faded to a thin cover over the beer and a fair amount of lace. smells like a pilner and has a better taste than any light beer i have tried but did leave a little after taste. light body which i expected and carbonation was good. easy to drink and on the dry side. but a little high priced at 10.99 for a light beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 21:10:43 | More by billybob

Greenlabel

New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've seen this product in Cape Cod stores before but never purchased it as I thought it would be just another "Light" beer. I should have realized that the brand name referred to an actual lighthouse rather than a tasteless low-calorie product. So I decided to give it a try and purchased a 6-pack in Harwich for a rather pricey $11. No dating on the bottles but noticed they were contract brewed in Ipswich.

Very drinkable and much tastier than an ordinary "Light" product. Nothing special about the smell and very little lacing appearance-wise. Somewhat lacking in body - no offensive aftertaste. Better than a macro lager but nothing of note to enable it to stand out.

In summary, I'd be willing to buy the brand again but not at an $11 price tag when a brand like Prima Pils can be purchased at a lower price. The romance associated with a connection to the glamour of the Nantucket name doesn't automatically command a higher price unless the product is a superior one.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 23:48:02 | More by Greenlabel

beersnoop

Connecticut

3.33/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I give an average rating to this one, but I see where they're going with it. I likes it better as I got to the bottom of the glass, in fact. Still, though, the only thing light about the beer is the feel, which is fine, but the flavor is quite strong and maybe too bitter for such a light feel. Strong taste of salt air and steamed clams, and I'm actually not just saying that because it's brewed in Nantucket. It really tastes that way. Probably would be delicious with steamers, but I don't have any to hand.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 21:37:19 | More by beersnoop

potownbill

New York

4.03/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Is this really a "light" beer? The alcohol content is fairly low, so, indirectly, the calorie content should also be low. but this beer is surprisingly good.
Appearance: Cloudy yellow with a thin head that dows not leave a lot of lacing
Smell: Grainy, but with a hint of citrus.
Taste: Some grain, a hint of orange rind, enjoyable aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Somewhat thin, but some decent carbonation
Drinkability: If I was at a BBQ, and was planning on drinking a few, I would gladly consume a few of these!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 21:31:17 | More by potownbill

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass.

Pours cloudy dark yellow with minimal white foam. Little bit of lacing.

Light malty sweet smell but very minimal.

Taste is clean crisp with mild hop throughout that strikes a perfect balance. Quite refreshing.

Moderate carbonation - light mouthfeel.

Very drinkable,nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 12:54:39 | More by KTCamm

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Notes from a bottle at Eastern Standard in Boston:

A: Golden body. Average head of frothy white. Standard retention and lacing.

S: Grainy malt and mild grassy/leafy hops.

T: Straightforward malt, just a slight touch grainy/toasty. The hops appear more citrusy with a hint of lemon zest. Solid bitterness. Dry finish. Basic, but pleasant.

M: Medium bodied and gently crisp.

D: Easy to drink with some character. Accessible, but basic. A good BBQ beer, or for sporting events in the hot summer sun. An easy cross-over beer for friends who drink macros.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 22:20:59 | More by NeroFiddled