Though I don’t have the picture for the bottle that I evaluated at home, I do have some pictures of the sample that I had recently as part of a flight of summer seasonals. What is interesting (at least to me) is that I did this review long before having this beer in that flight and the notes are slightly different for each.
Now in this case the notes are not all that different, but the descriptions of the aroma and the flavor of the hops are not exactly the same. The slight aroma difference does not surprise me since I was sitting at a restaurant for that flight with many other aromas in the air. I also think that having the other beers at the same time in that flight influenced my perceptions of the flavors and aromas of the Brooklyn Summer Ale.
Maybe there is a way that I can better experiment with how environment affects the perception of a beer’s attributes?
Now on we go . . .
Brewery: The Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY via Utica, NY)
Name: Summer Ale
Style: English Pale Ale (Extra Special/Strong Bitter)
ABV: 5.0%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass. $8.99 for a six pack.
Aroma: Medium, fruity hop aroma with some subtle grainy maltiness underneath. Light and clean overall aroma.
Appearance: Light coppery color (maybe with some gold tint). Three finger (or so), off-white head having moderate retention and leaving a light trail. Very clear though with few (to no) visible bubbles rising.
Flavor: Light bitterness and some hoppy fruitiness with some subtle bread-like malt flavors underneath. Slight dryness at finish (without cloying). Relatively mild and clean flavor overall.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with a low amount of carbonation (somewhat flat). Slight creaminess on the palate.
Overall Impressions: Very drinkable (as in easy to drink multiple) and definitely a nice beer for warm weather. Good beer, but not much in the way of flavor.
Grade: B
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