Thirsty Thursday 5/18/06

Quick Thirsty Thursday report: today it was summer-themed beers.

First up was Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest. Not bad, a hoppy, wheaty pilsner-style lager. Very crisp.

Next, Pyramid’s Curve Ball. I liked this better than the Summerfest. It’s a Kölsch style ale, and they’ve flavored it with some not-quite-definable herb.

Third up was Weinhard’s Summer Wheat. I know, you’re thinking, "Weinhard’s? That’s too mainstream, it doesn’t fit with an upscale tasting!" But you know what? It’s actually pretty good! It’s a wheat ale spiced with coriander and orange peel, and it’s a decent brew. I was tempted to pick up a case for only $10.

Finally, the last was Anderson Valley’s Summer Solstice. Subtitled "Cerveza Crema," this is a cream ale with a spice character and a surprising fruit flavor to it—one I couldn’t quite identify. My first guess was apricot, but that’s not quite it… a woman tasting it suggested some type of stone fruit like that, and I tend to agree. Maybe peach, or even nectarine. Quite refreshing; I’ll be buying this down the road.

2 comments

  1. We’re already drinking a lot of the Anchor Summer Ale (a wheat blend) and Cerveza Crema. Boy, summer started early this year.

  2. One of the "secret" ingredients in the Summer Solstice is Vanilla extract. I’m also pretty sure the "stone fruit" flavor you describe is from the esters creaeted by the yeast while fermenting…

    Whatever is in there, it’s one of my favorite summer brews.

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