Let 'er Drift Summer Ale
Kennebec River Brewery

Let 'er Drift Summer AleLet 'er Drift Summer Ale
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From:
Kennebec River Brewery
 
Maine, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.36 | pDev: 16.07%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
23
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 06, 2018
Added:
May 22, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
A classic American pale ale crafted with domestic malted barley and fresh Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest. An excellent choice for those new to microbrews, it's as refreshing as a ride down the Kennebec "Rivah"!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BeerKangaroo:
Photo of BeerKangaroo
Reviewed by BeerKangaroo from Alaska

2.21/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Bottled on April 23, 2012:

Into a pint glass:

A: hazy orange/yellow body with a thin white head which died within several seconds. There was barely any lacing but what was there spider-webbed slowly down the sides. Rapidly rising carbonation was seen.

S: citrus, some pine and grass came out in a stale way

T: slightly sweet with the citrus taking the lead. The malts stay in the background. It left a bitter aftertaste. As the beer warmed, that stale smell came out in the taste.

M: it seemed a bit flat and kinda prickled my tongue. Though it was a pretty drinkable beer.

O: well, I wasn't too impressed with the smell or taste. I think I got too many other better summer beers to re-visit this again before I come back to this.
May 10, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.14 by acurtis from New Jersey

Aug 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by JKV96 from Massachusetts

Oct 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by MenardMa from Connecticut

Aug 26, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by abrodsky from Massachusetts

Sep 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Janeinma from Massachusetts

Jul 01, 2013
Photo of CHADMC3
Reviewed by CHADMC3 from Connecticut

3.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a pale straw yellow body beneath the the foamy white head that quickly dissolves to leave a thin layer of lacing.

Aroma consists of faint pine hops, wheat, and a touch of pepper.

Flavors consist of sweet lemon, wheat, yeast and a touch of citrus hops.

Lighter to medium in body with fair carbonation and a wheaty finish.

A tasty beer but more of an American Pale Wheat Ale than anything else based on the tasty combination of yeast, wheat, and citrus hops.
Oct 19, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Nov 22, 2011
Photo of Lomborun
Reviewed by Lomborun from Minnesota

3.46/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
My first BA review! This came in a 12 oz bottle with a creepy looking sun on it :) Served in a New Glarus pint glass.

A - Pours hazy and corn-flake yellow with a thin quarter-inch head which stuck around for a while. Fair amount of sediment on bottom of glass, with some also swirling in suspension

S - Sweet, grassy, with a citrus fruit edge and a touch of resiny-pine hop scent. Very pleasing and intriguing.

T - Mildly sweet and malty up front slowly gives way to yeastyness and then to citrus and strong fresh-grassy hop flavor. Aftertaste was fairly bitter and astringent, and I'm not sure I'd just attribute it to the hops. This transition is more striking than most summer ales I've tried, definitely less of a malt-monster than most.

M - Very fine and smooth, maybe a bit flat. Light prickling on back end of the swallow. Left some residual slickness on the tongue.

O a pretty subdued experience. Wish it tasted as great as it smelled. No telling how old my bottle was, which could have had a profound effect upon my enjoyment. That being said, I'd still drink one if it was handed to me, and I think that this might be better come next May in bottle or on tap.
Oct 01, 2011
Photo of BEERMILER12
Reviewed by BEERMILER12 from Maine

3.64/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not sure how old this bottle is (I'd assume it's from this summer, but I honestly have no clue)

A: Pours a hazy straw yellow with a large, 2-3 fingers worth of head that sticks around for a bit. A bunch of sediment is also found floating around... uh oh

S: It actually smells pretty good. Floral and grapefruit hops provide a strong first smell, followed by some lemon zest

T: Here we go... a light floral hoppyness along with light (and by light, I mean barely detectable) lemon zest. Really not too much going on. I'm not sure if its the age (again, not sure about how old the bottle I have is) or if it's always like this. For some reason, it actually gets better as it warms... that's different for an APA

M: Light bodied with moderate-high carbonation

O: A very 'meh' experience with this so far... The smell is pretty good, but the taste just doesn't back it up. A very average APA
Jul 23, 2011
Photo of mountdew1
Reviewed by mountdew1 from New Hampshire

3.77/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a hazy golden amber. Steady streams of carbonation rose from the bottom to a 3 finger frothy head that quickly faded to a 1 finger head that clung a bit. Aroma was slightly floral with a bit of hops. Just a tad of vanilla as well. Flavor was definitely hoppy with a tough of pine. Slighty fruity sweet as well. Felt ok in the mouth, slightly overcarbonated tingled on the mouth. Overall not bad, reasonable summer beer for sure.
Jun 18, 2011
Photo of DrinkingDrake
Reviewed by DrinkingDrake from Massachusetts

3.36/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured out a hazy yellow with about a fingers worth of head which stuck around for the majority of the time. Nose is extremely grassy and of light Pilsner malt. A subtle sourness almost like an adjunct. Taste is sweet upfront and with a lot of the Pilsner malt. The hops are more assertive than the nose lead on. Very grassy with a sharp lemon bite. A dryness starts subtle but then becomes aggressive quickly. I keep drinking to cover the bitterness but find myself wanting a different beer.
Jun 14, 2011
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.38/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

Thanks to papollo for this bottle!

It's gettin' a bit late for this, but, hey, it's always a good time for a summer brew. It pours a slightly hazed golden straw topped by about a finger of white foam. Some minor particulates float about in sandstone-esque waves. The nose comprises lemon zest, funky coriander, light pepper, sweet honey, and astringent flowers. Something here doesn't sit right with me. The taste is very similar, though the flowers are sweeter, the lemon is lightened, and wheat makes a triumphant entry. The body is pretty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a rather wet feel. Overall, a nice little brew, nothing really all that special, but seemingly something I could see taking down on a nice sunny day.
Nov 02, 2010
Photo of cpanossian
Reviewed by cpanossian from New York

4.1/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
My last bottle of KRB Summer Ale - I've been milking the six pack I bought up in Portland ME since August beacuse it is so good.

I let my bottle warm up to about 50-60 degress. It poured a nice light yellow gold color, with a big foamy head into my pint. Lots of clinging lace.

Aroma of light citrus perhaps from Kent Goldings or Styrian hops.

Delicious clean fresh tasting - nice light summmer session ale. Very similar to a good UK Real Ale.

Hope to get more KRB Summer Ale next summer (I go to Maine every year!)
Oct 31, 2010
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.03/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a one finger light cream head that fades quickly to a thin layer leaving some lace. Hazy pale amber color. Light carbonation and light-medium bodied. Light hoppy nose. Flavor is grapefruit hops, hints of caramel. $1.75 for a 12oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.
Sep 30, 2010
Photo of WanderingFool
Reviewed by WanderingFool from Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Kennebec Summer Ale pours a hazy honey color into the glass. A two finger creamy white head forms on top and slowly dissolves to a sheet on the beer leaving behind a lot of netted lace on the sides of the glass. Inside the glass a shower of tiny bubbles flows up to the surface.

The aroma is light fruit notes of apple and pear with a touch of bitter floral hops notes mixed in.

Each sip of this light to medium bodied beer is creamy on the palate with a firm carbonated snap on the tip of the tongue. The flavor is light toasted malt with a hint of fruit (apple or white grape?) and some bittering floral hops at the end. It finishes tart and leaves behind some of the tart fruit flavor when gone.

This is a well balanced, easy drinking beer. Would be great on a hot summer day.
May 09, 2010
Photo of u2carew
Reviewed by u2carew from Massachusetts

3.37/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12oz Longneck. Consumed 12/20/09 (a little late on the summer - its been in my basement for a while. Hope it's still good).

A) Pours with a finger thick off white head. Settles quickly to thin lacing at the edge of the glass. Lacing is thin and sticky. Body is very cloudy with lots of sediment - not so pretty. Bronze in color.
S) Fruity notes - apple, orange. Wheat. Light floral notes
T) Orange. Wheaty malt up front then mellows slightly to a dry hop finish. In the aftertaste, subtle bitterness and a citrus sour - not too overwhelming just present.
M) Light fizziness. Light body. Some tannin feel. Dry in the finish.
D) An alright summer brew. I wouldn't classify it as an American PA - maybe a Hefeweizen or possible a wit bier.
Dec 20, 2009
Photo of IronCitySteve
Reviewed by IronCitySteve from Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours a nice golden/amber color. There is a decent 1 finger white foam head. There is a good amount of lacing.

S: From what I can smell, there is a fruity scent. Mostly apple, cherry and maybe banana. Very faint.

T: A nicely balanced beer. There is a good amount of malt presence, with some bitter hops. There is also some apples tartness in there as well which makes the flavor quite different, but not un-inviting.

M: Leaves a refreshing crisp clean taste on the palate. A decent medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation.

D: A very nice offereing. Light and crisp. Could use a little more hop flavor but otherwise, a really good beer.
Aug 11, 2009
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

3.68/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a mild amber-blond color with a one-finger head into my fluted tulip. A bit cloudy too.

Aroma is full of floral hops with a nice biscuit-like malt character underneath.

Taste is full of mild hops with grainy, sweet malt underneath. Not bad. Hops aren't strong enough though.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering hops and sweet malt. Decent. Inoffensive.

Not bad. A simplistic pale ale that can be enjoyed on a hot day or any other day. Why drink an adjunct lager when you can have this?
Jul 12, 2009
Photo of FatSean
Reviewed by FatSean from Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle poured into a shaker pint. Mixed-pack bought at package store in historic Portland.

A - gold/amber body, quite cloudy. Nice 1-finger head.

S - Hops dominate, but there is the sent of fresh cut green apple from the malts (I think)

T - Nicely balanced. Malts are sweet, hops are bitter, there's a bit of a tang. A bit soft on the hops for an APA, but this is a Summer beer after all, so no deduction.

M - Nicely carbonated, very pleasant. Gets the mouth watering for the next sip.

D - Very good. A not-too-heavy ale that is well balanced. I could perhaps see the hop flavors accumulating on the pallete in a bad way. I only have one, so I cannot experiment.

In a market where there are so many 'summer beers' that have disappointed me with their crudeness or un-evenness, this is a very nice one. It doesn't sacrifice flavor for refreshment. I just wish I could get a few cases locally...perhaps another trip north will be in order before the summer ends.
Jul 06, 2009
Let 'er Drift Summer Ale from Kennebec River Brewery
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 23 ratings