Sunburst Session Ale
Alley Kat Brewing Company

 

 

 

Now, this is something to write home about. Alley Kat's newest summer sipper is a distinct cut above your average wheat ale. The addition of the citra gives it a bright, nicely rounded smell and taste. The base is crackery (think Stoned Wheat Thin), topped with a lovely hop finish. I fear for this growler's longevity, given the proximity of a warm May long weekend.

 

341ml bottle poured into tulip.

Pours a hazy bright yellow with one finger of puffy white head that leaves rocky badlands lace as it recedes.

Smells of freshly sliced orange and lemon, grapefruit zest, hay, wet stone and citrusy, grassy hops.

Tastes of sugar-free citrus punch, crackery wheat malt, minerals and more pleasantly fruity hops.

Feels light and mild. Light bodied with relaxed carbonation. Finishes off-dry.

Verdict: Highly recommended. A fantastic summer beer.

 

341ml bottle, the first new sixer to be released by Alley Kat in a long while. A self-described 'Citralicious Hopfenzwickel', which I'm to take means a hoppy Zwickel?

This beer pours a hazy, medium golden yellow colour, with a near teeming tower of puffy, rocky, and mildly bubbly off-white head, which leaves some decent sudsy Mercator Projection lace around the glass as it quickly subsides.

It smells of big and juicy orange, white grapefruit, and aged lemon citrus rind, a minor stoney flintiness, some mixed pale and wheaten maltiness, and more tame leafy, weedy, and piney green hop bitters. The taste is bready and doughy pale malt, a hint of caramel sweetness, muddled domestic citrus flesh, plain chalky Pez candies, and some understated earthy, leafy, and gentle floral verdant hoppiness.

The carbonation is adequate in its palate-supporting frothiness, the body a solid middleweight, and generally smooth, with a nice airy creaminess evolving shortly after the onset here. It finishes off-dry, the citrus essence starting to fade, while the malt digs in its heels.

Overall, this is indeed a refreshing, hoppy, and still easy-drinking ale, the Citra varietal obviously capable of great things. For a 'session ale', of which I am typically not a big fan, this is definitely all right, and should be part of your Springtime outdoor imbibing rediscovery program this year.