Summer Love - Victory Brewing Company

Star80

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a nice golden blonde color, with a frothy, white lacy head. Smells like some floral tropical fruits, some herbal hops, and vaguely sweet malts. Just from the smell it could be a DIPA, but it tastes different. I am getting some nice bitter orange zest, some puckering lemon and spicey, herbal hops with a touch of bitter aspirin too but not in an off putting way. Wow! This is a very bold flavorful beer for such a low abv brew. Malts are slightly sweet and give balance to all the hops, almost like a wheat beer in its crispness. The mouthfeel is nicely carbonated which is great for a hot Fourth of July Day. You know I was looking for ever elusive Gumballhead and decided to grab another six-pack of these and these have more than fit the bill for a refreshing, crisp, bold and hoppy low abv summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 21:26:49 | More by Star80

OB1

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.3%

06-18-2013 23:52:17 | More by OB1

FriarTuck

Florida

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Let me say, I went into this brew blindly and am pleasantly surprised. Not that I expect anything insignificant from Victory, but being an IPA drinker almost exclusively, I was expecting something less hoppy.

Purchased as a six pack, I poured it into an English pint glass as soon as I arrived home. Initially at two fingers of white foam, the head settled to a slight, but lingering meringue that laced the glass as the beer disappeared. Not much nose, but what was there was reminiscent of pink grapefruit. Initially, I thought I was tasting clove, but was quickly steered to a sourdough crust dryness. Mouth-feel was very welcoming with a light-medium body. Mid-palate was where I noticed the hops; that beautiful grapefruit made it's showing. Now, for an American blonde, things would usually end there, but Summer Love surprised me again with a long hoppy, slightly sweet finish.

Well played Victory. I will be stocking the "beer cellar" with more of this beautiful brew.

-FriarTuck

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 23:16:36 | More by FriarTuck

rderedin

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

06-18-2013 21:41:57 | More by rderedin

DanSmith17

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-18-2013 13:48:52 | More by DanSmith17

OUJayhawk1799

Oklahoma

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-18-2013 02:57:05 | More by OUJayhawk1799

patpbr

Ohio

3.89/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - Straw yellow to light gold in color without much head.
S - A little sweet with citrus and floral scents
T - Grains, citrus and some herbal flavors are all present. This is malty but has some nice hops in the mix. The floral character is a nice addition.
M - Light to Medium body and easy to drink, just a bit of hop bitterness.
O - A good summer beer. If I come across one at a ball game I would order one.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 01:25:04 | More by patpbr

AngusOg

Maryland

4/5  rDev +5.3%

06-18-2013 00:36:40 | More by AngusOg

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-17-2013 22:57:02 | More by mendvicdog

yuenglingade

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-17-2013 18:20:58 | More by yuenglingade

jaxon53

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

06-17-2013 08:45:03 | More by jaxon53

Danny1217

Florida

3.84/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bright, pale, golden color with a white foamy head. Nice retention and lacing.
Smell is very hop forward. Floral, spicy, citrusy hops. Not much else in the aroma.
Very clean tasting with a nice hop bitterness and flavor backing it up. No malt backbone, but that's to be expected from a blonde ale. Very crisp and refreshing. Definitely a good beer for the hot summer in Miami.

One of the better summer seasonals I have tasted, as I find most of them to be very bland. This one is almost like an IPA with a somewhat lower alcohol and less malt to make it into a more refreshing, thirst-quenching beer. I prefer it to the many bland American wheat ales coming out in summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 04:09:49 | More by Danny1217

RaijinQ

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +5.3%

06-17-2013 03:54:11 | More by RaijinQ

griffeyb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%

06-17-2013 02:22:29 | More by griffeyb

colsandurz

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-17-2013 00:48:48 | More by colsandurz

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Almost a half finger of head on a clear, golden colored body.
The aroma is bright grapefruit and lemon.
The taste has a sharp lime bitter beginning and then mellows to the finish.
The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation.
It has great bitterness for a blond ale. Tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 00:06:22 | More by Fatehunter

Dank26

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

06-16-2013 22:17:46 | More by Dank26

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-16-2013 19:13:53 | More by tobelerone

dertyd

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-16-2013 02:13:31 | More by dertyd

SC_Beer_Drinker

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -21.1%

06-16-2013 01:41:08 | More by SC_Beer_Drinker

BDF2000

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

06-16-2013 01:28:54 | More by BDF2000

JakeEsterly

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-15-2013 22:40:57 | More by JakeEsterly

jkane101

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

06-15-2013 20:06:30 | More by jkane101

b1515152004

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -47.4%

06-15-2013 12:29:08 | More by b1515152004

crewfan1952

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

06-15-2013 02:06:34 | More by crewfan1952