Sierra Nevada Summerfest

I’ll start off by saying that I love a good lager, especially one with a good amount of hops. This beer has a very soft floral aroma with an even balance of grains, is light golden in color, and has a fair head for a lager. It is lighter than their Pale Ale, as it should be for a Summer seasonal, but still has a decent body. The overall palate is dry with floral, citrus undertones to compliment the malt grainy majority that creates a very crisp beer.

Pours a crisp light-golden color with a medium soapy head. Aroma is light citrus, a bit of skunkiness, and a tinge of hops. Taste is bitter up front, with a slight skunky, metallic, and nutty malt finish. Kinda pissed..... thought I was buying a 12’er of Harvest Ale. Damnit!

350 ml bottle. Beautiful to look at with its gold colour and pure white head. Disappointing aroma with citrus only hinted at. Malty sweetness leads to a bitter finish, albeit with a slightly chemical aftertaste. Decent crisp feel to it with medium body. Good summer beer and goes well with chilli. They can do better, though.

Translucent dark yellow hue, thin layer of white frothy head sustains, moderate lacing on the glass. Smell is clean crisp pale malts, lager yeast, bread and grains, light hops, touch of citrus. Taste is initially bread malts and cereal grains, transitions to subtle lemon and orange zest, earthy herbal hops enter midway, finishes clean and crisp. Palate is light-bodied, watery but smooth texture, carbonation is amped very high and biting. Even though this is a simple and straightforward beer, I love this for my summer session needs, pleasantly surprised here

Yellow golden pour with a bit of white head. Sourish grain and yeast aromas, gets close to skunky, but not. Mild spice and citrus flavors, thin and light on the palate with a somewhat sour, mailty finish. Drinkable, but nothing exciting.

Poured a clear yellow with a white head. Aroma was nice and clean slightly sweet and a good dose of earthy hops. Flavor was much the same, hops work well to balance the slight dough and crisp grain, with a nice clean finish. Well done.

Summerfest pours into my hefe glass with a blooming two finger head of soft velvety foam. Pausing the pour so as to not overflow, I gaze admiringly at the white head and beautiful golden yellow hazy liquid depths beneath. I top off my glass, and the head eventually fades into a thick clingy layer around my glass and on top of my beer. A swirl, and brussels lace coats the sides in a lovely lacey dress. Subtle hints of lemon, citrus, and spice tease my nose. Lauded as a summer beer, a refreshing session beer, everything about Summerfest so far lives up to its lofty claims. Bright, crisp, light and refreshing on my tongue and in my mouth. It practically dances across my taste buds, a light airy breeze of citrus and spiced yeast. Summerfest is a bottom-fermented beer, which I would attribute its unique profile to. Summerfest is very close to a saison in its pure smooth, flavorful, and light drinkability. Not to be confused with flavorless, it is full of bitter lemon zing, sweet hints of citrus, and a mild spice character which brings it all together in a very well-balanced palate.
I had no doubts I would enjoy Summerfest 2007; I just didn’t realize how much I am. Now I am going to have to seek out a Summerfest 2008 so I can do a review and compare the two. What similarities and differences make themselves known to my ever-discerning palate. Every day and every beer is a pleasurable learning experience, and this one was no exception.

12 oz. bottle. Pours clear golden in color with a medium white head. The aroma is pale malts, slightly toasted, light hops, and very light citrus. The flavor is lightly toasted pale malt, light citrus, light spiuce, and a touch of bitterness. Light bodied and very bland.