Anchor Summer Wheat
Anchor Brewing Company

Anchor Summer WheatAnchor Summer Wheat
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From:
Anchor Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Pale Wheat Beer
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.38 | pDev: 12.43%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
152
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 04, 2019
Added:
Apr 08, 2015
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  38
The crisp, clean flavors of Anchor Summer® Wheat are refreshingly light, a thirst-quenching American-style filtered wheat beer. First brewed in the summer of 1984, Anchor Summer® Wheat is the first American wheat beer in modern times. It is intended to be a lighter beer for those who don’t want to sacrifice historic tradition or character.
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Ratings by mactrail:
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

2.69/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.25
Thin, sharp mouthfeel. It has a faintly sourish note which doesn't do a summer wheat beer any good. Then the bitterness out of nowhere. No hop flavor, just a dishwatery bitterness. As it warms, a little wheaty malt flavor emerges. A slight nose of

Carbonation is pretty intense, and lends a club soda taste. Attractive yellow color, though the foam doesn't last long. Gummy and resiny. The aftertaste is just bitter murk. From the 12 oz can purchased at Elizabeth Station in Bellingham, Wash.
Jul 26, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by Griffith from Connecticut

Apr 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.74 by mamaraza from Texas

Jun 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.73 by Half-full from Illinois

Apr 19, 2018
 
Rated: 2 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 28, 2017
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Nabbed a can at Trader Joe's for $1.59 USD.

Soft and wheat-emphatic with some mild lemon and citrus esters, showcasing what I assume is American Ale yeast.

Pils malt and 2 row fill her out.

Overcarbonated and medium-bodied, this brew stops short of nailing the refreshing summer sipper vibe Anchor seems to be after.

Hop profile is floral and a bit citrusy, but it's tough to discern what's from yeast and what's from hops in terms if fruity flavours...I assume it's all from yeast.

Hints of bubblegum phenol creep out as it warms.

Smooth, wet, and approachable. It's not a bad brew (and $10 a sixer is fair) but it falls short of the iconic classic quality discerning drinkers have come to associate with the now troubled brewery. If we're buying big beer-acquired breweries' American wheat ales, sign me up for Lil Sumpin Sumpin instead. I'll draw from the Anchor well when I want Porter or Steam.

C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE
Dec 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.66 by Bmarkalan1970 from South Carolina

Oct 11, 2017
 
Rated: 3.53 by BeerWithMike from Nebraska

Sep 04, 2017
Photo of bankboy66
Reviewed by bankboy66 from New Jersey

3.03/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a hazy yellow with a two finger head. Smells more citrusy than it tastes but the taste is a little on the tart side. Fizz is medium and goes down easy. Nice summer beer.
Aug 26, 2017
 
Rated: 3.21 by SouthCrescent from Pennsylvania

Aug 14, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.91/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a nonic pint glass, the appearance was a semi-burnt dark yellow to bronzed orange color with a slight transparency about it. Some carbonation could be seen rising at a moderate pace. Just a finger's worth of white foamy head fell off at a moderate pace. Light lace.
The aroma had some honey, citrus, slight sweet wheat and a light dessert cracker-like maltiness.
The flavor cleanly displayed the prior mentioned aromas fairly nice to compensate the aftertaste with some of the cracker to sweet wheaty to honey conglomeration.
The mouthfeel was between light and medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt appropriate. Pretty smooth along my tongue and had a nice clean sweet wheaty finish.
Overall, as an American pale wheat ale, I'd say this was good and worthy of having again.
Aug 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by nater919 from New York

Jul 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.38 by ItsBeer4Me from Pennsylvania

Jun 13, 2017
Photo of HoppyBastard
Reviewed by HoppyBastard from Nebraska

3.42/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 ounce can into a Shaker pint glass, there is no "best by" date that I can find.

APPEARANCE: pours a clear golden color with less than on-finger white head that slowly dissipated until a thin, unbroken layer of small bubbles remained, there is significant lacing on the glass, medium carbonation.

SMELL: bread, honey and lemon citrus.

TASTE: the taste follows the nose, initially sweet honey and bread then a lemon citrus note.

PALATE: medium body and carbonation.

OVERALL: this beer is good but nothing special, there are much better beers to be had in this style so I would not seek this one out again.
Jun 12, 2017
Photo of D1noB
Reviewed by D1noB from Oklahoma

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Easy drinker, would be a good craft entry level beer. crisp with a slight wheat taste.

Taste Rating in Words: It's flashcards, prepping you for something larger.
May 29, 2017
Photo of basaywhat
Reviewed by basaywhat from Illinois

2.79/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
12 oz can. Pours a cloudy yellowish gold with a nice frothy white head. Aroma of pale malts, wheat and mild citrus hop notes with some fruity esters. Flavor is spicy wheat, light residual sweetness up front but drys out on the finish.
Mar 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.06 by SebastianMandeville from New Jersey

Feb 21, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by muswellbeerbelly from Illinois

Jan 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by Bryan12345 from Texas

Dec 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.05 by Steve_Studnuts from Pennsylvania

Oct 22, 2016
Anchor Summer Wheat from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 152 ratings