Summer (2017)
Anderson Craft Ales

 

355 mL can from a sixer picked up at the brewery; no production date. Served slightly chilled.

This unfiltered pale ale pours a hazy golden-orange colour, with one finger of loose, soapy white froth reduced to a thin collar within a minute or two. Very little lace; pretty average-looking. Aromas of citrusy lemon zest, freshly cut grass and leafy, floral hops come through on the nose, underlain by a low-key bready pale malt sweetness.

The flavours follow the aroma; bready, crackery pale malts supply some baseline background sweetness, sharing the spotlight fairly equally with the hops (which assert themselves more towards the finish). Lemon and muddled orange zest are minor players, with floral, piney bitterness and a touch of grassy hops characterizing the back end of the profile; these linger on the palate briefly after each sip. Light in body, with lively carbonation that feels spritzy on the palate, giving this light ale a crisp, refreshing mouthfeel. Flavourful for only 3.6%, though definitely not what I would call a hop bomb - this is clearly meant to be a balanced, thirst quenching light ale.

Final Grade: 3.79, a B+. Anderson's Summer Ale is a nicely made summer quaffer, though (as is often the case with session ales) I wouldn't say that drinking it was a particularly interesting or novel experience. Another sixer of this would be a welcome addition to an afternoon at the beach/pool/etc., even though it's not one of the better Anderson brews I've tried so far (or something I'd go out and deliberately seek more of). With all that being said, I'd still say it's worth a try, especially if you're looking for a session ale that isn't too hoppy.