Hop Sun (Summer Wheat Beer) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

semihobo

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Ah I love these Southern Tier pure black bottle caps.

Nice looking brew, inbetween clear and hazy. Tiny bubbles, not a tall head but one with longevity that left a centered pile of lacing.

Aroma is of hops, but not very piney or citruslike. Some spices and grainy wheat smell. Not overpowering. For the summer, the smell is just right.

Some wheat at the beginning but this taste is all hops. So much for the small amount of hops in the smell, this is definitely pale ale. The aftertaste is the best, with the other flavors more discernable and less dominated by the hops. A nice wheat taste lingers. This is more a seasonal for ale/hops fans rather than those who like delicate wheats.

Very crisp mouthfeel, well carbonated. Goes very well with the hops bite, that this is more carbonated than a lot in its style.

Not so drinkable -- I get a little flare in my nostrils from the hops, and the heavy hopping and carbonation limits the extent to which this can quench. Didn't have it on a hot day outside, but I don't think this beer's place is as a refreshing drink. Again, it's a twist on ales, not a twist on summer wheats. I think the carbonation would get to me after a few of these.

Another solid offering from Southern Tier. Not that complex or groundbreaking, but nice to see a good twist on a summer ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2005 04:11:14 | More by semihobo

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-19-2013 06:52:25 | More by Budinetz

hollywood_15063

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-18-2013 16:22:44 | More by hollywood_15063

acevenom

Louisiana

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a glass mug. The beer pours clear golden with a thin, white head and lots of visible carbonation. The beer smells of lemon and pine, but not in an overpowering manner. I get some of the pale malt and the wheat in the smell as well, which brings a nice light breadiness. The flavor is pretty hop forward for the typical American wheat beer, but like in the aroma, the citrus and pine don't overpower. There's some nice back end piney bitterness. I also get some of the lightly bready malt, which provides some nice backbone. The body is light to medium with high carbonation. The beer is highly drinkable and goes down smoothly. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:01:28 | More by acevenom

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a shaker.

Appearance
Pale straw with 1 finger of white head. Excellent clarity and very lively carbonation.

Nose
Fruity Pebbles and lemon.

Taste
Fruity Pebbles with touches of lemon pith. Tangy wheat with light bready malts. Finishes clean with some fruity esters and a hint of pine.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, clean and refreshing.

Overall
A really refreshing Wheat Beer that tastes like everyone’s favorite breakfast cereal!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 13:20:24 | More by justintcoons

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%

05-15-2013 02:48:01 | More by DerekMorgan

KevinGordon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-14-2013 15:54:31 | More by KevinGordon

CloudStrife

New York

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. DOB 03/18/13.

A: Pours a clear golden amber with a 1.5 finger dense white head. Not a ton of visible carbonation. Some rings of lacing from when I sipped.

S: Has a decent amount of hop that you notice right up front. Wheat going on in the background along with some pale malts. A solid earthy/grassy character.

T: Balanced blend going on here. Hops are controlled but flavorful with wheat really rounding this out nicely. Aftertaste is a bit more on the malt side with a lingering breadiness.

M: Medium to full body with ample carbonation. Crisp and refreshing mouthfeel. Easy drinking.

Overall its a tasty summertime brew. Perfect for the warm weather. Not a bad intro for those moving from wheat beers to pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:52:03 | More by CloudStrife

vrbulldog22

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-13-2013 18:56:28 | More by vrbulldog22

Immortale25

Florida

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-13-2013 03:52:20 | More by Immortale25

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-12-2013 14:15:12 | More by outoffocus

JC333

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-12-2013 00:43:21 | More by JC333

jamisonspitzer

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +17.5%

05-10-2013 18:41:49 | More by jamisonspitzer

nickfl

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-10-2013 04:47:40 | More by nickfl

Cark

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-09-2013 21:24:46 | More by Cark

Bill235

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-09-2013 18:07:29 | More by Bill235

apasternak

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.7%

05-08-2013 22:11:18 | More by apasternak

Tiernan

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-08-2013 06:07:12 | More by Tiernan

blknikon

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -34.7%

05-07-2013 22:54:12 | More by blknikon

chucksim

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-05-2013 18:44:42 | More by chucksim

Jsher

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-05-2013 00:01:15 | More by Jsher

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-04-2013 22:58:24 | More by Mikecap

fitrock2112

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured the Hop Sun into a pint glass.

A- The beer pours light yellow with a finger of white head that fades rather quickly. It looks like the standard BMC beer. This beer has to be filtered because you can see right through it. Not your typical wheat here.

S - Smells ok, but does not fit the profile of a summer wheat beer. Clear, clean, and bit too much hops for a wheat. Think pale ale or IPA for the hop profile.

T - Something funny about this one, is it Pledge in a bottle? Good God its not that bad. Some more hops, light, I mean really light wheat flavor at all. Just not working here.

M - Smooth beer, medium to high carbonation.

O - Not what the doctor ordered, its not your typical wheat beer here. Its not a drain pour by any stretch; by contrast, not a bad summer beer. Close to a pilsner though.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 20:54:05 | More by fitrock2112

craft_shannie

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-04-2013 17:11:58 | More by craft_shannie

NYR_Rob

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-04-2013 14:06:45 | More by NYR_Rob