Mendocino Summer Ale

Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Company
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Hopland, California USA

Bottle sampled. Pours a light orange with a nice white head.Aroma of wheat, citrus, and some lemons. Flavor of wheat, lemons, corriander, and a hint of some spices with a refeshing finish.

This was great on a hot and humid summer night. A nice cloudy pour with a decent white head. Light citrus/Lemon aroma. Much lemon in the flavor. I enjoyed this one and will have it again.

12oz. bottle. Fairly spicy and lightly sweet aroma, some coriander, pale malty grains and wheat notes, however (and most unfortunately) features hints of what truly smells like a recently microwaved hot dog along with traces of sweat. Not exactly a pleasant addition. Thoroughly opaque straw yellow color, bottle swirled and poured in accordance with the style, and generating a very fine, lasting head. On the the flavor, which is tart and spicy but also features a certain harsh bitterness and overblown acidity at the finish, along with a blend of orange citrus and floral sweetness. Palate is thin and watery, body is light. The more I have of this, the more I grow slightly more accustomed to it, but only reluctantly so. Since I’ve never seen it in town prior to this season, it must be fairly fresh. Sure am glad I only picked up the one bottle, because the rest of this one is a drain pour.

Poured a golden yellow color with small offwhite head that diminshed quickly. The aroma was of wheat, citrus fruits like lemon and orange peel, and a little bit of hops as well. The taste was the same with the lemon and orange flavor with a slight spicyness added to it as well. it had a good citrus flavor and was medium bodied that finished a little spicy. Not my favorite of this style, but not bad overall.

Mendocino Summer Ale 12 oz bottle Moderate pour in a shaker Brewed recently (?), absorbed 06/07 Poured a slightly hazy yellow with a large fizzy mostly diminishing head. Smelt of strong citrus, flowery wheat and orange blossom hops. Taste was upfront moderate bittersweet and sour oranges, like candied oranges, but much more sour, followed by more of the same but with a hops presence being felt on an average length finish. Palate was light to medium bodied, slightly dry on the finish, fizzy and lightly astringent. Overall, this is a standard witbier with a little bit more sour bite than its counterparts. Very refreshing!

Bottle. Well, this is no Mendocino Winter Ale, but I certainly wasn’t expecting that. This is a very cloudy bright yellow with a light, fizzy head. Some yeast is floating around. The aroma is light with suggestions of cracked wheat, lemon, oranges. The body is light, but not too watery. Very natural, fresh lemon flavors are present along with other juicy citrus and a wheaty finish. I really like the citrus flavor on this one. It’s a light brew and a little rough around the edges, but very refreshing and juicy. I liked this one better than the Hades I tried ealier.

Bottle. Cloudy straw with a large head. Aroma is wheat, yeast, orange and spice (mostly coriander). Yeasty taste, with wheat, citrus and light spiciness. Light body. A run of the mill white.

Brown 12 oz bottle. Pop the lid for an odd old leather aroma. Good wheat smells and attractive bouquet. Pour is cloudy and light like a wheat beer. Swirling and attractive hazy show. Has gunk on the bottom of the bottle. Has an interesting particled head and froth for a topper. Very creamy initial hit on the palate from good small fine bubble carbonation. Lovely wheat flavors. Fine example of a well brewed wheat style beer. Happy, friendly and fun to be with, no alky apparent while drinken. Finish is a little flat but that’s OK considering the other senses firing. No bitter hints can be found. Easy to drink. Perhaps not as refined as a witbier should be but certainly better than the typical wheats or hefes.