Mendocino Summer Ale

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

New rerate. Turbid yellow beer boasts a two-finger stark white head. Musty lemon/orange, hay, coriander, and white bread aromas; further reflection suggests white peach and candied ginger as well. Unexpectedly and pleasantly dry, with restrained phenols and tartness... spicing is very subtle with only a little peppery-orange coming through in the flavor. There is a definite element of brett barnyard funk that comliments the beer nicely. Lightish palate has a powdery texture and CO2 sting. Although I can take or leave the witbier style, this year’s is an impressive example.*****Original rating 2005; 6/2/8/2/15/3.3: One of two west coast "summer" beers on the shelves this week, thanks to K-town’s diligent distributors (sarcasm.) Beer is sunflower gold, aswirl with floaties despite careful pouring off the lees. Apathetic dirty white collar of foam. Lemon and coriander nose, plus wax, honey, and minty/herbal (German?) hops. Abundant zesty spice... in order: orange, coriander, ginger, caraway... on top of bready wheat malt. Definitely not subtle. Thin palate leaves a waxy feel in the mouth. Hay, marigold, and G&T aftertaste. A well-spiced, in-your-face witbier.

Bottle; typical murky, watered-down lemonade look with a small head. Aroma is estery wheat and yeast, juicy fruit gum, and some subtle spices. Thank God the taste is the same! Body is a nice light-medium. This is a great Belgian Wit; not too much of the dry, tart citrus flavor or watered-down sweetness that makes me hate most American wheats. NIce carbonation tingle on the front and smooth afterwards. Excellent wit that tastes like a good, fresh draft Hoegaarden. Bottled Hoegaarden only wishes it could be this good when shipped across the Atlantic! This one and the winter stout seasonal are by far the best Mendocino brews I have sampled, and the only ones I would purchase again.

12 oz bottle from Stateline Liquors MD/DE. Pours a very cloudy light yellow body with small white head. Nose is orange and lemon peel but also something slightly offensive. The taste is really good, great representation of the style.
Earlier Rating: 6/24/2007 Total Score: 4
12 oz bottle. Great belgian wit to enjoy on a nice hot summer day. Taste of orange and lemon, with some hops as well. Could see the yeast floating around inside the bottle.

12 ounce bottle from Total Wine. Pours one fingernail of white head with a solid, hazy-golden body and tight webs of lacing. Aromas include cream-of-wheat and subtle citrus. Flavors are rich with spices like coriander, cinnamon, and orange peel. Zesty and yeasty; slightly sour with a tart, dry finish. Thin/medium body and medium/high carbonation. This is a tasty and refreshing witbier. Very good. After trying a bottle, I will surely be returning for a six-pack.

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass. Aroma - Predominant natural lemon aroma with subtle spices. Appearance - Straw yellow in color, cloudy, with huge foamy white head that hangs on for quite a while. Flavor - Not as lemony as the smell would indicate. Light malt with coriander and orange. Palate - Light mouthfeel. Good carbonation. Overall - This is very drinkable and very refreshing. One of the better American made wit biers I’ve tried. Would be great after mowing the lawn on a hot summer’s day. Unfortunately, it’s November and snowing outside; however, it did brighten up my day for a few minutes.

One of the most opaque pours I’ve seen from a wheat beer...light yellow with small creamy head. Aroma is spicy, doughy yeast and wheat with some acidic lemon poking through. Flavor is a tad light but has strong spicy wheat and yeast with a citric lemon twinge. For my money, this is a very solid drinkable wit. re-rate-this is really pretty good stuff. very spicy and citrusy but works well-doesnt have a fake flavor like some others. full musty yeasty wheaty prescence-smooth creamy mouthfeel and palate **this beer is extremely underrated - found it for 18.99/case and does not get old - very enjoyable wheat beer with no cloying characteristics - hope they make it next year!

Large white head, big bubbles popping letting the head drop back slowly to a thin sheet on top. Laceing is fair. Good looking hazy gold colored brew with the white backing. Appealing citrusy nose, coriander, inviting spiceyness. Light body, gently spritzy. Lightly toasty malts are balanced well with the spice and citrus flavors making for an easy quaff. Finish is dry, spicey and lightly malty. Well done! I do enjoy a good wit!

I don’t know, I just keeping drinking this this summer and I am always surprised by the low ratings. So finally I will add my 2 cents. Pours as it should, pale yellow but the hazy enough that one cannot see through it. A very radiating yellow color is accompanied by a small but resilient head. Aroma is very coriander and light lemon. I could see that the coriander may be a bit strong. Taste is faint banana esters, light lemon and a bit of sweetness and a lot of coriander again. Basically exactly what I want from a standard Wit. Very thirst quenching without being thin or light. A small strong carbonation fades rather quickly. Long zingy coriander aftertaste. I like this stuff a lot, I need another six pack.