Casco Bay Summer Ale
Casco Bay Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Bought this up at Total in River Edge the other night, having never had this or seen any beers from Casco Bay before. I'm not a huge fan of Summer offerings and this didn't change my mind regarding those. At the same time, this was a perfectly enjoyable Blonde Ale that went down easily and was light enough to make me think that this was a Kolsch or even a Gose!

Nice pour to this as the blonde hue of this beer shone through and complemented the soft and fizzy head well. Not a lot of body to this and there was a sour grape and grain aroma to this that came on strong from the get-go. Lemon zest, grass, and wood in the taste matched up nicely with the sharpness of the pale malt and the bubbly carbonation. This almost felt like wine or champagne and it went down just as easily as those, even as the floral and herbal notes came out in the back. The mouthfeel was quite light and somewhat juicy as this went down so smoothly and easily.

The alcohol was real light here and this would make for a wonderful session beer once the acquired taste settled in. While not a standout, there was enough to like here and for someone up in New England, the woody and slightly funky undertone here would fit in perfectly with a day out on the lake fishing or kicking back. A fun beer that took a bit of getting used to for me, but well worth the near-bargain that it went for in the store.

 

 

 

 

Bottle > Pint Glass

A - Clear yellow one finger fizzy white head, very little lacing.
S - Wheat, lots of grain, slight citrus zest.
T - Light lemon sweetness, slight grain, and balanced wheat on the end. Could benefit from some grassy or floral hops
M - Clean and bright, very drinkable.
O - Decent summer ale, refreshing and light.

 

 

 

 

 

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pure golden color, transparent with a fizzy 2 inch white head. The bubbles audibly pop and the head fades to nothing.

Smell: Buttery pale malt, with a general fruitiness and soft floral hops.

Taste: I like the transition of flavors, and it does have a little bit of flavor kick for a summer ale. It starts out sharp, with silky smooth pale malt, some light fruitiness, before the hoppyness comes into play. Generally bitter leafy hops eventually reveal a floral character. The finish is dry and bitter.

Mouthfeel: On par with the other Casco's I have had. Bubbly carbonation is noticeable, but calling it crisp would be an overstatement. As the hoppy flavors come into play, the feel dries out somewhat.

Drinkability: The extra hops and bitterness are a new take on the style, but I wasn't really going for something hoppy here. Maybe another time I would like it better.

A - Poured out a translucent, golden-orange color with a white, bubbly two-finger head of foam. It left a little lace.

S - It smelled of caramel, grains and grasses.

T - This beer leads of with some sweet caramel, touches of honey and a subtle hop bitterness.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a smooth finish. A light bodied summer ale.

D - This was a good blonde ale. It is refreshing and tasty on a warm summer day.

I had this on tap at a hole in the wall pizza place in Freeport, ME while waiting on a pizza to go. The aroma was nicely balanced. The beer was a pale golden color and the taste was nice and smooth with a mild hop bitterness in the finish. This is a nice refreshing summer ale.

Last of my missing Casco Bay beer reviews for this site, review from two years prior, not sure how much their beers have changed since they were partnered with Shipyard.

Pours a golden color with a good sized head, fades slowly to leave some good lacing.

Smell is a good balanced between the malt and a light hop presence.

Taste is light and crisp, leans more towards the malt side of things but does have a decent citrusy/hop aftertaste.

Bottle best before 7 05.

Poured a medium and cloudy amber color with a small sized white head. Aromas and tastes of citrus (lemons and oranges), light grass and some wheat. Lighter aromas than the tastes. Medium sweet with a light hop finish.

Notes from: 6/24/05

Brought this bottle back from a little trip to Vacationland! Out of the bottle it was a clear, deep honey gold color with a two-finger head of yellow-tinted foam. The head retained fairly well as a tight cap and the lacing was average. The aroma was bright and inviting, floral hops, dry malt and hints of wood. The flavors were quite similar though the malt took on more presence. At first I got the slightly citric and floral hops followed by the robust malt which were big and woody for a summer beer. The finish was a little oily but not bad tasting and it really coated my tongue. The mouthfeel was good but the carbonation a little fizzy and slightly rough. This was a good beer but certainly non-traditional for summer as it was rather filling.