Summer Solstice
Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Summer SolsticeSummer Solstice
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From:
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Cream Ale
Ranked #98
ABV:
5%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,024
Avg:
3.67 | pDev: 15.26%
Reviews:
511
Ratings:
1,635
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 17, 2023
Added:
May 09, 2005
Wants:
  84
Gots:
  271
Also known as Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema

Our Summer Solstice Seasonal Ale is a slightly sweet, malty session beer with a creamy mouth feel and clean finish. With hints of caramel in the nose and a touch of spice, it’s become affectionately known as “cream soda for adults”. The unique flavors and superior drinkability make for the ultimate refreshment on a hot summer day.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Cfmelville
Rated by Cfmelville from New Mexico

2.46/5  rDev -33%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Should be called Summer Creamsicle. Overpowering cream soda/caramel flavor. If you’re a fan of fruit beers might be for you but too sweet for me.
Jul 17, 2023
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz can into a pint glass. Freshness dating illegible.

Nice look to this one, deep reddish copper body with a small off white head. Neutral aroma. Tastes of a cream ale, but has a light spiced finish, a little drying.
May 27, 2023
 
Rated: 3.22 by DarrellK from Florida

Jul 08, 2022
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Reviewed by Spikester from Oregon

4.02/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear orange amber with three fingers of cream color head. Some minor lacing appears as the levels drop.
Smell is citrus orange and bready malts.
Taste is orange citrus vanilla and bready malts.
Mouthfeel is light to medium with good carbonation. The finish is mildly dry and balanced.
Overall a tasty summer refresher.

#1847.
Jul 07, 2022
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

3.99/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Clear medium red-amber with a lively off-white head that swells up and slowly settles to a lid, leaving great lacing behind
Aroma: Vanilla, cream soda, pastry dough, Hawaiian bread, and some honey malt
Taste: This beer is so trippy and good – it literally tastes like cream soda. Sweetened bread, and honey along with the typical vanilla cream soda taste start, carry, and finish this unique flavor journey. Closes with sweet bread and vanilla but not sweet on the finish
Mouthfeel: Full, medium-high carbonation, surprisingly clean feeling and soft throughout, especially on the finish
Overall: This beer is awesome, unique, and one I’ve always loved. To me, this beer rather than any cider, super hazy/milkshake IPA, or hard seltzer, is the beer for people not into beer as it is an adult cream soda through and through. Been drinking it for years and always a yearly seasonal purchase for its unique taste – perfect for summer too. Recommended
Jul 15, 2021
 
Rated: 3.84 by Rhetion from Florida

Jan 21, 2021
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Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida

4.29/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Simply surprising...

I’ve been holding out to try this canned until after the summer started. I didn’t know what to really expect from this beer but it truly is something special. Great copper coloration, a spicy lightly caramel smell, a mouthfeel that became creamier has it warmed up, and the taste where the caramel notes to the nose were definitely there on the tongue. All around this was a surprisingly refreshing and tasteful beer.
Jun 28, 2020
Photo of sjrider
Reviewed by sjrider from California

3.47/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a bottle -mostly clear burnished copper color with quickly receding off white head leaving a bit of foamy/bubbly lacing.Nose is mostly sweet grainy malt. Taste follows more or less. Finish is weird -creamy at first but then ending with an almost dry woody character.
Jun 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by rfreed from Washington

May 12, 2020
 
Rated: 3.78 by HopBelT from Belgium

May 12, 2020
Photo of just1cho
Reviewed by just1cho from California

3.04/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
*Poured into a Teku glass from a 12oz bottle*

This beer poured a clear amber with a nice finger thick beige colored head. It was nice to look at, but I just wish there was a bit more retention.

I felt like the aroma on this particular beer was kind of awful. There was a lot of off smells for some reason as I primarily got some green apples and strong musty characters to it. Still, I could pick up some notes of caramel with a slight phenolic note to it, although it was pretty faint.

The taste was alright. It was fairly malt forward with the mustiness still present. I could taste the sweet malts, caramel, and the biscuit characteristics. Not very complex, and not very interesting, unfortunately.

The feel of this was the best aspect of an otherwise average beer. It was soft, smooth and creamy. It had about a medium body with a medium amount of carbonation. There was no lingering bitterness of the hops, but there was a slight musty aftertaste.

Overall, I didn't like this beer too much, but maybe I just got a bad one? Probably won't drink this again unless offered it.
May 08, 2020
Photo of VBrewer
Rated by VBrewer from Idaho

4.42/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Really love the color, aroma and the creamy taste. Surprised it doesn't have a higher score, should be 93
Aug 22, 2019
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
(12 oz can, code 19024 7741; purchased single off shelf... poured into simple mug)

L: fairly-clear, orange-amber liquid; crackly head collapses as it pours... no lace at all; thin crescent collar persists

S: fruity aromas emanate as it pours; once in the glass, peach cobbler?... perfumy notes going along with the fruit; bit of a lip balm essence too... lovely, potent aromas overall; probably fits 'cream ale' better than any other style

T: fruit candle; cream soda for sure, caramel out the patootie, but little residual sweetness; finish stays rather dry, though some flan seems to pop up in burps... thank heavens there's also not much booze presence nor (phenolic) spice... the fruit eventually fades into a sort of highlight to the bold malt (sugars)

F: on the lighter side of medium-bodied, but it certainly has a plump roll to it... the back third of the palate remains remarkably loose and light throughout... interesting balancing act

O: had this once or twice in my time prior to this - probably don't remember its intense caramel foundation due to having swilled cold from the can/bottle?... a variety of interesting food pairing possibilities, I'm sure... this just takes the concept of 'cream ale' to the extreme; very flavorful, with enough dryness and carbonation to lighten it a bit, but I can't imagine having more than one in succession and/or w/o food (1442)
Aug 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.7 by cgrunin from Texas

Aug 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.01 by Sayb from Arizona

Jul 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.25 by JayKay412 from Pennsylvania

Jun 21, 2019
Photo of IronLover
Reviewed by IronLover from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark orange in color with a heavy haze. Poured with a moderate, off white foam with medium retention. Honestly, looks like a pumpkin ale. Bready and sweet malt aromas with sweet caramel notes. Bo hop aromas. Medium bodied with medium carbonation and lightly smooth feel. Caramel malty and bready flavors followed by medium low, lightly tart, hop bitterness. Light earthy hop and caramel flavors on the back end. Finished light bready notes followed by lingering caramel malt and mellow hop bitterness. A very unique beer. Can't say I could compare this to anything I've tried. Malty, and on the sweet side, but nicely balanced by moderate hop bitterness.
Jun 14, 2019
Photo of izraelc
Reviewed by izraelc from New York

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Not sure I've ever tasted a beer quite like this. Pours a clear amber. Smells and tastes more like an autumn beer. Malty and creamy. Goes down smooth. Not my first choice for a warm summer day but it'll do.
May 27, 2019
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Reviewed by MaltyMagic from California

3.84/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Was one of my favorites when cutting my teeth into the craft beer world, nearly 20 years ago. Great gateway beer.

Clear amber, whipped egg nog head with good retention, sticky lace. Big vanilla, caramel, grain, apricot, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond, earth. Frothy, refreshing feel, finishes dry with some lingering grain. Unique and easy to drink.

More of an autumn flavor profile, but drinks like a summer beer should.
May 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Mar 06, 2019
Summer Solstice from Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 1635 ratings