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

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured this one into a glass, and it has a yellow color body with a small head. The smell has a citrus hop aroma with a quick malt hint in there also. The taste is refreshing of citrus and hops and some wheat, not much else going on. The mouth feel is very smooth and well carbonated.. Overall this is a really good, easy drinking beer and is refreshing also.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:57:24 | More by chefhatt

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: very clear. blond body. bright. head is bright white and frothy. retention is good. spotted lacing.

S: very herbal. green tea. not oxidized, seems like it may be on the way though. green tea is all I can think of.

T: an earthy, herbal hoppy flavor. a little bit of chewy grain. slightly bitter. finish has a very hoppy bitterness to it that stays into the finish.

M: moderate amount of carb. light bodied.

D: very herbal. a little too tea-like one-note for me. not sure if this is a past its prime issue (as the born-on date was a bit blurred). not my ideal summer brew, but not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 01:48:10 | More by Jimmys

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

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

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

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.19/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a beautiful golden color. The head is a two finger white shade. I love its creamy texture, and the lacing it leaves behind. Aesthetically, this one is hard to beat - even if the utter lack of yeasty haze makes me wary.

S: The hops here are a little disappointing, only providing a light tone of lemongrass and grapefruit. The wheat base obviously doesn't provide much aroma itself, and without any notable yeast esters, the nose in general simply underwhelms.

T: The flavor profile is better, if utterly simple. An initial salvo of lemongrass hops gives way to some finishing wheat flavor. It certainly tastes like this one is somewhat loaded with Centennial hops. Otherwise, it's not terribly interesting.

M: Like the appearance suggested, this is very clean for a wheat ale - in this case, not a bad thing. The light, dry, and crisp texture is aided by carbonation that isn't overdone. This is one you could easily chug.

O: This one's okay. Maybe I'd like it better on a warmer afternoon (summer brews in April, what's next...Oktoberfest brews in August? Wait don't answer that) All in all, I'm a bit let down considering how much I enjoy a great hoppy wheat ale. Having said that, it's worth trying, if not seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 18:18:06 | More by ThisWangsChung

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Weizen glass.
5.1% ABV, no date.
(Reviewed 06-06-11 - from notes)

A - Bright golden yellow in color, Hop Sun is faintly hazy and topped by a long lasting white head. Patchy lace clings to the glass following it's departure.

S - Soft wheat notes brighten up the seasonally awesome aroma. Mild earthy hops provide both aroma and good balance to the pale malt backbone. A touch of resiny citrus and bitterness comes through in the nose.

T - Earthy tones from the hops work well with the pale malt and wheat. The base is there but it really allows the hop variety to be explored. Spicy citrus finishes the beer out with a refreshing zest.

M - Crisp, clean, and light-bodied, the feel showcases every great thing about an easy-drinking summer beer right down to the lightly dry, mildly bitter citrus hop finish.

O - Southern Tier captures the easy-drinking bliss and flavorful, hoppy compounds together very nicely in Hop Sun, a refreshing, tasty hot day treat!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:28:56 | More by BeerFMAndy

matjack85

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I picked this up as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. 12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

Mild floral and citrus hop aroma. Not very strong.

Not much flavor to this either. Mild lemony citrus tatse, a little bit of sweet wheat malt, and then a nice mild bitterness that lingers into the aftertaste.

Light body and low to moderate carbonation.

This is a nice, light summer beer, but it didn't have any wow factor to it.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 11:43:02 | More by matjack85

Guden

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Cloudy copper with just a hint of a white head that fades quickly to a few bubbles.

S- Not a whole lot, a little bit of honey and citrus.

T- A pleasant mixture of citrusy hops, sweet malt and wheat, and a refreshingly bitter finish. Hop Sun is a pretty apt name, it's a little like drinking liquid sunshine.

M- Creamy but moderately thin with a low carbonation. Works well with the sweet and hoppy balance.

O- A really nice beer. I haven't cared much for ST in the past but this one hits the spot, even a few months after its peak.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 23:58:17 | More by Guden

zac16125

South Carolina

2.83/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a Weizen glass

A: Pours a crystal clear, light straw yellow with just under 1 fingers width of bright white colored head. Head dissipates fairly quickyl and leaves effectively no lacing. Looks like an AAL, only brighter. Blah.

S: Fair amount of spice, a touch of wheat, lots of adjunct-y flavors, a hint of vinegar-like harshness. Yuk.

T: Very mild. Some spice, citrusy hops, and wheat. Again some adjunct-like flavors. Not a lot going on here, but I like the interplay of hops and wheat.

M/D: Light bodied, fair amount of carbonation, drinkability is good as is expected with such a light offering.

O: Overall, its meh. I'd probably never purchase this again, but its better than your standard Bud, Miller, Coors.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 20:58:16 | More by zac16125

oline73

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a clear golden color with an amber hue. There is a half finger of off white head that goes away almost completely.

Smell: Very mild. Getting a bit of sweetness from the grain. Reminds me of a pils.

Taste: Very light and slightly sweet. I'm picking up the light grains as well as some pilsner like malt. The finish is slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a good amount of foamy carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: Very light and crisp. Definitely reminds me of a pilsner. I might have another given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 03:19:18 | More by oline73

Bills453

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - hazy golden yellow. Looks quite refreshing. Inch white head that lasted for about thirty seconds then fizzled down to nothing.

Smell - honestly...wheat and grass. Can picture myself on a football field when sniffing his one.

Taste - refreshing and quenching mouthfeel, wet on the palate. Taste of wheat. Bitter citrus and grapefruit in the end.

Mouthfeel - see "taste"

Overall - a decent showing for a wheat beer, but I have had some that I like more. A little better than average.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:56:46 | More by Bills453

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

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

330ml bottle bought online from Beersofeurope.co.uk

Poured a light golden coppery colour... white head poured smallish and faded to light frothy layer... barely any carbonation... quite a bit of sticky wispy lacing...

Aroma - Nice juicy fruits (grapefruits, oranges, pineppale, some lemons), grassy / piney hop notes, light pepperiness, vanilla, light biscuity malts, cream soda notes, honey sweetness, some light almond notes, quite prefumed...

Taste - Quite sweet juicy fruits (apricots, pinapples, grapefruits), fairly sweet biscuity maltiness, bready notes, light wheatiness, nice light grassy / peppery hop bitterness, floral / perfumey notes, some faint metallic notes come through after a while...

Feel - Pretty smooth and creamy with a little bite... Light body... An outstandingly drinkable beer - could see myself happily drinking this all night...

Overall - An excellent wheat ale... so drinkable and refreshing.. recommended...

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 12:53:27 | More by mdagnew

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I got this as part of a mix & match 6pk at Madison East.

Pours a clear, pale yellow color with a bubbly white head. Scent is very sweet with wheat and citrus tones with some hints of hops. Has a smooth mellow taste with a hint of bitterness that turns into a dry, organic wheat after taste. Starts off refreshing, but then goes into this bad pale ale type taste. Interesting, but not something I look for in a wheat beer personally.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 04:51:14 | More by Lemke10

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: Bold, crisp hops. Definitely of the American variety. Light malts, pilsner and pale. Nothing too dark. Some wheat, hard to tell over the strong hop aroma.

Appearance: Yellow, pale gold. High clarity. Few rising bubbles. A tall pour produces a medium head. Foam is clean white. OK retention and lots of lacing.

Taste: Light flavor. The hops hit first, light grapefuit citrus, no lingering flavor. Next is the wheat and light pilsner malt. Very little malt complexity, this is a wheat beer.

Mouthfeel: Light body. Mildly creamy and oily. Low to no carbonation. Finishes moderately dry.

Overall: Goes down easy. A bit light on the wheat, too heavy on the hops. More bitter than sweet.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 02:02:10 | More by soulfly1492

raznug

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It pours a crystal clear pale straw golden color and is topped with ¾” of off white head.
Smell: Hop sun smells of wheat malt and just a small amount of hops, a pretty clean beer.
Taste: The taste is similar to the aroma but there is more of a hop profile in the taste than the nose not much more but more none the less.
Mouthfeel: This is a medium-light bodied beer that is easy drinking and smooth on the palate. Hop Sun is another great hot summer day beer that goes down as easy as any BMC.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 13:59:44 | More by raznug

jpro

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6-pk from Total Wine...

A: 12oz bottle pours straw gold into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass; wispy, cotton white head leaves a few light specks of lace.

S: Light floral, grassy hops with some citrus; cracker malts.

T: Lemon zest / orange peel hops; light wheat notes.

M: Light body; medium-high carbonation; lively mouthfeel... pretty much what you’d expect.

O: Great summer beer; light body and easy drinking; has some nice wheat and hop character.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 18:30:22 | More by jpro

mattbk

New York

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Golden, very clear, just a slight amount of haze likely from the use of the wheat. Not very carbonated, I would have expected a bit more of a fluffy head on this one.

S: Faint herbal hops, fruity esters from the yeast, not a ton here.

T: Lemony, flowery hop flavors mostly dominate. A decent amount of bitterness, overwhelms any malt character. Crisp finish, which maybe the wheat is contributing to. Not bad, nothing amazing here.

M: Fairly light, low carbonation. The mouthfeel keeps it very sessionable.

O: Truth be told, not a huge fan of this style. I was told this was a very good example of it, and it does have some more hop flavor than others I've had of this style. It is very drinkable on a hot day, but definitely not all that interesting of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 00:46:14 | More by mattbk

ninaturner

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Golden in color, actively carbonated, filtered, small (less than one finger) head.

Aroma: Very light but pleasant aroma; you can pick up on floral hops.

Taste: Great citrus/fruit flavor like oranges and lemons. Great balance of hops--not too bitter, which I think is important for this style of beer.

Mouthfeel: Light body and good mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable when you take into account the flavor, mouthfeel, and excellent balance of hops.

Overall: Great summer wheat beer with well-thought balances of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 23:09:03 | More by ninaturner

beertunes

Washington

3.18/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

DOB 3/9/12. Poured into 9oz pilsener glass. Poured a clean, clear bright yellow color with less than 1/4 inch of white head that quickly dissipated into just a ring, that held up for a surprisingly long time, and only had a bit of lacing.

The aroma had some malt and a very light wheat scent. There was a slight skunk/cat smell that made me wonder if it was a result of the hops used. The hop scent in general, and the beer itself overall, had a subdued scent. The flavors, while even and balanced, were also subdued to the point of blandness. There was a slight oddness to the hop taste, again I wonder if that's due to the variety used.

The was crisp and smooth. Drinkability was good, the beer went down quick and easy. Overall, a decent beer for a summer refresher. there are better, and much worse, options available. Probably worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 20:39:30 | More by beertunes

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a light orange straw with a half finger white head that dissipates to a ring around the glass and lacy film. Light aroma of wheat, sweet malt and a hint of lemon. Flavor follows aroma with wheat, malt, light bittering hops and a hint of citrus. Finishes with a light but distinct wheat flavor, with the residual sweetness, faintly of graham cracker. A nice subtly flavored light wheat ale. The flavor components were nice and well balanced, but I wish they were a little more assertive. Light bodied, which is appropriate for the style. Still a good summer sipping beer, which is what it offers.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 02:43:46 | More by LiquidAmber

AwYeh

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass. Bottled on April 20, 2012.

A: Pours a clear golden-yellow color with a finger of frothy white head. Slight lacing left behind. Pretty clear for the style, but not taking any points off for that.

S: Nice balance of malts and hops; this beer smells grassy and sweet. Not a whole lot done beyond that, but well done.

T: Really great taste; a bit subtle (maybe more commonly referred to as "light") but this is quite tasty– combining sweet, lightly bready malts and grassy hop flavors. Very refreshing.

M: Thin-medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth, and fairly creamy owing to that carbonation. Leads to a dry, crisp finish.

O: Extremely easy to drink and very refreshing, this is the kind of beer that ought to be a staple of easy drinking in the summertime. Its pleasant flavor guides things along well.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 08:10:39 | More by AwYeh

smakawhat

Maryland

2.55/5  rDev -33.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from the bottle into a wheat ale glass.

Pale gold, to nearly straw body with some small rising cola carbonation, and barely manages a white head at all on the pour. Crystal clear. Unfortunately has that macro yellow lager color hue to it.

Nose is practically non existent. Airy faint malt and some light floral and citrus hop. Extremely hidden and buried, the brew smells nearly non-existent. Non offensive, but no faults either that I can detect.

Palate hits with a just barely better than wet body and a tasteless profile. Fleeting wet malt, no chew whatsoever for wheat ale, and a faint hop finish that while hits a good note disappears very quickly. Flattened club soda finish.

Overall it looks like a macro, doesn't taste like one, but doesn't even taste like a decent APWA either. Pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 00:05:01 | More by smakawhat

HomeBrewGreg

2.33/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance - Goldenrod. Filtered. The flat gold color gives it a near-clear. One finger or less of off-white foam. Short retention. Basically no lacing.

Aroma - I thought the smell was pretty decent. You get a decent dose of hops to the nose, but not very complex. Only a single strain of hops. There is faint germinated wheat, which is expected and pleasant out of this type of beer. However, there is also too much of an acrid odor.

Taste - Not great. This beer retains all of the phenolic taste of a wheat beer, but is not balanced by sweetness. I like the idea of a hoppy wheat, but this didnt do the job. There was phenols and bitters, with no real pale ale or wheat beer flavor :(

Mouthfeel - Again, the phenols took over, making me feel like I had cotton balls in my mouth. The carbonation was too frisky, as well.

Overall - It wasn't terrible, but I would only drink this beer if there was nothing better in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 22:47:24 | More by HomeBrewGreg