Partly Sunny - Ithaca Beer Company

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a standard shaker glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is cloudy golden yellow color with a ½" thick almost white head. Sipping leaves some, but not a lot of, lacing and the ring of foam persists fairly long, leaving some lacing on sipping for at least the first half of the beer.

Smell: There is a definite aroma here but nothing dominates it. The citrus, lemon zest in this case, is faint and blends nicely with the spice (some coriander) which is not powerful but is detectable.

Taste: The flavor is just fine, with some wheat, some yeast, the lemon zest and traces of the coriander.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is light and prickly with lots of fine carbonation. The finish is fairly short but witbier spicy and reasonably dry.

Drinkability: This is a nice enough witbier with a good but not outstanding flavor. The lemon peel is an interesting variation on the usual orange peel. The beer is refreshing on a hot summer day. I've enjoyed this one both while taking notes for the review and then later with the last half of the beer being consumed along with a salad for lunch. While I wouldn't turn down another I think one is enough for now.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 01:44:17 | More by drtth

Kendo

New York

3.83/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a weizen glass, as I had originally thought this was another summer wheat beer. Body is clear golden yellow with a small whitish head that leaves no lace.

S: Lemon and lemon zest over cereal grains, with the lemony scents dominant. Also some sort of spice.

T: Good melding of ingredients here -- there's a wheat twang, some basic grainy malt, unidentified spice towards back end of the sip and then lemony bitterness lingering at the finish.

M: Bountiful fine carbonation crosses over into fizziness at times. Cleanses the palate, but at times feels too fizzy. Body is light.

D: Good. Bottle went down very quickly in the evening, I could see it disappearing instantly in the middle of a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2009 16:33:30 | More by Kendo

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up an Ithaca sampler that has four different beers, and this is one of them. I am a big fan of Ithaca as they are very consistent in their quality. This is their take on a Belgian Wit.

A: Pours a hazy golden yellow. Head is quite large, bit ultimately dissipates to nothing.

S/T: Smells pretty typical for a Belgian Wit. Lots of spice and citrus on the nose. The taste is a little more on the citrus side. Some spice and yeast character, but not a whole lot. A touch of banana in there as well as a slight pickle taste in the finish. In all, a pretty typical Wit. I have definetly had better, but this is still pretty solid.

M/D: Mouthfeel is pretty light and crisp. Finishes pretty clean and is quite refreshing. Not my favorite tasting Wit, but could easily drink more than one of these.

In all, Ithaca could have done better. Its a decent beer, but not up to par with every other offering I have had from them. Worth a shot, especially if you wanna beat the summer heat.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2009 00:08:53 | More by OldSchoolGamer

Gmann

New York

3.23/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy light brown color with a whitish haze. The pure white head dissipates quickly into a light cap. The aroma is heavy on coriander, perhaps grains of paradise as it smells very similar to Sam's Summer. The taste is of a tart lemon citrus and plenty of coriander. The heavy spice is cut by the wheat malt with balances out the flavor and saves the beer. The brew doesn't seem to use a Belgian yeast strain so not sure this is really a wit, just an american wheat with a bunch of coriander. The feel is light to moderate with fizzy carbonation, finishes tart and dry. An ok summer brew. Not a big fan of coriander but this is drinkable since the wheat malt helps balance it out. Not something I would seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 02:39:17 | More by Gmann

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Partly sunny has a partly cloudy yellow body with about a finger and a half of white head that dies pretty quickly. Not the greatest retention, and not lacing.

The nose is full of spices that feature nutmeg and coriander, along with some citrus peel aromas.

This is a pretty heavily spiced beer I would say. Nutmeg is pretty noticeable, which is no surprise considering that nutmeg is an extremely powerful spice that has to be sparingly used, if at all. Coriander makes an appearance, and it is backed up by a ton of citrus peel flavor. There is at least one other spice that I cannot quite put my finger on in there also. In the finish you really notice the wheat backbone, and I have to say the malted wheat in this one is pretty tasty despite the fact that it is somewhat overpowered.

Mouthfeel is light with moderate carbonation.

Overall, I have some problems with this one, but I have to say it is still pretty drinkable. It has a nice after tastes also.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 02:28:45 | More by Hojaminbag

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

2.8/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

Murky yellow/brown color with a very short-lived white head and quite a few floaties.
To me it smells like a blend of citrus cleaner and that Witch-hazel stuff they have in every old school barber shop.
The taste is on the sour/bitter side with wheat flavor.
Medium bodied with a fizzy feel.
I would drink one if offered for free but I wouldn't order/buy one.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2009 21:35:45 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

koopa

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle received as an extra in a trade.

Appearance: Murky dirty blonde body with a 1 finger white crown that rapidly dissipates and leaves little in the lace department.

Smell: Nice blend of wheat, coriander, and a touch of clove over oranges.

Taste: Falls flat on the flavor department. All wheat and not much spice or yeast complexity.

Mouthfeel: Fairly carbonated and thin but that's true to the style.

Drinkability: Thin bland and low abv so easy to drink....

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 22:52:02 | More by koopa

ProudBeerSnob

New York

2.7/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Got growler from the brewery on a road trip to Ithaca. Poured form growler into Ithaca pint glass.

Fairly thick head that dissipates perhaps too quickly, cloudy straw color. Aroma of sour citrus (Bready?)Tastes a bit sour (should it? probably not) Finishes very bland, no crisp finish as I was expecting for a wit.

This beer tastes much better with food. Had one with Thai grilled chicken for dinner, enjoyed it, except again it was missing that crisp taste.

Serving type: growler

07-18-2009 01:38:51 | More by ProudBeerSnob

DrewOSU

Ohio

2.88/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Ithaca Partly Sunny

Given to me by beachbum1975, thanks man

A: Pours a sunshine yellow (imagine that), pale yellow at the top, a darker cloudy yellow at the top. ¼ inch bubbly white head to top it off.

S: Slightly sour, pungent citrus, wheat and slight orange.

M/T: Watery feel on the tongue, a strong metallic/citrus rush on the tongue, followed by a wheat base and a surprisingly clean aftertaste. Leaves nothing on the pallet for being such a lemony beer. The bottom kind of drops out quick and it ends up being a little dull after a few drinks. Not a whole lot going on with this beer. The flavors don't explode and they all just seem to be a general citrus. No colorful notes.

D: Very light and refreshing. Very drinkable, but a little boring after half a glass. A lot better summer beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 00:00:42 | More by DrewOSU

Risser09

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner - fridge - best before august 2009

Appearance: A hazy golden yellow has orange hues to it as well. The white head climbs to 1.5" and has a cakey, craterous texture. Good retention is shown, along with a trail of sudsy lace. So far, so good.

Smell: Somewhat of a distant aroma includes wheat malt and pale, too. Cracker and biscuit aroma sits next to some slight hop aromas.

Taste: Wheat malt leads the way, with some hop flavor not too far behind. A trace of minerals exists in both flavor form and mouthfeel. I'm disappointed that the taste is rather dull and uninteresting.

Mouthfeel: A trace of minerals makes the beer a bit dry. Smooth drinking, light body, and plenty of lively carbonation. Alcohol is difficult to assign.

Drinkability: A light beer in all aspects. This would be a great summer quencher, but could use more aroma and flavor. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 13:18:40 | More by Risser09

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy straw color. Modest head, particularly for a wheat. No lace.

Smells like sour cream and confectioner sugar. Light spice in the background.

Flavors of coriander, soured milk, yeast and wheat. Smooth start to the body, but the high level of carbonation brings out some of the more bitter qualities of this brew. Slightly citrusy.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2009 02:47:52 | More by smcolw

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 08/08/08. Bottle. Pours a cloudy light orange with a nice white head. Aroma of light fruits (some tropical fruits and citrus/lemon), only faint spices. Flavor is light and fruity, some wheat. I like this a lot; light, crisp fruit with a decent malt backbone. Why does this get such poor ratings? Very enjoyable for me.
7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2008 15:33:31 | More by LilBeerDoctor

yesyouam

New York

2.53/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Partly Sunny is a hazy yellow ale with no real head except for a white ring. The aroma is banana, clove, citrus... probably lemon. In the mouth, it's lively, watery and crisp. It's lightly bitter, maybe herbal. It's not sweet and reminds me of eating Wheaties. It's slightly tart. It's a summer ale.
(rated Aug 1, 2007)

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 16:01:22 | More by yesyouam

younger35

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received this brew (along with a few other Ithaca brews) from BeerTruth in the Fight Club BIF. Spiced wheat beers are usually hit or miss for me. Drank from my Port pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a hazy light yellow with a decent one finger bright white head that drops very slowly. A super thin cap remains along with a fairy thick collar that leaves very little, if any, lacing.
Smell- Fairly vibrant and full of life with copious amounts of orange and lemon peel. I don't get much spice (coriander, clove, etc) but I do get a light gingery like tartness (don't think this even has ginger in it). Softly doughy and sweet with an almost vanilla like caramel maltiness.
Taste- That vanilla and caramel seems to have translated quite well into the taste also. Not overbearing, just a light mineral like vanilla tinge at the start. Some coriander and orange peel are present but seem to fade a bit as the beer warms and the malt pipes in. Very lightly sweet with a soft orange and apricot finish.
Mouthfeel- Medium body with a nice creamy feel and very light carbonation.
Drinkability- This brew (more than any other spiced wheat I've tried) really reminds me of, dare I say, Blue Moon. Maybe it's the large orange peel aspect but it's really reminiscent. An okay beer that I didn't love but I definitely didn't hate. Would probably be more enjoyable sitting on the deck during a nice hot summer's day. Thanks Adam "Pacman" BeerTruth!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 21:40:56 | More by younger35

treehugger02010

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I got this as part of the Ithaca variety case from Bryn Mawr Beverage and poured it into a pint glass.
Appearance: A deep off yellow/brown body that is toped off with a large white head that disappears very fast and leaves no lace. It is very carbonated.
Smell: Very wheaty, bits of spice hidden, ester notes provided by the yeast.
Taste: Yeasty with lots of spices, kind of like a pumpkin pie, but no pumpkin.
Mouthfeel: Crisp.
Drinkability: Good.
Don't drink and review.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2008 19:50:32 | More by treehugger02010

dacrza1

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The third of three Ithaca samplings tonight in preparation for the Brew Fest tomorrow...slightly cloudy, off-yellow unfiltered body... thin dissipating white head--it's a wheat, yes... bright, full wheat scents--consistent but not spectacular... medium-bodied, evenly textured to the tongue... lively and engaging... acidic, crisp wheat--nondescript otherwise--and a thirst quencher...a serviceable wheat that doesn't break new ground or sully the old....a good end to the evening.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2008 02:28:13 | More by dacrza1

MTNboy

Germany

3/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- Don't let the name fool you this beer pretty cloudy but in a good way. It has nice cloudy hay yellow color to it. The head was virtually nonexistent but there was a little lace.

Smell- Definitely sweet other than that it is mildly citrus like.

Taste- It had a strong wheat malt taste, a little bit of sugar, citrus and some spice. I thought the aftertaste was a little bitterer than it should have been.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied and easy to drink.

Drinkability- Average and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2008 13:25:45 | More by MTNboy

kevman527

New York

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - White foamy head 2 fingers worth, golden color or straw yello, good lacing.

S - Citrus, piney, brown sugary.

T - Brown sugar, banana, cirusy, with little to no aftertaste

M - Medium carbonation, light bodies, very smooth on the mouth.

D - Easy to drink, would recommend. A good summer wheat beer for those hot and hazy days.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2008 13:18:39 | More by kevman527

SLeffler27

New York

3.6/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big cumulus cloud builds with fluffy white bubbles over a hazy golden straw, which catches the light and transforms it with glittering carbonation. Gradually, the clouds clear, to a thin lace, and rings around the pint glass.

Sampling at the brewery did nothing for the aroma, but now back home, it blooms with peaches and orange peal.

Subtle flavors of coriander and fresh baked white bread, give way to pineapple and faint bitterness in the finish.

This is a smooth, moderately carbonated offering.

Bring Partly Sunny to a barbeque, and share with your friends, who may be on the fence about craft beer. You can keep pouring, long after the fire-flies begin to flash.

Serving type: growler

06-18-2008 00:49:31 | More by SLeffler27

Murchmac

California

3.45/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Beertruth for this as an extra.

Pours a really carbonated bubbling bubbly medium head that falls into itself. Like the baking soda volcano you would make in third grade.

More of a cut grass macro smell. Something Laverne and Shirley would bottle.

Some sweet malt taste, some spice. Some hops.

Macro and sweet aftertaste.

Next time you reach for that MGD on that hot summer day, pick this one instead.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2008 01:09:00 | More by Murchmac

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clouded straw gold that has a nice white head that falls quickly. Nose is citrus and a bit of lemongrass as well. The scents are there, but not powerful or overly strong. Gives a rather smooth and calm fragrance. Flavor is thick with wheat and has a few good dashes of light citrus flavors. Not overly strong or complex though. Feel is nice and smooth on the liquid with small bubbles of carbonation hitting the tongue. Overall very drinkable. A smooth and calm witbier that is definitely worth trying. Nice job Ithaca!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 06:06:55 | More by RblWthACoz

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear straw with a big white, rocky head. Staying power is not so good though.

S - Pungent spicy/wheatiness with an ever so slight citrus rind.

T - Smooth pale malt and background butter. Light bitterness from the hops as well. Wheaty twang comes through, along with a tart edge up front. Feels somewhat dry.

M - Light bodied and moderately carbonated, but the bubbles seem exceptionally fine.

D - Light, easy drinking wit.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2007 03:15:32 | More by allergictomacros

irishkyle21

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had my Partly Sunny on a rainy cloudy day. Looking at the label I can only hope for a couple more warm sunny days. The beer pours with a fair sized head but has no retention or lacing. Has a straw color with a bit of haziness.

The nose is one of the high points of this brew (along with the quaffability factors). Smells of spices (cloves?), orange, citrus, and some wheat malt. My girlfriend thinks it smells like bologna, I do find it to slightly noticeable but not as much as her.

The taste has a spicy fruit like quality ( if that's even possible). A good wheat profile and the orange/citrus comes in to play as well. I think this a great summer time brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2007 02:26:12 | More by irishkyle21

BeerTruth

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a somewhat foggy straw yellow with a one finger fluffy white head that quickly fades to a thin layer. No stickiness at all with this one. Smell is strong pale wheat with a lemon zest scent. Honey and coriander are noticable in the nose as well. Taste is a bit too zesty up front but dies down to a pleasant wheat flavor. Aftertaste is an enjoyable yeast flavor with a nice citrus splash. Average taste overall. Mouthfeel is light bodied with a whole lotta carbonation, too much IMO. Not a bad beer to put down on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2007 00:25:01 | More by BeerTruth

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.7/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Partly Sunny is partly cloudy. The light haze in the bright yellow beer clears somewhat with radiant sunshine behind the glass. The forecast calls for taste bud showers in the next few minutes. Up top is a two finger crown that can only be called dingy white. It's less than wonderful looking, but not bad, and doesn't leave much lace.

I like the nose because it's bursting with bright citrus peel. Tradition is fine and dandy, but I wish more brewers would add lemon peel along with orange peel, as Ithaca has done here. They didn't stop there, though. They've also added ginger, nutmeg and mace to the classic coriander. While I can't say that I appreciate each and every one, they add up to something different and enjoyable.

The flavor is good without being a standout. My first impressions on the negative side of the ledger are that Partly Sunny is a little skimpily malted and is a shade too bitter for the style. On the positive side, the flavor profile has a lot to recommend it due to the extra ingredients listed above. Lemon peel, in particular, gives it a puckery zing.

I like the amount of warm spiciness relative to the amount of cool wheatiness and the amount of fruitiness. Again, though, I would have added more wheat malt and fewer Hallertau hops. As the ounces disappear, I'm tempted to bump the flavor score, but that 'something special' isn't there no matter how hard I want it to be. The impressively long finish is where the beer shines the brightest.

The mouthfeel is appropriately light with a multitude of fine bubbles that don't cross the line into fizziness. A few swirls is all it takes to recreate a thick disk of foam atop the beer.

Partly Sunny is the best of the Ithaca offerings that I've had so far (Oops, almost forgot about the outstanding Cascazilla). I like the fact that the brewers broke out of the usual witbier mold and added ingredients that one doesn't often see in beer of this style. I'll bet New Yorkers drink a lot of this stuff every summer.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2007 12:36:42 | More by BuckeyeNation