Summit Gold Sovereign Ale - Summit Brewing Company

Buebie

Minnesota

2.9/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Medium pour from the bottle into a pub glass. About an inch of white froth, settles to a medium cap with generous frothy collar. Color is a transparent pale golden, transparent. Was expecting it to be a bit more cloudy, as summit had a press release stating it was not going to filter this one.

As I popped the new bottle opener necessary cap, aroma of pungent bitter hops fill the air. The hops have some other less then desirable qualities that remind me of somthing else. Now, because thi is really fresh beer that was just bottled the other day, I can rule out that this is skunked. But the aroma hops do remind me a bit of a skunked Heineken, except much more potent hops and with more of a hemp aroma.
Aroma is hop forward, more earthy pine bitters, with dried hay and spicy onion. Other than that aroma is slightly lacking, with just a small amount of caramel.

Taste starts out slow with mild hop bitters, much more earthy, pine, aspirin and bittering hemp. Very minimal malt flavors. Finishing dry with a light peppery aspirin forward hop profile. As it warmed there is an awkward and distance bubblegum flavor in the far deep reaches of the background. Alongside more of that skunky old Heineken flavor.
Mouthfeel is watery and thin with moderate carbonation.

I guess its best not to read press releases prior to trying a beer. I feel a bit let down actually. I anticipated a well balanced hoppy and caramel filled ipa with more pungent floral and citrus hops. What I am getting is a watered down slightly bitter ipa with what basically comes down to is hop water that has been carbonated and colored with yellow 6. It seems more like a SMaSH. But if this is wht they drank back in the day, then beer surely has come a long way. To me it resembles an English style ipa that has been amped up with much more hop flavor.

Happy to try it, congrats to Summit for brewing somthing new, no disrespect to the brewers but I cant see myself revisiting this.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 22:47:07 | More by Buebie

doucmehu

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

03-19-2013 20:48:30 | More by doucmehu

DrGonzoDDS

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

09-23-2012 03:49:18 | More by DrGonzoDDS

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Pours out a hazy golden color with a rather stable single finger of creamy (and cream-colored) head that leaves large curtains of intricate lacing behind with each and every sip. A very pretty beer. Medium body and carbonation levels, soft and creamy texture.

Smells of lemon-lime and grapefruit peel primarily, with medium aroma of apricots, smaller levels of leafy mints and assorted herbals with a floral backdrop and just a dab of ginger aroma at garnish level.

Tastes of lemon-lime peel and grapefruit with a bit of zesty white pepper, coriander, biscuit malt mid-structure, herbal and grassy hopping in the finish.

Extremely bold and full flavor for such a low ABV beer. It's sad that this beer is no longer in production.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 18:35:04 | More by WastingFreetime

GarbageMan

1.25/5  rDev -68.3%

08-13-2012 01:16:30 | More by GarbageMan

kylehay2004

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: large head nearly filled the entire glass. Once it settled the body was murky and pale golden with a slight copper hue.

S: A little pungent and funky hops which smell like it does after rain or in a humid climate. citrus, mostly grapefruit and nice yeast notes.

T: This one is very zesty and spicey up front. mineral and herbal hops up front. breads, honey, cream mixed in. Bitter, floral, grassy hops in the finish.

M: light to medium body and moderate carbonation. smooth.

Overall: Very complex flavors and notes in the aroma. This one is certainly one of the more memorable EPAs I have had. An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 23:30:19 | More by kylehay2004

sgoro

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

02-26-2012 01:21:46 | More by sgoro

Cramerican

North Dakota

4/5  rDev +1.5%

02-15-2012 04:28:18 | More by Cramerican

Kenai4

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

02-05-2012 17:50:53 | More by Kenai4

zenwatts

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

01-22-2012 17:19:46 | More by zenwatts

TTAmod

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. ----> 16.9 oz. glass

A: Hazy gold/orange with an obscene white head with really good retention.

S: Dank hops, lemon, grapefruit, touch of caramel.

T: Decidedly English. Deep, hearty roasted malt taste, touch of hops, bit of flower, lemon, leather, and very dry.

M: Medium, smooth, quite nice.

O: Very nice EPA. Traditional, balanced, hearty. Nose doesn't do the taste justice. Would be stellar with some fish n' chips...

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 05:40:59 | More by TTAmod

thisladyluck

Iowa

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

12-30-2011 23:43:43 | More by thisladyluck

ponbon63

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-22-2011 20:30:47 | More by ponbon63

champ103

Texas

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Hanger 9 in Carbondale, IL. I don't know if this is retired or not, but this is certainly a fresh keg.

A: Pours a slightly hazed golden/orange color. A large white head forms with good retention. Plenty of sticky lace is left behind as well.
S: Earthy yeast, slightly sweet but finishes with a nice hops punch. Citrus, floral, grassy, herbal. Very nice.
T: Some sweetness, toasted malt, and some citrus hops in the finish.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Fairly crisp and smooth. Easy to drink, I can put back several without a thought.

A nice English Pale Ale. Though a bit high in alcohol for my liking (in the style anyway) and I wish I could try this on cask. Still very nice and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2011 03:42:36 | More by champ103

marcobrau

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy gold with a decent amount of carbonation that forms an off-white head that settles to a collar of foam. A pretty good amount of lace is left behind on the sides of the glass. Very complex pale ale. Light citrus (especially lemon) aroma. Reading other reviews the smell is likely diminished due to age. Bold, hoppy citrus flavors up front with a somewhat forgettable middle, then a stretched out, vibrant, bitter, citrus-laced hop finish. The malt is merely in a supporting role here, but perhaps contributes a slight cookie-like flavor. A light body allows this beer to e quaffed, but at it's strength its's probably not such a good idea.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 01:22:36 | More by marcobrau

FreshHawk

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-21-2011 01:10:05 | More by FreshHawk

barnzy78

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-02-2011 05:07:03 | More by barnzy78

darky

South Dakota

5/5  rDev +26.9%

12-01-2011 03:33:15 | More by darky

FlandersNed

Indiana

3/5  rDev -23.9%

11-30-2011 04:04:41 | More by FlandersNed

Timmah11

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-16-2011 00:55:01 | More by Timmah11

randomdanger

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-15-2011 16:14:32 | More by randomdanger

plumcrazyfx

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-15-2011 03:05:56 | More by plumcrazyfx

dizztracted

North Dakota

5/5  rDev +26.9%

11-15-2011 01:54:45 | More by dizztracted

Yulles

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +26.9%

11-14-2011 18:26:19 | More by Yulles

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I let this warm out of the fridge. Poured with a nice, medium sized, off white head that soon settled to a light cover and some lace. Color is a very slightly hazy amber with lots of small bubble trails. Aroma is fruit, hop, malt. Flavor is similar to nose but with hops coming out much more along with pronounced bittersweetness and balanced by good carbonic tang. Body and carbonation are good. Finish is like flavor and longer than average. Would've scored this higher as an American Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 06:26:06 | More by drpimento