Spring Break
Taste the sweet malts of summer
Tom Goodwin
Issue date: 6/15/09 Section: Focus
Magic Hat's Wacko tastes pretty much like Number 9 if you forget the apricot and most of the flavor. Then they made it pink with beet juice. I'm not kidding. I love it when breweries break boundaries for artistic purposes, but when you color your extremely average cream ale pink, I'd call that a gimmick.
Now for the good list.
By far the best summer beer I've tried has to be Sierra Nevada's Summerfest Lager. This medium bodied, golden brew is very much like a traditional German lager and carries a nice soft hop bite. Sierra Nevada also proves that you don't need to avoid the hops to be refreshing, as this has just the perfect amount of bitterness to quench your thirst.
Southern Tier's Hop Sun is probably the most interesting summer beer I got my hands on. The aroma is like pure honey with citrus and floral hop scents. The taste is a mixture of honey, fruits such as raisin and apple and some malty breadiness, perfectly balanced with hop bitterness and flavor. This beer is definitely worth checking out.
Samuel Adams Summer Ale was also surprisingly good; a slightly spiced take on an American wheat beer, lemon zest and grains of paradise are added to give it that little zing and lovely tart sensation. You would have no problem knocking back a few of these on a hot day.
As you waste away the hot days of summer (they're coming. I'm sure. Maybe. Stupid New England weather), some of you stuck in class, others working terrible service industry jobs, you can always rely on a few good brews at the end of the day.
Until next time, sláinte!
Now for the good list.
By far the best summer beer I've tried has to be Sierra Nevada's Summerfest Lager. This medium bodied, golden brew is very much like a traditional German lager and carries a nice soft hop bite. Sierra Nevada also proves that you don't need to avoid the hops to be refreshing, as this has just the perfect amount of bitterness to quench your thirst.
Southern Tier's Hop Sun is probably the most interesting summer beer I got my hands on. The aroma is like pure honey with citrus and floral hop scents. The taste is a mixture of honey, fruits such as raisin and apple and some malty breadiness, perfectly balanced with hop bitterness and flavor. This beer is definitely worth checking out.
Samuel Adams Summer Ale was also surprisingly good; a slightly spiced take on an American wheat beer, lemon zest and grains of paradise are added to give it that little zing and lovely tart sensation. You would have no problem knocking back a few of these on a hot day.
As you waste away the hot days of summer (they're coming. I'm sure. Maybe. Stupid New England weather), some of you stuck in class, others working terrible service industry jobs, you can always rely on a few good brews at the end of the day.
Until next time, sláinte!
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