Craft Beer Enthusiast Path to Find Great Beer! : Summer Love

Summer Love by Victory Brewing Company

Now we all know, Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer. I have some summer brews that remain and that I want to post before the end of the month when fall, officially arrives. I know the nights are getting longer and the days are getting shorter as we head towards the new year. So, let's try a summer brew tonight to remind us what the 2016 summer was. Everyone looks forward to Summer Ale's and I think the reason is because the are excited for the three months of summer that are ahead. I do enjoy summer style beers because they tend to be refreshing and on the lighter side while also taking the sting out of the hot summer days.

I know one summer beer that many look forward to is Victory Summer Love. I have not tried this years brew and I am looking forward to seeing what is behind this beer. Victory Brewing Company is located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Victory opened up in February 1996. They converted an old Pepperidge farm factory into a Brewpub that seated 144, had a 70 foot long bar and full scale brewery. During the first year Victory brewed 1,725 barrels of beer. Since then the restaurant grew in size with 300 seats. The brewery has also expanded, producing 125,713 barrels of beer in 2014. "As loyal craft beer drinkers continue to show their dedication to flavorful, quality beer, Victory plans to continue its own growth. Onward to Victory!"

Victory has continued to grow since 2014 and has as of early 2016 Victory Brewing Company joined with Southern Tier Brewing in an effort to compete, they created the Artisanal Brewing Ventures. This is a new concept in the craft beer industry and the focus is to preserve brewery independence with a deeper collective resource. The union between Southern Tier and Victory Brewing created one of the largest brewers in the Northeast and ranks within the top 15 brewing company in the US according to the Brewers Association.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures- Victory Brewing Company and Southern Tier Brewing Company

Now onto tonight's beer. Tonight I am trying Victory Summer Love. I know summer is over but still time to enjoy the summer beers. Summer Love is a Golden Ale. Summer Love has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.2% and has an IBU or bitterness of 25. Summer Love was commissioned of Victory by Visit Philadelphia in order to capture the essence of a city rich in history and in flavor.

Visit Philly logo on Summer Love

Aroma of Summer Love is typical of a Golden Ale. I notice the floral aroma that stems from the hop additions into the beer. The floral aroma is paired with the bitter aroma coming from the hops as well. In addition there is a noticeable citrus aroma, almost a blend between zest of an orange and zest of a lemon. The last aroma note that I picked up on was a grain or biscuit note. The appearance of Summer Love is a pale golden hue. The foam or head of the beer lingers and leaves a thin layer atop the glass. I did notice some lacing around the edge of the glass.

Appearance of Summer Love

I cannot wait to see what the taste of Summer Love has in store for me. The taste follows the aroma. I notice the lightness of the beer right away. Summer Love has a light to medium body that pairs perfectly with a hot summer day. The taste notes I noticed right away was the grainy or biscuit notes. They were followed by a floral or bitter note. The last tasting note that comes through at the end is the citrus note. It is delightful and something that makes you forget about the heat.

Victory Summer Love

Overall, I think this is a good summer brew that not a hop head like myself can still enjoy. The hops are noticeable but they are not overpowering like some IPA's. In fact you could almost treat Summer Love like a session. The hop notes are there that everyone is looking for, but the finish is light and citrusy. For me, I think the hop notes were a bit much and not my style, but I did enjoy the crisp finish of this beer. Summer Love is available in both cans and bottles for your enjoyment. I think the addition of the Visit Philly is a great addition and ties the two together. When you think Philadelphia, you now also think about Victory Brewing Company. Congratulations to celebrating their 20th anniversary and I look forward to the next twenty.