Summit Belgian Style Golden Ale - Summit Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sunny honey with a swirling cloud of yeast being buffeted by multiple streams of energetic carbonation. The pearl colored crown is a thin disk of cream that lasts long enough and leaves enough lace to deserve the good score.

The nose features golden grains, golden fruit and less spice than anticipated. A bona fide Belgian strain was used, but it doesn't smell like a very estery sort. Here's hoping that doesn't have negative implications on the taste buds.

Belgian Style Golden Ale is not a humdinger of a Belgian-style golden ale, but it's a damn fine effort for the boys from St. Paul. It's a bit rough around the edges, even with about 8 months of aging. Then again, that gives it a sort of rustic charm that is appealing to big beer lovers like me.

It would be grossly unfair to compare this Unchained Series offering to malt liquor, but it does have a sweet grain-like quality that is usually covered up by fruit and spice in the best versions of the style. Again, more fruit and spice yeast esters would be great.

Czech Saaz and Styrian Goldings are still contributing a healthy amount of grassy-herbal flavor, especially in the second half of each mouthful. In addition, it tastes and feels like most of the original 30 IBUs are still alive and kicking. It's mighty tempting to pull the trigger on 4.0 for flavor.

The mouthfeel is solid. It's lightly lush, never flags for an instant, and has zesty bubbles that are never in danger of crossing the line into annoyingly buzzy. A tongue tingler for sure.

Summit Belgian Style Golden Ale doesn't quite rival the standards from Belgian, but it's an enjoyable ale that gives its all in each and every mouthful. A little tweaking and this could be something special. Hey Summit, you are going to brew this one again, right? Thanks to feloniousmonk for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 12:30:41 | More by BuckeyeNation

piper_clap

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

11-04-2012 02:16:16 | More by piper_clap

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

09-17-2012 22:30:27 | More by NilocRellim

GarbageMan

5/5  rDev +33%

08-13-2012 01:12:43 | More by GarbageMan

smogfood

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%

06-11-2012 12:41:53 | More by smogfood

aliving1

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

01-03-2012 04:29:33 | More by aliving1

FreshHawk

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

12-21-2011 01:09:46 | More by FreshHawk

I2uss

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-18-2011 18:22:46 | More by I2uss

Timmah11

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-16-2011 00:54:09 | More by Timmah11

bpfrush

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

11-15-2011 21:35:19 | More by bpfrush

plumcrazyfx

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-15-2011 03:05:40 | More by plumcrazyfx

dizztracted

North Dakota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-15-2011 01:53:28 | More by dizztracted

Beerisheaven

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cracked a bottle of this tonight with some firecracker shrimp. Was looking for something to pair up with a nice spicy dish.

Not sure where I got this but thanks to whoever sent it my way. Received as an extra in a trade long since completed.

On balance nothing memorable here. Pours a grassy yellow/hay color with a white puffy head that quickly pulls back. I did not get much in the way of lacing, more bubbles that settle down pretty quickly. Taste and smell had some malt and a bit of yeast. Had just one, but I have a slight headache developing from it.

All in all nothing special here. One and done for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 01:24:45 | More by Beerisheaven

alexgash

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle.

Mostly clear yellow golden body. Slim finger of cottony white, wispy head. Some lacing. Strong aromas of honey, malt, candied fruits, tropical fruits, and peppery hops.

Lightly toasted bready malts up front. A flash of fruit rind that quickly gives way to rummy, tropical fruit sweetness. Some candy sweetness as well. Vegetal, herbal, peppery hop bitterness closes in toward the finish. Dries out a little bit. Lingering honey and fruit sweetness. Medium-full body with a slightly syrupy feel. Delicious and very drinkable. A fine American made Belgian-style ale, and a nice offering from Summit.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 00:47:21 | More by alexgash

muttyd

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received two of these as an extra from pepinguy. Thanks again!

Batch 6. Pours a clear golden yellow with a thin white fizzy head that fades into a faint ring. Aroma is fruity, yeasty, slightly peppery. Grainy malts in the nose as well. Flavor demonstrates a big biscuity malt sweetness, peppery/spicy yeast, faint floral hops. Dry finish with a very slight alcohol burn. Prickly on the tongue with a medium/light body. Very clean and crisp. Well put together Belgian golden ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 00:11:03 | More by muttyd

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired from Sinatra716 via Shoe Me What You're Made of BIF so a big THANK YOU goes out to him!
Poured in to my Brooklyn snifter

A: This beer pours a cloudy maze color with a one finger of bone white foamy head. Head recedes somewhat quickly leaving spotted wisps of lacing.

S: Nose is banana, prominent clove, and a nice pale and grainy malt presence.

T: Taste starts with a very grainy mingled with citrus flavoring. The middle is filled out with yeast, perhaps a minor touch of yeast. The finish has a mild clove, banana, and apple flavoring.

M: Medium body medium carbonation, nice oily, slick field to the body of this beer.

O: Goes down very easy, rather tasty, not too filling, well hidden kick, nice representation of style. WOW - I wasn't expecting the quality from this beer. This isn't a bowl you over belgian - but this is a solid go to belgian pale that I would revisit in a heartbeat.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 03:53:12 | More by Jayli

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #43 (Aug 2010):

This beer is pale golden with an impeccable clarity and well-placed lacing. Pears, passion fruit and papaya are in the nose, along with faint buttery and peppery notes. It has a tight body and dry malt character that runs biscuity and grassy. There are some medicinal phenols and tropical fruits in the middle. Peppery alcohol and a bit of twang show up before the beer goes dry. Its yeastiness and biscuity graininess actually move a touch toward bready in the end. This beer is clean enough, with all the right attributes touched upon. It easily rivals many of its Belgian counterparts.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 03:52:35 | More by BeerAdvocate

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A bottle with some killer sushi.

A- three huge fingers of bright white head from a hard pour that settles slowly to leave a few spots of lace and a small ring. Sunshine golden yellow in color. Beautiful.

S- bananas and cloves, honey, some pale malts, hints of orange peel.

T- sweet with a bit of spice. Some bananas again, over ripe oranges, elder flower honey. The underlieing spice is simple but enough to keep it from becoming cloying.

M- about medium in body with a bit less in carb. Sits well on the palate and pleases the mouth.

D- a solid brew here a good representation of the style. Worked wonderfully with the sushi. Ill have to keep trying things from this fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 01:08:38 | More by oglmcdgl

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I cracked open a bottle that had been sitting in my fridge since the summer. It's another great beer in the Unchained Series. Poured into a Duvel tulip, it has a clear orange body and a short, but stable, white head. The aroma reminds me of coriander and vanilla. The flavor has a great mix of fruity Belgian yeast character and mild spicy hops with a little candi sugar sweetness and bready malt. It does a great job of hitting all the aspects of a great Belgian - malt, fruity esters, spicy phenols, candi sugar and hops. The only knock I can see is that the carbonation is a little low for some Belgians.

I wish there were more of this to go around. It's not quite like any Belgian I've had, but it's complex, delicious and relatively easy to drink for the strength. That's a winner.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 07:32:30 | More by tempest

brewdoc75

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: This pours a nice, golden-yellow color into my Duvel tulip. A strong, white head is there at first, but dies relatively quickly. Strong carbonation.

S: Sweet, fruity and spicy. Good yeast character, but definitely more sweet than other Belgian Golden Ales I've had. The fruitiness reminds me of grapes and maybe a little apple. The spiciness is less prominent and is clove like. The sweetness is what throws me off the most.

T: Sweet start with a strong, malty sweetness. Not rich malts like a bock, but more what I would expect in a lighter pale ale. This is followed by a strong fruitiness. The fruitiness is grape-apple like in character and very prominent. There are some clove-y phenols present, but they are less prominent than I would expect. This beer lacks the tart, pear like finish that Duvel has. It seems to leave too much sweetness in the end.

M: Light-medium bodied, but more on the medium end. Finishes too sweet for the style. Seems underattenuated to me. The carbonation is good, but that sticky, sweet mouthfeel throws me off.

D: A decent Belgian-style ale, but the mouthfeel didn't do it for me. This beer should have finished a little drier than it did. It was solid, but not epic. When you are playing against Duvel, you have to bring your game.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 01:10:04 | More by brewdoc75

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I can't believe I forgot the review this one. Glad I caught it before it was too late.
I think the nose was bolder when the bottle was fresher. Poured into Reidel large wine glass. Mild breadiness, followed by soft yeast quality. Mellow and nice, but nothing exceptional.
Initially pours with a white head of not too great a size, which settles out promptly. Beautiful brilliant gold.
Is it an oxymoron to state it seems an uncomplicated strong Belgian ale? It drinks quite simply and cleanly, yet when attended to there are subtle yeast/phenolic flavors up and beyond the pale malt. Mild spice/pepper precede an adequate drying with a moderate lingering on the finish.
The carbonation, soft and pleasant, gives the drink a fuller feel over a moderately light body.
Somehow with this beer the sum is greater than the total of the parts. I find this an enjoyable beer to drink and towards the top of the series so far. Seems like a hard style to make well as I've had more average ones than very good. This falls more towards the former.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 01:25:42 | More by garymuchow

jjanega08

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.5

A= The beer pours a nice golden color. Actually looks like gold I guess. The head is a solid finger high and holds steady retention and lacing.

S= The smell is pretty interesting. A good solid Belgian yeast strand is present. There is a good bit of apple and some butter to it I guess. There's a little sweetness to it. Not too bad smelling.

T= The taste is very similar to the smell. Maybe a little light on the yeast flavor. The butter comes through a lot as well as some biscuity toasty malts. There's a good bit of sweetness to it for a BSPA.

M= This is the biggest problem here I think. It finishes too dry and the carbonation is too low.

D= A great brew. Summit has been doing a great job with these beers. I think this is unfortunatly my least favorite however. The alcohol is very well hidden and the flavors are plesant but the mouth was off. Can't wait to take a swing at the next one.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 04:02:00 | More by jjanega08

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle. Pours a clear golden yellow color with a tightly packed white head of 2 fingers. A mixed aroma of belgian yeast esters, malt, and slight hops. Belgian style taste followed by some hop notes. Pretty tasty. Starting to think the alcohol taste is a little more prevalent than I would like. Clean and crisp flavors. Pretty sweet taste from all of the Candi sugar. Medium mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 18:25:05 | More by kbutler1

wagenvolks

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to ballz50401 for another great extra! 12oz stubby bottle into a Three Philosophers chalice.

The pour is, well, golden. Rich, brassy-gold liquid with a beaming character to its color. Wispy eggshell head, low carbonation. Bright, floral & grassy hops greet the nose with equally as enticing notes of tropical fruit (pear, peach, white grapes).

The flavor has a lot going on--bread crust and toasted malt grains vs. floral hops vs. Belgian yeasty fruitiness vs. spicy booze. Unfortunately, the "vs." is necessary. The profile is overly complex and indecisive on the palate as flavors clash without melding. Mouthfeel is snappy and crisp with carbonation at first, then becomes dry and slightly syrupy on the finish. All in all, a decent attempt at a Belgian ale, but I'd take Duvel any day. Worth a try, but probably not a repeat from me.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 01:23:45 | More by wagenvolks

autobooze

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I have had this beer a few times and I was very surprised by the taste. It seemed like a normal, fairly hopped beer. I was a little surprised by the lack of depth, especially for a beer with 8.6% ABV.

Later, I had the beer while enjoying a Oliva V Cigar. The Cigar had a very strong coffee and chocolate flavor with a strong caramel/coffee flavor. After a few puffs of the cigar, I tried the Golden Ale again. I anticipated the cigar to overpower the Golden Ale, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was overtaken by flavors of apricot. The cigar brought out hidden flavors of apricot, almost a apricot IPA flavor.

I am not sure that this flavor pairing was intended but I would highly recommend the pairing. I definitely will be experimenting with this beer and another cigar. It was an amazing pairing! It is much better than on it's own.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 07:40:44 | More by autobooze