We all know summer can be rough, even living in San Diego. You have heat and humidity. I mean sometimes even the summer nights are blistering! We have chosen some local brews that can help you beat the summer heat! This is our Summer Beer Review 1. Look back soon for our Part 2 and Part 3 lists to continue battling the Southern California sun!
Karl Strauss Pintail Pale Ale – 12oz bottle from a 6 pack.
Karl Strauss describes their Pintail Pale as “the go to option for those in search of a great ride”, and they do not disappoint! I poured a 12 oz. bottle into a standard pint glass for my tasting. It pours a crisp amber color with smooth traces of orange. It starts with a nice big foam head and retains well with some great lacing as you drink. Has a great carbonation, with lots of bubbles rushing up the glass after the pour. It smells of a deep pale with a nice flowery aroma. Almost like a hoppy citrus pale. Smells very crisp and very fresh. The taste holds true with the scent. At first taste I was hit with the flavors of a refreshing pale ale with nice pine undertones and deep citrus hop flavors. Very drinkable. It is not too heavy and not too light. Very refreshing flavors. This beer could cool down even the hottest of summer days. Perfect San Diego summer brew!
Green Flash Summer Saison – 22oz bottle
Green Flash Summer Saison is an unfiltered farmhouse style brew. It is summer season specialty! I poured this 22oz bottle into a standard pint glass for drinking. Summer Saison pours a beautiful gold color. The beer holds a steady head and retains it quite well. As you drink it down the beer leaves that wonderful lacing we all love to see. It smells of a belgian style brew with obvious hints of spice and fruit. The taste of this summer brew holds with the scent, with rich spices and citrus. The flavor finishes with a very nice bit of sweetness at the back end. Great smooth finish. A thin very drinkable brew. Very refreshing with its sweet citrus yet spicy flavors. This beer is perfect for a summer evening when you are on the coast waiting to catch a glimpse of a true green flash.
Lightning Brewery – Thunderweizen 22oz bottle
I enjoyed Lightning Breweries Thunderweizen from a 22oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. This delicious brew pours a cloudy gold hefe color, pretty typical for the style. The carbonation has great bite to it which I enjoyed. It was very good! Noticeable small foam ring stays around the top for a while. This beer has an obvious hefe smell to it, but is anything but ordinary. The aromas mix of sweet bananas and citrus. The description given by Lightning Brewery says this beer gives off a natural banana flavor, although nothing whatsoever is added to the brew process. This may not necessarily be for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The sweetness of the banana with the crisp hefe and citrus was pretty great. Back end flavors of light lemon and wheat. Medium bodied. Very drinkable. This could quench your thirst all summer long!
Mission Brewery Mission Blonde – kolsch-style ale 22oz bottle
This kolsch-style ale from San Diego’s Mission Brewery was also poured into a pint glass from a 22oz bottle. It pours into a nice yellow gold / blonde color with lots of visible rising bubbles. Mission Blonde smells slightly of biscuit with a honey citrus back end to it. The scent definitely holds true in the flavors of the brew. Reminiscent of a german style beer. Has honey biscuit flavors that are nice and sweet. Not hoppy. Very thin and very drinkable. Finished quite crisp and leaves a long lasting honey flavor. Just a bit of dryness on the back end. This beer would be perfect to cool you down at a hot summer bbq, with the ability to fill you up just right on a crisp beach summer night.