Summit Summer Ale - Summit Brewing Company

budgood1

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours out a pale straw yellow colour with a frothy egg shell white head at least an inch high and not showing any signs of receding. plenty of chunky lace. pale malt aroma...some herbalness with lemongrss accents and hints of herbal hopppiness. the taste is frontal with the spiciness and herbal and lemongrass notes. a sturdy wheat and barley malt presence provides the impetus for all the impending flavours to take hold and lay down a foundation. it's a bit dry, and definitley has a quenching aspect to it, and i enjoy that after a hot day in the sun at work. well received body with a bit "rough around the edges" mouthfeel make this a unique kolsch. drinkability is quite nice...i like takes on a summertime style that exudes character.

overall i would say that summit has hit upon something good here, after messing around with the hefe and scandia. not sure where this rates compared to those two, but the ultimate comparison will be to see how this stands up to the schell zommerfest as go to summer slammers for my drinking pleasure. stay tuned...

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 22:16:54 | More by budgood1

jera1350

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Crystal clear straw yellow color with a clean white head of fluffy foam. Nice lacing.

The smell is very clean and fruity with some bread dough. A little bit of green grass from the hops.

Light honey sweetness, the hops are lightly grassy and spicy, but the key is light. Crackery finish on the palate.

Lots of pillowy carbonation in a body that feels somewhere between light and medium. Dry finishing. Very nice feel.

This would be extremely easy to put back several. Very clean and refreshing, yet has enough depth as to not get boring. This makes a great summer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 20:35:09 | More by jera1350

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a pale golden color with a big billowy white head. The head has a pretty decent retention lasting for a few minutes eventually fading to leave a moderate amount of lacing

Smell – The aroma is of a bready wheat malt and some lemon citrus and a light herbal aroma.

Taste – The taste begins crisp with a nice blend of wheat malt as well as some light citrus fruit notes. Some floral flavors come to the tongue, and with an increase in the lemon citrus, end up lightly bittering the taste. Toward the end a very light grassy flavor mixes with the others and leaves a clean taste on the tongue at the end.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is very light with a higher level of carbonation. A refreshing effervescent brew that is very easy to drink.

Overall – A good summer session beer. It is very easy to drink with its smooth body, light abv and more simple but flavorful crisp taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 00:40:16 | More by Darkmagus82

augustgarage

California

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best before 9/25/2012. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a generic kolsch glass.

Perfectly clear, very pale straw/maize liquid with a lasting finger of active ghost white foam. Delicate creamy lacing; superior retention.

Aromatics are subtle to the point of abstraction. Perhaps a hint of winter fruit or wheat, but it's difficult to discern.

Gentle malt flavor is accompanied by a low bitterness and faint (noble?) hop taste. Some wheat peaks through towards the finish which is mineral-rich and medium-dry with hints of biscuit dough.

Soft bodied, pillow-y, and refreshing.

A bit lacking in character, but clean, and a reasonable approximation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 04:29:37 | More by augustgarage

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

No freshness dating on the bottle but I think this is a pre-release bottle.

A= Pours a beautiful golden yellow color with a finger of head on it thats a nice white color and despite the "loose" look to it it holds some solid retention and lacing on the glass.

S= The smell is of nice lemon zest and a bit of a flowery summer smell. Little sweet malt character and a small amount of hop spice to it. Really just smells like summer.

T= A totally summer taste to it. Excellent lemon zest and a slight hop spice to it that gives it a little extra brightness. This my friend is summer in a glass.

M= Nicely carbonated with a good amount of carbonation and zest.

O= This is a home run from Summit. A well made "summer" beer. I don't care the style or the flavor this is an all around awesome summer beer. I'll be drinking a ton of this over the summer and enjoying every last drop. Seek this beer out and enjoy the hell out of it. I know I will be.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 02:01:40 | More by jjanega08

bsp77

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into new Summit glass.

Appearance: Bright, burnished gold with moderate head and nice lacing.

Smell: Semi-sweet malts with notes of apple and grass. Floral, spicy hops make this quite dry and bitter smelling. Aroma becomes too muted after a couple minutes.

Taste: Just slightly sweet apple, pear and fresh cut grass, countered by a nice level of spiciness. Ends primarily with a spicy hop bite and is more bitter than most Kolsch I have had. Really fresh tasting (at least when it IS fresh).

Feel: Moderately high carbonation, clean & crisp body, dry finish.

Overall: Very refreshing but with a nice amount of flavor. As far as I can remember from two years ago, this is very similar to the Summit Kolsch Unchained beer, and that is a great thing. I know they used some slightly less authentic ingredients for this one than the Unchained one (to save money and/or increase production), but I can't really tell.

Much better than their Hefe Weizen (which this replaced), but I still miss the old Scandia Ale summer seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 21:55:28 | More by bsp77

gatornation

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle BB 09/25/12

A- pours a light clear yellow color with a brilliant white head

S- malt floral hops bread and lemongrass

T- light floral hops with grain and bread light sweet malts

M- light on the palate low/medium carbonation

O- a session thirst quencher with mid Kolsch flavors, not my first choice for a kolsch or a summer beer for the matter

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 20:22:47 | More by gatornation

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a bright and clear golden yellowish orange with lots of rising bubbles. Huge five finger white foam head with good retention. Leaves lots of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A crisp and malt forward aroma. Bready pale malts and wheat grains with good hints of biscuit and crackers. Hints of lemongrass. Also some floral German hops in the mix along with some grassy aromas. Smells pretty refreshing and crisp.

Taste: Like its smells, a nicely bready and crisp beer. Sweet pale malts and wheat grains. Pretty bready taste with notes of cracker and biscuit. Good notes of lemon and some light hints of other citrus fruit. Nice backing of floral and grassy German hops. Well balanced and tasty.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Very crisp and somewhat creamy. Nice body for a lighter style. Very smooth, refreshing, and drinkable.

Overall: A pretty solid take on a Kolsch. Its everything you would expect from the style. Very good summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 06:58:11 | More by MattyG85

Mdog

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Yellow-gold, ok head.

Smell: Bready at first, then more grassy.

Taste: Nice grassy, crisp flavor. Dry cracker malt flavor and grassy.

Mouthfeel: Tingly and light.

Overall: I like this one, tastes like a light bodied pilsner with an emphasis on the hops. I should get the summer sampler to compare this side by side with their pilsner, reminds me a lot of it right now.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 23:01:56 | More by Mdog

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from laymansbeerfan (gracias) poured into a standard pint glass from the Ram.

A: Hazy light gold with a fizzy white head that leaves minimal lace.

S: Tangy wheat...sweetness and breadyness of pale malt...yeast esters...slight fruitiness as well, hops lending some lemon peel/citrus notes with undertones of banana and apricot (probably not from the hops)...touch of grassyness.

T: Good initial kick of flavor and carbonation, again there are some substantial wheat notes and a very light impression of banana, sweet bread and malt are the backbone of the flavors...notes of lemon again with grassy and floral notes. Refreshing.

MF: Light and drinkable, thin and watery body with just enough carbonation. Pretty refreshing here too.

O: Coulda sworn this was an APWA as I was sipping, maybe I was imagining all of the wheaty notes...its definitely not very heavy at all, and its not a heff, but its a light malty drinkable summer beer.

Thanks Aaron!

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 17:18:02 | More by Scotchboy

chilidog

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up in the summer pack. Poured a clear golden yellow. Nice soft white head.

Aroma of grass and stail bread.

Taste of a grassy start then malts kick in and a nice citric hop finish.

Mouth is left a bit dry. A earthy feel follows.

Overall a good summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 01:29:50 | More by chilidog

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a cylinder glass.

A: Golden in color with a fluffy white head that slowly settles. Great lacing and decent head retention.

S: Slightly fruity on the nose at first, with floral hops and plenty of fresh grainy malt.

T: Cracker-like malt lends a hint of sweetness up front, with some fruity notes as well. Mid-palate is dry, with grassy, floral hop undertones. The finish is very clean, and quite dry.

Notes: Light in body, with subtle flavor and great balance. Glad they decided to try something different this Summer. Quite tasty, and very easy to drink. A textbook example of the style. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 04:35:18 | More by WYVYRN527

Greggy

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a 1.5 finger white head over a straw yellow body with extremely fine sediment. After about a minute, the head recedes to a thin cap with thicker lacing ringing the glass.

S- Fresh and floral notes pop from this brew. Lemon pastry comes through as well as fresh hop notes.

T- Starts off with a light floral grainy flavor and then quickly transitions into dry, almost astringent notes. The finish extends this out a long way.

M- Medium carbonation works well per style.

O- Overall, a nice kolsch. Very reminiscent of the german kolsch's I've had in the past in the mineral taste. I look forward to having more of this during the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 03:45:37 | More by Greggy

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.94/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

A slightly hazy golden straw colored body holds a white fizzy head with decent retention. Light rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma is malt based with grains and lemongrass coming through. The taste is clean, grassy, and a bit more hoppy in the finish. Bright and citrusy. Mouthfeel is medium to light.

Overall, a nice refreshing summer ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 12:56:15 | More by JuicesFlowing

herman77

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pale yellow with a small bright white head. Some haze to it when held up to a light. Good lacing.

S: Sweet cereal malts, a bit of fruity esters. A bit of lemon zest coming through.

T: Some light, slightly sweet grains up front. Then a bit of lemon and some very mild spicy hops punch through. Nice crisp and clean finish.

M: Light body. Moderate carbonation that is feels pretty soft.

O: Great drinkability. Nice and refreshing. Another great seasonal brew from Summit, glad it replaced the Hefe.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 01:11:33 | More by herman77

steveh

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Been a Summit fan for a long time, never tried the Summer. Opted for a well-priced 12 pack after I took note that there were no "extras" added to this brew -- imagine my delight when I see BA is calling this a Kölsch (though Summit refrains from a label).

A -- Slightly hazy golden color with a delicate, persistent white head.

S -- Bright balance of citrus and spiciness in the nose.

T -- Light graininess up front with a light, mildly tart fruitiness following, finishing with a crisp bitterness. The aftertaste is a good balance of hop bitterness, light citrus fruitiness, and a dry graininess -- though after a couple there is a distinct tart vegetal character in the aftertaste that I find prevalent in many midwestern micros.

M -- Light smooth body, crisp and dry mouthfeel.

O -- A great addition to light and refreshing summer beers with a nicely bitter hoppiness when the craving hits. I was looking for Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on sale and this beer filled my craving for something light and hoppy at the same time. I just wish that tart vegetal character wasn't so prominent.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 21:25:24 | More by steveh

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with no date.

Pours a golden yellow with a sudsy 1-finger head. Smell is wheat, lemongrass, and pine. Light smelling. Taste is light grains/wheat, coriander, sage, lemon, and clove. Very drinkable and refreshing.

Perfect summertime brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 07:02:55 | More by jimmah120

57md

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy light straw color with about a finger of white head that dissipated rather quickly but left some lacing. The nose is wheat-like. The taste is light but pleasantly dry. There was a touch of tingling bitterness on the finish which is the highlight of this offering.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 13:27:56 | More by 57md

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into a 16oz pint glass. My first Kölsch.

A - Clean golden look with a touch of haze in it. Ample carbonation feeding a bubbly white head on top. Head retains as a thick, dense cap of white foam that leaves patches of sticky lacing.

S - Simple and clean, and very summery. Crisp wheat malt, light grassy hops, with some bready notes and a subtle kick of citrus.

T - Opens up with wheat and bready malt, but as it finishes a herbal hop presence makes itself known. Very grassy, and a bit oily. Buttery malt balances the hops. Balanced, simple, and very drinkable.

M - Medium bodied with assertive but crisp carbonation and a dry, slightly bittering finish.

D - Didn't really know what to expect form this brew, as I've never had a Kölsch before. I figured I'd get more yeast and less hops; something akin to a hefeweizen. This reminded me more of an APWA, but with both more hops and malt. All in all, a tasty and drinkable summer brew from Summit.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 22:47:23 | More by Converge

mjryan

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Clear, pale gold colour. Lasting, sticky head. Fresh bread, honey, hay and flowers in the nose, very gentle. Crisp flavour. A bit of soft, grainy malt up front is followed by an intising, floral/haylike hop character. Noticeable hop bitterness for a dry, curt finish. Carbonation is prickly, but not overdone. Sub 5% abv makes this a beer you can reasonabley consume in quantity. Well done. A perfect summer beer that really seems to capture the essence of the season.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 22:34:11 | More by mjryan

ChasterBlaster

Wisconsin

2.73/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

What a disappointment. Here's why: I LOVE SUMMIT. And having such high expectations led me to expect too much from this incredibly mediocre brew.

Grabbing on of these guys and popping it open, pouring it into my pint glass was a nice experience. Downhill from there.

The smell is fine.

The taste starts off alright, crisp and refreshing. But the aftertaste is like licking a rusty piece of metal. Strong, unpleasant metallic tastes linger still (5 minutes since last sip)

The mouthfeel was ok because it was refreshing, but kind of gross at the same time, much like taking a swim with a bunch of hairy old men.

Overall, it did its job but nothing more. Definitely wont buy again, although I remain a fan of summit's other brews.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 00:11:40 | More by ChasterBlaster