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Summer Love
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- American Blonde Ale
Ranked #121 - ABV:
- 5.2%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #24,552 - Avg:
- 3.7 | pDev: 13.24%
- Reviews:
- 486
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 28, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 11, 2010
- Wants:
- 114
- Gots:
- 657
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good


Notes:
Composition
Malt: imported 2 row German malts
Hops: whole flower Tettnang Tettnang, Simcoe and Citra hops
ABV: 5.2%
Flavor
With the sublime, earthy familiarity of noble European hops backed up by fresh, clean German malts, Summer Love Ale ends with a surprising burst of lemony refreshment from fistfuls of American whole flower hops. Love Summer, now.
Malt: imported 2 row German malts
Hops: whole flower Tettnang Tettnang, Simcoe and Citra hops
ABV: 5.2%
Flavor
With the sublime, earthy familiarity of noble European hops backed up by fresh, clean German malts, Summer Love Ale ends with a surprising burst of lemony refreshment from fistfuls of American whole flower hops. Love Summer, now.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by gestyr from Pennsylvania
4.27/5 rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
"Summer lovin', had me a blast" yeah .... had to go there lol. Pours a clear pale blonde with a nice white head. smells and tastes of mild malts and a bit of lemony fruityness. A very refreshing beer for a summer night even though it is still Spring.
Apr 30, 2023Reviewed by BeerdrinkerJon from Florida
4.07/5 rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.07/5 rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Drinking a can poured into a glass. Color is a mostly clear gold tinged with orange. Small head disappeared quickly leaving white lacing. I am a lover of Imperial Stouts for the record. This a great warm weather beer…refreshing; Less sweet than an Amber Ale. Less bitter than an IPA. As refreshing as a light beer. I would like to drink a lot of these…and because it’s a 12 pack, I can!
Feb 15, 2023Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.66/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Very interesting. I would have guessed session IPA. Light, crisp hops up front. hazy pale golden body with small silky head. Citrus hops (subdued) in aroma and taste. Crisp and refreshing.
Feb 06, 2023Reviewed by Dano32
2.75/5 rDev -25.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -25.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Victory has some amazing brews. This one I am not a fan of however. Seems like a confused ale that is part Heff, part fruit beer and just plain unsatisfying. Their Prima Pils would be a much better option. I would not buy this again, couldn't even finish the 6 pack.
Jun 17, 2022Reviewed by nickb2000 from New Hampshire
2.84/5 rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.84/5 rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This is meh. Strong hops on the nose. The taste is crisp and clean but its just very hoppy with a hint of bitterness. Not bad but I don't find it amazing.
Jun 09, 2022Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
3.89/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.89/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Victory Brewing Co. "Summer Love"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle "BestBy:Sep0322 PBG 22062 1636" and sampled on 1 June 2022
$1.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: Haha! I had a whole keg of this for a summer party a few years back - I think it was the year it was released - and I'm not surprised that I didn't get around to reviewing it. Anyway, it's poured a slightly hazy golden colored body beneath a short head of white foam. The aroma is herbal, grassy, lightly floral, earthy, mildly citrusy, and spicy over a grainy and bready malt base. The flavor follows suit. Everything is fuller, of course, and I'm finding a touch of lemon, and a little bit of pine and resin. It's quite nice, and the malt is perfectly balanced by the level of hop flavor and character. The bitterness is also perfectly balanced leaving it a touch sweet at the start but finishing mostly dry with some herbal, earthy, and spicy hops lingering. The head held up pretty well and I still have a short but creamy and solid surface covering. The lacing is quite nice as well. In the mouth it's medium bodied and gently crisp. In the end this is a solid, go-to golden ale that really is perfect for summer but would work easily well all year-round.
Review #8,039
Jun 01, 202212 fl. oz. brown glass bottle "BestBy:Sep0322 PBG 22062 1636" and sampled on 1 June 2022
$1.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: Haha! I had a whole keg of this for a summer party a few years back - I think it was the year it was released - and I'm not surprised that I didn't get around to reviewing it. Anyway, it's poured a slightly hazy golden colored body beneath a short head of white foam. The aroma is herbal, grassy, lightly floral, earthy, mildly citrusy, and spicy over a grainy and bready malt base. The flavor follows suit. Everything is fuller, of course, and I'm finding a touch of lemon, and a little bit of pine and resin. It's quite nice, and the malt is perfectly balanced by the level of hop flavor and character. The bitterness is also perfectly balanced leaving it a touch sweet at the start but finishing mostly dry with some herbal, earthy, and spicy hops lingering. The head held up pretty well and I still have a short but creamy and solid surface covering. The lacing is quite nice as well. In the mouth it's medium bodied and gently crisp. In the end this is a solid, go-to golden ale that really is perfect for summer but would work easily well all year-round.
Review #8,039
Rated by 2market from Pennsylvania
3.67/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Good beer
Jan 13, 2022Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania
3.26/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.26/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
It's October, but let’s hope it's not too late for love. A brown twelve ounce bottle has been decanted into a clear pint glass. It's a nice pour. Now inside this is a sparkling and mostly translucent amber brew. There's a modest, yet sustaining white head. The aroma is very mild, only vaguely malty and hoppy. No doubt, the nose predicts this to be uneventful for the taste buds. Obviously, this isn't brewed to contend with the best ales on the planet. It's meant to be a better alternative to the mass of adjunct lagers out there and it succeeds. It's well balanced between mild hops and mild maltiness. This really isn't for any serious beer drinker, but as a change of pace, as a session beer, for example, this will do. It's one of those nothing great and nothing bad beers.
Oct 13, 2021Reviewed by Foyle from North Carolina
4.37/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass. 1" off white sudsy head drops quickly with moderate lacing. Color is hazy yellow orange. Aroma of lemon, citrus, and cracker. Mouthfeel is light with an easy dry finish. Flavor is a blend of cracker, biscuit, lemon, citrus rind. Overall: excellent and refreshing on a hot summer day.
Aug 24, 2021Reviewed by teromous from Virginia
2.79/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.79/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
From the right side of the label under the "Y" in "VICTORY" in white text: "Best By SEP 09 21 PBG 21068 2311"
Appearance: The body of the beer is a slightly hazy gold color. It has a medium-sized white head that is fluffy and has various craters and bubble sizes. Good retention. Over time it recedes to a short creamy textured white cap. It leaves great lines of lacing on the glass.
Aroma: From a distance the beer smells skunky. Getting closer, some more of that scent comes through stronger, mixed with tobacco and tea leaf aromas. There is a bit of a rye bread character on the nose as well.
Taste: Bitter roots with a light bit of lemon zest summarize the majority of the flavor. There is a bit of basil character in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Light carbonation and a light body that edges towards medium. The beer finishes wet and it has a stronger bitterness than what the malt supports.
Overall: The skunky character on the nose and the bitterness of the beer detract from it overall. There is a light citrus-like lemon zest character which is pleasant but the malt character is absent in the beer. I probably wouldn't buy it again given the alternatives on the market. I don't recommend it unless you're just looking to see what a Blonde Ale tastes like from Victory Brewing Co.
Jun 18, 2021Appearance: The body of the beer is a slightly hazy gold color. It has a medium-sized white head that is fluffy and has various craters and bubble sizes. Good retention. Over time it recedes to a short creamy textured white cap. It leaves great lines of lacing on the glass.
Aroma: From a distance the beer smells skunky. Getting closer, some more of that scent comes through stronger, mixed with tobacco and tea leaf aromas. There is a bit of a rye bread character on the nose as well.
Taste: Bitter roots with a light bit of lemon zest summarize the majority of the flavor. There is a bit of basil character in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Light carbonation and a light body that edges towards medium. The beer finishes wet and it has a stronger bitterness than what the malt supports.
Overall: The skunky character on the nose and the bitterness of the beer detract from it overall. There is a light citrus-like lemon zest character which is pleasant but the malt character is absent in the beer. I probably wouldn't buy it again given the alternatives on the market. I don't recommend it unless you're just looking to see what a Blonde Ale tastes like from Victory Brewing Co.
Reviewed by profpilky from New York
4.18/5 rDev +13%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev +13%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz. can, Best by 090821. Light mouthfeel, crisp, refreshing. Has a bit of tartness to it - lemon notes cannot be understated. Smell reminds me of sour diesel. Overall pretty solid and tasty beer. 4/5
May 29, 2021Reviewed by Jaasoares from Virginia
3.28/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours a clear and pale straw color with a foamy white head which lingers ultimately into a lacing with some islands. Weak on the nose with very minor hops. Refreshing taste and easy to drink with a minor citrus flavor with some floral, slightly hoppy characteristic.
May 17, 2021Reviewed by jockstrappy from Pennsylvania
3.88/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a bright gold color with a soapy white head, nice lacing on the glass. Nose includes earthy and floral hops, lemongrass and cereal grains. Flavor is hop forward, but it doesn’t overwhelm. Grainy malt base adds balance. Crisp and mildly bitter on the finish. Its simple, it’s well done, and its exactly what you want after you put the mower away.
May 12, 2021Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey
3.81/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Love brewer, summer's coming (but I think this is 1-2 years old)
a) Still splashes massive lace and looks Kolsch like in the tulip.
s) Tea like. Blossoms, honey, grain.
t) Bigger, earthy, again spring blossoms, earth, tea, lemon, juniper, and honey. More ticklish hops.
f) clean bill like a Kolsh/ blonde.
o) Hoppy Blonde.
Apr 06, 2021a) Still splashes massive lace and looks Kolsch like in the tulip.
s) Tea like. Blossoms, honey, grain.
t) Bigger, earthy, again spring blossoms, earth, tea, lemon, juniper, and honey. More ticklish hops.
f) clean bill like a Kolsh/ blonde.
o) Hoppy Blonde.
Reviewed by 1009 from Massachusetts
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I really enjoyed drinking this Summer style ale. The golden color and foamy head glisten in the sunlight and just scream "refreshing." As I lifted this beer up toward my lips and nose, I was greeted by the hoppy and lemon mixed scents that tempted my taste buds. Once I took the first sip, I was very satisfied with the thirst quenching nature of this beer. The citrus highlights really give it that Summer identity, but it doesn't overdo it with the lemon unlike other warm weather beers. This still has the grassy and hoppy tastes that many beer lovers want! And without the fruity chemical nonsense!
Jun 29, 2020Reviewed by Frank73545 from New Jersey
3.59/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
On tap in the pine room. Happy to get it considering the lack of available kegs.
It’s. Good not great. A bit heavier and sweeter than I was expecting in a summer ale.
But very drinkable on a sunny afternoon or pleasant summer evening.
Jun 27, 2020It’s. Good not great. A bit heavier and sweeter than I was expecting in a summer ale.
But very drinkable on a sunny afternoon or pleasant summer evening.
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California
4/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a fine beer. And by that, I mean that it will do the trick like Cinemax at midnight when you were 14. It’s all blonde and stuff like Marilyn Monroe after a fresh press... Again, it doesn’t get Raul hella excited, but I still feel as cool as a cucumber.
Yep!
May 03, 2020Yep!
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
3.67/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours golden yellow with a 1/4 inch white head, which dissipates. Moderate lacing.
Aroma of lemons, grass, simcoe hops.
Tastes of lemon zest, biscuit malt, slight spiciness. Moderately bitter.
Light bodied, light carbonation. Dry, slightly bitter finish.
A bit late for a "summer" ale but a nice quaffing, thirst quenching beer.
Dec 31, 2019Aroma of lemons, grass, simcoe hops.
Tastes of lemon zest, biscuit malt, slight spiciness. Moderately bitter.
Light bodied, light carbonation. Dry, slightly bitter finish.
A bit late for a "summer" ale but a nice quaffing, thirst quenching beer.
Summer Love from Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
2438 ratings
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