Summertime. And the living is easy hot and sticky. This summer has seemed to be even extra hot. And while the humidity levels are still way up there, the normal afternoon rain storms have not made much of an appearance. At least not here at the Beerliving hacienda. But with the sweat of summer comes good things. Football camps are, thankfully, right around the corner, and the beer shelves are awash in wheaty lemony summer beers. Not that there is anything wrong with wheaty and lemony. In fact I enjoy them. A lot. I can trace my beer enlightenment back to a wheaty lemony beer. One summer, while on a business trip to Germany, my lips were first exposed to a fresh local hefe-weizen. Served in a tall glass with a slice of lemon on the top of the glass. From the first taste I was hooked. Beer with flavor! Beer with taste! This beer tasted fresh and wholesome. It tasted natural. Deep down some gene awakened and said, “Beer! It lives!” Prior to this shining moment, my beer consumption had been limited to the bland, over carbonated, mega beer. You know the kind. The beer that makes up 85% of the market. Brewed by mega beer corporations who do a better job marketing beers than making beers. But enough talk about this bad beer. Lets get back to the topic at hand. Summer Beer. Over the past few years there have been quite a number of summer beers released that are either based on the wheat beer of Germany or the wheat (white/wit) beers of Belgian. These beers are wheat based with typically a very low hop character. And lower in alcohol. The kind of beer you can drink fast on a hot day and be refreshed. And you either love them or hate them. I know some beer lovers who at the slightest taste of a wheat beer, will pucker up in a classic beer face.
So I was surprised when I tried Summer Solstice from Anderson Valley Brewing (Boonville, CA). The creaminess is remarkable. Anderson Valley has this to say about the beer:
Welcome to the Summer Solstice! This copper colored ale is smooth, malty, and lightly sweet, with a delicate hint of spice for that oh-so-drinkable, extra velvety flavor. The character is lighter in body than its cousin, our wildly popular Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale . This is a silky, creamy dream, perfect as a warm weather beer. But why call it Cerveza Crema? Two reasons: One, this beer has become a favorite among many of our Hispanic friends, so it’s named in their honor. Two, it sounds cool, and cool is what you want when its hot. Serve at 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for the most optimal flavor and enjoyment. ¡Salud!
As with all of our products, Summer Solstice Seasonal Ale is never sterile filtered nor heat pasteurized, and should be stored in refrigeration. However, to fully enjoy its rich and complex flavor, it should be served between 40° and 45°F
When I bought the beer I didn’t read the label. So I was really expecting another typical summer wheat beer. But this one is different. The malty body is outstanding. I think this is what is giving it the creaminess and velvety taste. Not that I’ve ever tasted velvet before. The Beer Goddess, who is one of those non-fans of lemony wheaty beers, really liked this one as well.
Summer Solstice has an ABV of 5.6% and comes in at 4 IBU (i.e., not much of any bitterness at all) I’ve noticed that in some markets this is available in cans. But here in Florida I can only find it in bottles. Canned beer should actually be better protected than bottled beer, so I would love to try this from can (as well as draught).
I’m going back to the store to buy more. Its a long hot summer. I better get lots more.