Summit Black Ale | Summit Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Summit Brewing Company
Minnesota, United States
summitbrewing.com
Style: American Black Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.50%
Availability: Limited (brewed once)
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by jera1350 on 10-31-2011
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
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Ratings: 152 | Reviews: 71
4.62/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
served from a 12 oz. bottle into an imperial pint glass
A: Deep, dark black with so much head I thought it might be infected. Even with a glass giving and extra 8 oz. of space, it took me 10 minutes to pour this all in the glass. strong lacing throughout.
S: Had precisely the effect you want a beer's aroma to have -- an instant desire to tip it back and taste some more. A rich, heady combination of coffee, vanilla and caramel.
T: Glorious. So rich it transcended an ale and jumped straight to stout. A marvelously complex blend of coffee, vanilla and caramel with a bitter bite on the back end.
M: The head did not eat all the carbonation, which made the amazingly rich taste of this brew refreshing and surprisingly light. A heavy tingle on the tongue and a clean, crisp aftertaste.
O: I'm thoroughly disappointed to learn that this was a one-off and won't be available again. A thoroughly unique and tremendously enjoyable beer. If you happen to stumble across some left on a shelf, snap it up. The carbonation and complexity indicate it should survive some age and it's well worth trying if you haven't already had the pleasure of doing so.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
served from a 12 oz. bottle into an imperial pint glass
A: Deep, dark black with so much head I thought it might be infected. Even with a glass giving and extra 8 oz. of space, it took me 10 minutes to pour this all in the glass. strong lacing throughout.
S: Had precisely the effect you want a beer's aroma to have -- an instant desire to tip it back and taste some more. A rich, heady combination of coffee, vanilla and caramel.
T: Glorious. So rich it transcended an ale and jumped straight to stout. A marvelously complex blend of coffee, vanilla and caramel with a bitter bite on the back end.
M: The head did not eat all the carbonation, which made the amazingly rich taste of this brew refreshing and surprisingly light. A heavy tingle on the tongue and a clean, crisp aftertaste.
O: I'm thoroughly disappointed to learn that this was a one-off and won't be available again. A thoroughly unique and tremendously enjoyable beer. If you happen to stumble across some left on a shelf, snap it up. The carbonation and complexity indicate it should survive some age and it's well worth trying if you haven't already had the pleasure of doing so.
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3.73/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I got this as part of a build-your own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. No freshness date.
The beer poured a very dark brown color with a huge 4-finger fast rising tan head, so be careful with the pour. Frustratingly long retention with an incredible amount of lacing on the glass.
Nice roasted malt aroma with some orange citrus in the background.
Dry cocoa powder flavor along with roasted malt and lots of citrusy orange hops.
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. More on the dry side than sweet.
A very hoppy and bitter black ale. Decent, but not my favorite beer of this style.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I got this as part of a build-your own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. No freshness date.
The beer poured a very dark brown color with a huge 4-finger fast rising tan head, so be careful with the pour. Frustratingly long retention with an incredible amount of lacing on the glass.
Nice roasted malt aroma with some orange citrus in the background.
Dry cocoa powder flavor along with roasted malt and lots of citrusy orange hops.
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. More on the dry side than sweet.
A very hoppy and bitter black ale. Decent, but not my favorite beer of this style.
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3.91/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reviewed from tasting notes dated March 3, 2012
A: Pours a nice jet black color with about a half inch of creamy tan head that disappears slowly leaving a good amount of lacing around the edge of the glass
S: Roasted nutty and cocoa malts, piny hops balance the aroma
T: Cocoa/caramel malt sweetness in the backbone, nice piny hop bitterness.
M: Medium bodied beer with good carbonation
Overall, a real tasty brew
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reviewed from tasting notes dated March 3, 2012
A: Pours a nice jet black color with about a half inch of creamy tan head that disappears slowly leaving a good amount of lacing around the edge of the glass
S: Roasted nutty and cocoa malts, piny hops balance the aroma
T: Cocoa/caramel malt sweetness in the backbone, nice piny hop bitterness.
M: Medium bodied beer with good carbonation
Overall, a real tasty brew
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4.06/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Translucent black color with brilliant ruby hues. Mountainous ivory colored head which coats the glass in creamy waves of lacing. Gorgeous beer!
Bitter pine and floral hop aroma with just a hint of roasted character.
Toasty malt in the background with a touch of roastiness. Pine and grapefruit bitterness. Great balance.
Medium bodied, dry feel, well carbonated.
Solid black ale. True to the style.
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look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Translucent black color with brilliant ruby hues. Mountainous ivory colored head which coats the glass in creamy waves of lacing. Gorgeous beer!
Bitter pine and floral hop aroma with just a hint of roasted character.
Toasty malt in the background with a touch of roastiness. Pine and grapefruit bitterness. Great balance.
Medium bodied, dry feel, well carbonated.
Solid black ale. True to the style.
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4/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: even with a very ginger pour this one yielded a large 5+ finger frothy off white head on a slightly hazy deep amber brown body.
S: toffee, toasted and caramel malts, with earthy hops and light coffee notes.
T: a lot sweeter than I was expecting. Caramel, toffee, some candy sugar and milk chocolate provide the sweetness while a smokey and coffee ground flavor provides bitterness in the flavor. If you want to search out some hops they mostly provide earthy notes.
M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: this one is pretty complex with extremes of sweetness and bitterness coming together to make a surprisingly well balanced beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: even with a very ginger pour this one yielded a large 5+ finger frothy off white head on a slightly hazy deep amber brown body.
S: toffee, toasted and caramel malts, with earthy hops and light coffee notes.
T: a lot sweeter than I was expecting. Caramel, toffee, some candy sugar and milk chocolate provide the sweetness while a smokey and coffee ground flavor provides bitterness in the flavor. If you want to search out some hops they mostly provide earthy notes.
M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: this one is pretty complex with extremes of sweetness and bitterness coming together to make a surprisingly well balanced beer.
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3.58/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Reviewed from tasting notes.
Pours out a very dark brown color with two fingers of tan head that lasts for about two minutes, and leaves behind medium amounts of lacing. Medium body and somewhat higher carbonation levels.
Smells and tastes of medium levels of straightforward resinous hopping, some roasted and caramel malts, and a garnish of smokiness. It could stand a bit more dryness towards the finish to be balanced closer to my personal palate preferences.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Reviewed from tasting notes.
Pours out a very dark brown color with two fingers of tan head that lasts for about two minutes, and leaves behind medium amounts of lacing. Medium body and somewhat higher carbonation levels.
Smells and tastes of medium levels of straightforward resinous hopping, some roasted and caramel malts, and a garnish of smokiness. It could stand a bit more dryness towards the finish to be balanced closer to my personal palate preferences.
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3.18/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours an opaque deep brown with amber highlights and a solid, half glass full of beige head that dissipates slowly, leaving spotty lacing.
Aroma is fairly complex, with chocolate, roast malt, rubber, and floral hops surfacing initially. There's a hint of hairspray.
Flavor is strange. Hairspray is again evident, perfumey, with bitter roast malt in the background, finishing fairly bitter due to hops. There's some subtle chocolate that is overpowered by the bitterness present. Grapefruit pith emerges as it warms, and more citrus and piney hops surface.
Body is moderate, with high carbonation and a fairly astringent, harsh grainy finish. Carbonation lifts the flavor right off the palate.
Originally thought this may have been a bad bottle. Took 10 minutes to pour the full beer. But it opened up as it sat for a bit. Not one I'll revisit.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours an opaque deep brown with amber highlights and a solid, half glass full of beige head that dissipates slowly, leaving spotty lacing.
Aroma is fairly complex, with chocolate, roast malt, rubber, and floral hops surfacing initially. There's a hint of hairspray.
Flavor is strange. Hairspray is again evident, perfumey, with bitter roast malt in the background, finishing fairly bitter due to hops. There's some subtle chocolate that is overpowered by the bitterness present. Grapefruit pith emerges as it warms, and more citrus and piney hops surface.
Body is moderate, with high carbonation and a fairly astringent, harsh grainy finish. Carbonation lifts the flavor right off the palate.
Originally thought this may have been a bad bottle. Took 10 minutes to pour the full beer. But it opened up as it sat for a bit. Not one I'll revisit.
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Summit Black Ale from Summit Brewing Company
Beer rating:
74.3% out of
100 with
152 ratings
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From tasting notes. Had this on tap at the Bryant Lake Bowl. It pours brilliant black with a hefty cream to light tan foam collar. Tastes like an ale version of a Schwartz beer with the dark roast flavors and aromas of a stout or a porter but none of the body. Nothing burnt or harsh. Very drinkable.
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