Sol Drifter
MadTree Brewing

Sol DrifterSol Drifter
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From:
MadTree Brewing
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
4.3%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.48 | pDev: 11.78%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
104
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 23, 2021
Added:
May 20, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  24
A refreshing blonde ale made for extended periods of drinking during summer days well into the evening. With copious amounts of New Zealand Motueka hops lending lemon and lime notes, Sol Drifter ends with a crisp and tart strawberry finish.
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Photo of thegodfather1076
Reviewed by thegodfather1076 from Ohio

3.84/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Consumed 10/23/21

Classified as a Blonde Ale @ 4.3% ABV

Poured from 12oz can into 16oz Nonic Pint glass

Can is very attractive in appearance with a great color scheme.  Classic Madtree styling on the front of the can, featuring the Madtree logo while stating the name and a small description of the brew.  Back of the can features ABV info, a small description of the brew, and brewery info.  Can states, "Crisp, Smooth, Fruity" around bottom ring and "Inspiring madness rooted in purpose" around the top ring.

Appearance - An agressive pour led to a 1.25 finger white airy light foam head resting atop a golden slightly clowdy beer.  Head retention of around 3min 15sec before giving way to a thin frothy costing and ring.

Smell - Smells of light strawberries and fresh citrus with a nice bready crackery malt.  Very nice.

Taste - Tastes of slight citrus hops on the front end before giving way to the nice tart strawberry flavor midpoint.  Backend is a of bit citrus bitter with a nice malty finish. 

Mouthfeel - Light bodied and perfectly carbonated this beer drinks smooth.  Very crushable on a hot summer day.

Overall - I really enjoyed this one.  Very refreshing with nice flavor and mouthfeel.  Would def make a great late spring/summer beer.
Oct 23, 2021
Photo of HopHunterCL
Reviewed by HopHunterCL from Ohio

3.46/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a finger of white head with a pinkish hue.
Aroma is pretty light. A little cracker malt some citrus zest and faint strawberry.
Crisp and refreshing. Malt backed up by a tart under ripe strawberry flavor. Finishes dry with a good amount of citrus peel bitterness from the hops.
Overall a nice light summer time beer. Best consumed outdoors.
Jun 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.73 by cabsandking from Ohio

Jun 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.23 by Danzifer from Ohio

May 16, 2021
 
Rated: 3.53 by GRhoads from Ohio

May 12, 2021
Photo of MutuelsMark
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Hmmm. Not much nose or taste to speak of. Really had much more of a dado water taste and feel. Nice color and decent head that disperses fairly quickly.
Dec 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.62 by OtisCampbell007 from Tennessee

Jun 28, 2020
 
Rated: 3.37 by entenduintransit from Tennessee

Jun 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.63 by Manta200 from Kentucky

Jun 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.24 by jt_thomas18 from Tennessee

Aug 15, 2019
 
Rated: 3.49 by juicebox from Kentucky

Dec 26, 2018
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.74/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I got a six pack of this from my local meijer. It poured a hazy orangish with no head and no lace. The scent had faint bitter citrus. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with grapefruit citrus finish. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a decent beer.
Sep 14, 2018
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 6/23/2018. Pours fairly murky pale golden yellow color with a 2 finger fairly dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, strawberry, peach, pear, passion fruit, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light toast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops, strawberries, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, strawberry, peach, pear, passion fruit, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light toast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, grassy, peppery bitterness; and slight fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, strawberry, peach, pear, passion fruit, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light toast, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops, strawberries, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from bitterness and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.3%. Overall this is a delicious fruited/hoppy blonde ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops, strawberries, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestly bitter/drying finish, not aggressive. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Not as big on the strawberries as expected, but adequate. Fuggle and Motueka hops. Great balance of juicy strawberries and vibrant/dank/earthy hops; with a nice pale/wheat malt backbone for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.
Aug 25, 2018
Photo of nicholas2121
Reviewed by nicholas2121 from Ohio

4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sol Drifter brewed by MadTree Brewing, with an ABV of 4.30% This American Blonde Ale pours out into a pint beer glass a hazy amber color with a nice white head. This is an unfiltered brew you can not see the thought this brew, not saying that is a bad thing. There is a decent amount of lacing to this brew, it sticks to the side of the glass well. The smell of Sol Drifter is sweet with fruits grassy grains and malts. The hops are really mild in the smell of this brew. So far this is a nice inviting brew, now for the taste , it is Bold with Hoppy bitterness, not pick up in the smell with minor sweetness. I like how this brew has that nice switch up from the smell to the taste. You also pick up on earthy gains and malts in the the taste of this brew. There is a lot going on in Sol Drifter. The body of this brew is a solid medium, there is nothing overpowering about this brew, it has a super nice balance to it. The mouth feel is Bold, Clean Smooth, Hoppy, Sweet, and Refreshing. Overall I'm going to give Sol Drifter a solid 4 out of 5. I would definitely look this brew up again giving the opportunity too. MadTree Brewing, did a real nice job with this one.
Aug 10, 2018
 
Rated: 3.21 by Gambyt20 from Illinois

Jul 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.25 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

Jun 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.56 by DigitGrowler from Kentucky

May 22, 2018
Photo of CAROLUS64
Reviewed by CAROLUS64 from Ohio

4.57/5  rDev +31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I have to admit to being a little impartial on this one. It is my new favorite beer. It has a very nice mouthful that is coupled with a rare beer aroma. This is from a hop profile aside from what i was used to and the addition of strawberries. I never would have guessed that there are strawberries ( 'dry hopped') in this beer as the aroma and taste of the strawberries is slight, but it does add to a tartness at the finish which works wonderfully in my opinion. It has a somewhat hazy unfiltered look and a nice white head that lasts for a minute or two and laces a little bit. UNFORTUNATELY it is only a seasonal brew so I will have to try to brew it as their recipe is listed on their site.
Oct 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.49 by norinco from Ohio

Jun 03, 2017
 
Rated: 4.14 by m1k3g3tz from Ohio

Sep 18, 2016
Sol Drifter from MadTree Brewing
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 104 ratings