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Vacationland Summer Ale
Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
- Maine, United States
- Style:
- American Blonde Ale
- ABV:
- 4.9%
- Score:
- 77
- Avg:
- 3.35 | pDev: 13.43%
- Reviews:
- 100
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 22, 2019
- Added:
- Apr 25, 2003
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 20
SCORE
77
Okay
77
Okay
Notes:
You can't put summer in a bottle, but we may have come close! When the weather gets warm we roll out our summer seasonal, Vacationland Summer Ale. Vacationland is an Extra Special Golden Ale that's light in color but full-bodied, with a snappy hop finish. A bit of extra time in the conditioning tank rounds out and mellows the ale. We use generous portions of pale malt with just a touch of wheat malt to give VSA unique flavor that?s richer than most summer brews. Cascade leaf hops add a delicate and forward hop character as well. It's the perfect brew for all things summer.
22 IBU
22 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by krantul:
Reviewed by krantul from Massachusetts
3.83/5 rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
3.83/5 rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Gritty's comes through again. Summer Ales just aren't the kind of beers that knock your socks off, but this is already my favorite example of the style. It does everything you want a summer beer to do, without taxing your patience with too many orange peels or a bushel of lemongrass. I could happily purchase a case of this beer to have a summer ale on hand for whenever the mood (or weather) struck me, but it might not last too long.
Appearance - Vacationland pours a copper-golden hue, a mite bit darker than its peers in the style. The quantity of wheat in many summer beers often lends a cloudy haze, but this is beer is crystal clear. My pour resulted in a brief, fluffy head that quickly receded.
Smell - Nothing remarkable going on here, just a citrus, floral whiff. Pleasant enough and not overwhelming; some summers really shove a lemon wedge up your nose, but this isn't acrid.
Taste - Crisp (but not overwhelmingly bitter hops) stand out in the flavor. The malt character is pretty light but supplies a bit of sweet caramel to the taste. It's pretty clear that the citrus qualities of the beer are incidental to hops; there's no fruit being squeezed into this beer. Has a very nice wheat finish. Definitely wheat in here, but not a tremendous amount. Tastes very fresh.
Mouthfeel - It's fairly smooth and has a bit of a fuller body that one expects from a summer ale, but it's still relatively light. Carbonation is crisp enough for refreshment without turning Vacationland into beer soda.
Drinkability - Hey, this is an easy-drinking beer. I wouldn't complain if this were the only thing in the house, particularly on a balmy day. It goes down nicely and has enough beer character to keep you interested.
May 11, 2006Appearance - Vacationland pours a copper-golden hue, a mite bit darker than its peers in the style. The quantity of wheat in many summer beers often lends a cloudy haze, but this is beer is crystal clear. My pour resulted in a brief, fluffy head that quickly receded.
Smell - Nothing remarkable going on here, just a citrus, floral whiff. Pleasant enough and not overwhelming; some summers really shove a lemon wedge up your nose, but this isn't acrid.
Taste - Crisp (but not overwhelmingly bitter hops) stand out in the flavor. The malt character is pretty light but supplies a bit of sweet caramel to the taste. It's pretty clear that the citrus qualities of the beer are incidental to hops; there's no fruit being squeezed into this beer. Has a very nice wheat finish. Definitely wheat in here, but not a tremendous amount. Tastes very fresh.
Mouthfeel - It's fairly smooth and has a bit of a fuller body that one expects from a summer ale, but it's still relatively light. Carbonation is crisp enough for refreshment without turning Vacationland into beer soda.
Drinkability - Hey, this is an easy-drinking beer. I wouldn't complain if this were the only thing in the house, particularly on a balmy day. It goes down nicely and has enough beer character to keep you interested.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by mikeg67 from New Jersey
3.7/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
On tap at Portland, ME. Pours amber with white head. Aroma is of caramel malt and ripe fruit. Body is medium and crisp. Earthy, herbal hops, caramel malt and ripe fruit fill the mouth. Finish is long and earthy. Overall it is a nice brew.
Jul 25, 2016
Reviewed by Grogsky from Canada ()
3.74/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Nice subtle hints of hops, what an IPA should be if it were brewed to have this bitter, floral romatic feature. Nice feel, a a clear, yet dark good looking beer.
Apr 24, 2016
Reviewed by KLHBB from Arkansas
3.34/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.34/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
After sampling a flight at Gritty's, I chose this. Floral, fruity, mild hops. Poured into a pint glass, I found it refreshing and good with dinner.
May 08, 2015
Rated by njbeerluvr from New Jersey
4/5 rDev +19.4%
4/5 rDev +19.4%
Hoppy with a bit of aftertaste that is tolerable.
Nov 05, 2014
Vacationland Summer Ale from Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Beer rating:
77 out of
100 with
178 ratings
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