Summer Ale by Long Trail Brewing Company
Tonight I will be looking at a seasonal brew from Long Trail Brewing Company. The beer from Long Trail I will sample tonight is the Summer Ale. I have sampled beers from Long Trail before and this will be my third beer from them I have tried. Long Trail Brewing Company is from Bridgewater Corners, Vermont. The brewery was established in 1989 and was originally known as the Mountain Brewers, who focused on an alternative to pricey imports. They have woven themselves into the craft beer discussion and are here to bring some fantastic brews. Summer Ale is one of those brews and something I thought I should take a look at during the final month of the summer. Summer Ale is a Golden Ale that was made to help drinkers chill during the hot summer months. Let's take a close look at this Summer Ale. This ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV or 4.3% and an IBU of 32. By looking at the ABV and IBU this to me looks like a nice light sessionable drinking beer that has a sense of hops to it. My thoughts before taking my first sip of the Summer Ale.
Appearance of Summer Ale
Looking at the appearance of Summer Ale, I notice the color and its appearance. The color of this ales is a pale golden color that shows off its unfiltered half through its hazy appearance. The head or foam of Summer Ale is unique and interesting. The foam or head of the brew is thick and has a long retention for being a Summer Ale. The aroma is a curveball to my olfactory sense because of this beer being a Summer Ale. To me this is a deviation from the typical Summer Ale that most breweries focus on. I think Long Trail wanted to make a light Summer Ale that still gave the beer drinker the hops most people are looking for. In terms of being a light Summer Ale that still has a nice hop note, the style might lean more towards a Session Ale. The aroma is where I really notice the hop smell. To me I mostly smell a bitter hop aroma. Then masked behind it is a citrus note like a lemon zest. which is a typical aroma for a Summer Ale. Which is enticing from an aroma perspective and makes me what to see how this brew tastes.
For me taste is usually where I decide if I like the particular brew. To me taste is the make or break aspect of the beer for me. In that sense let's find out about this Summer Ale and what taste it has brewing for me.
One thing that I notice right off of the bat, is that unfiltered taste and mouthfeel, which I am a big fan of in brews. The second noticeable taste I picked up on is the distinct presence of hop bitterness in tasting this brew, which I can say I do not mind and actually enjoy. This Summer Ale is a refreshing take on a Summer Ale. Most Summer Ales are typically citrus and have a distinct citrus taste to them, but Long Trail threw a nice change of pace at this beer drinker. I really think of this brew as a Summer Session Ale. The dry hopping is very noticeable and rather enjoyable with the Citra Hops. I also think that the addition of the Pilsner malt helps blend this beer into a very smooth and enjoyable beer that beer drinkers can enjoy during a hot day. At 4.3 % ABV this is definitely something that is sessionable and can be enjoyed all day or weekend long. The mouthfeel of Summer Ale is light and the hop bitterness does not linger on the palate for too long like India Pale Ale's might.
Long Trail Summer Ale
In terms of my thoughts of the Summer Ale, I really enjoyed it and think that it's a really good change of pace for a Summer Ale. In addition, the passion of the breweries original mindset really comes through and this is a really good alternative to a pricer German import. I also want to thank Dane, for introducing me to this beer and showing me brews like this. The drinkability of this beer and the hop notes are what impress me the most. I typically would not go after a brew like this, but the more beer I sample and try I notice how much a drinkers palate can change/grow. Through trying beers on this blog I think that I would and am now able to enjoy styles of beer like this one. Well done Long Trail in changing the mindframe of what a Summer Ale should taste or be like.
Price wise Long Trail Summer Ale will run you about nine to ten bucks for a six pack and for a case of this beer it might run you around forty bucks a case.
Below are Long Trail's Website and Twitter.
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