Review: Smuttynose Summer Weizen Ale

Brewery:  Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Locale:  Portsmouth, NH

Craft Circa:  1994

Style:  American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV:  5.46%

IBUs: 15

Label:  Nostalgic. 

Overall:   What an appropriate beer for today.  A string of hot and humid days here, and what better way to end this run of Gainesville (shout out to Gooner) Swamp like weather than to give this wheat ale a try.  The beer pours almost as hazy as today, a nice golden haze.  It is lightly hopped, and quite refreshing, but lacks tastiness.  Overall, it is an average beer.  For the style of beer, it’s above average.  For a Smuttynose brew, it’s below average.  Probably my least favorite Smuttynose I’ve consumed, and I’ve been impressed with a couple other Smutty’s that I’ve tried.  There are plenty of other summer seasonal beers that are worth acquiring, and with so many options, I feel this one does not stand out in a crowd of summer seasonals like a Seminole fan would at a Gator game (Gooner again).  There is just not enough to it. There are some hints of what you may expect in a beer referring to itself as a Summer Weizen, but that’s the point…  they are only hints.   

There’s one person in mind that may be able to save this beer, with enough hard work and enough prayer.  This Man. 

Acquisition:  6 pack  - $9

Tidbits:  Smuttynose is named after Smuttynose Island, the third largest of the nine islands that comprise the Isles of Shoals, a small, rocky archipelago that lies seven miles off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine. The name appears on nautical charts going back as far as the seventeenth century, so its true origins are lost to time.  Prior to the arrival of Smuttynose Brewing, the island was best known for a brutal double axe murder that occurred there in 1873.  This is per Smuttynose website.

~gY

Review: Victory Summer Love Ale

Brewery:  Victory Brewing Company

Locale:  Downington, PA

Craft Circa:  1996

Style:  American Blonde Ale

ABV:  5.2%

IBUs: 25

Notables:  Summer Season

Label:  Appropriate.   Although it feels at times the NFL offseason via transactions and hard knocks gossip have overthrown Baseball as the official ‘Summer Love’ representative.  If they can replace the baseball with a football, and the silhouette of the slugger with Drew Rosenhaus comforting T.O., that would suffice.

Overall:   Quite Good.  Not quite great.  It’s 100 degrees currently and yes this photo has not been altered. 

This is in fact Chicago, and what better circumstances than to give Summer Love, this lovely American Blonde, a whirl.  Being married to one, I must have something for blondes, although this one is natural.  She’s also a Polish beauty… not the beer, my wife.  In fact this ale is a moderately attractive German Blonde as there are some sneaky German Pilsner flavors that creep up into the mix. 

If it’s possible to create White Sangria in the form of suds and ale, this is it.  I get some pears, some apples, some peaches even?  There is almost too much to intake.  There’s no consistency, however it is rather refreshing.  The heat index may play a role in the refreshment aspect, but kudos for the brew… isn’t that the point of a flavor of the season?  Again, it’s quite good, not quite great.  I would like to reference some Magical Mystery Tour into the mix proclaiming “All You Need is Love”, but I feel that Mr. Heat Miser is doing the talking and skewing the refreshment assessment of this ale.

Whenever Heat Miser skulks up, this beer serves its purpose, and that is kicking Heat Miser in the fire crotch when his reign is felt on this ehhhhem…. 100 degree June day. 

Acquisition:  6 pack $10

~gY