Casco Bay Summer Ale
Casco Bay Brewing Co.

Casco Bay Summer AleCasco Bay Summer Ale
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From:
Casco Bay Brewing Co.
 
Maine, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.63 | pDev: 9.64%
Reviews:
36
Ratings:
48
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 17, 2016
Added:
Jul 27, 2001
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  2
Our hugely popular Summer Ale exploded onto the scene just two short years ago. Light, yet flavorful, this brew complements seafood, steak or salad equally well. Balanced, with an aromatic hop finish, the Summer Ale brings sunshine to your stomach.
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Ratings by Reidrover:
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
OK second of the beers sent cross country by Bennybrew..big thanks again.
Beer comes in a 12 oz brown long neck with orange label..says Casco bay Summer Ale this appears to be the same beer as Summerfest ale.
Ok the beer poyrs a nice dark golden/lightish amber colour there is a very slight hint of haze..nice small white head that goes fast..leaving some excellent lacing.
Very fresh floral hop aroma is much evident..spicy even.
mmm nice swewet malts assault my taste buds first..then a nice spicyness then the hop bitterness..that l;ingers well done..different than the PNW pales i have tasted.
Nice tingling mouthful feels great on my tongue!
A most drinkable summer beer..one of the best I am sure.
thanks Benny
May 27, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

Jun 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.91 by foghornleghorn22 from Virginia

Oct 31, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by fishguyac from Virginia

Sep 19, 2015
Photo of JerzDevl2000
Reviewed by JerzDevl2000 from New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
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.
Aug 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by dsshuck from Delaware

Aug 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by DinoBlueShoes from Maine

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Sellen from Connecticut

Jul 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by rorjets from Connecticut

Dec 17, 2013
Photo of Omnium
Reviewed by Omnium from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
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.
Nov 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by d6a5fa971c from Maine

Oct 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by GraduatedCashew from California

Oct 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

Sep 23, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by dgherm from Pennsylvania

Sep 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 01, 2011
Photo of KickInTheChalice
Reviewed by KickInTheChalice from Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
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.
Jan 14, 2011
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
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.
Jun 27, 2009
Photo of strengthdoc
Reviewed by strengthdoc from Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
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.
Jun 20, 2009
Photo of deltatauhobbit
Reviewed by deltatauhobbit from Maine

3.65/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
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.
Mar 10, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.41/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
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
Jan 18, 2009
Casco Bay Summer Ale from Casco Bay Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 48 ratings