Newcastle Summer Ale | Heineken Nederland B.V.
Brewed by:
Heineken Nederland B.V.
Netherlands
heineken.com
Style: English Bitter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.40%
Availability: Summer
Notes / Commercial Description:
a Scottish Sparkling Ale
Added by BeerAdvocate on 06-24-2009
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 361 | Reviews: 126
Reviews by Ajmorriso1:
More User Reviews:
3.08/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #52 (May 2011):
Typical summer-driven incarnation here to drum up sales (summer = light and golden, right?). Nothing wrong with that, just typical. Clear and golden, impressive head on top. Buttery nose with some spicy hop presence. Smoothness over crispness in a fluffy light body. Buttery yeast flavor is the main attraction here, with the malt helping to round it out. Hops have a quick kiss of bitterness and spicy flavor. Light bready maltiness peeks through right before the dry finish. The buttery tone eventually chips away at the drinkability; not half bad, but the flavor doesn’t scream summer to us, so perhaps it’s not so typical after all.
697 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #52 (May 2011):
Typical summer-driven incarnation here to drum up sales (summer = light and golden, right?). Nothing wrong with that, just typical. Clear and golden, impressive head on top. Buttery nose with some spicy hop presence. Smoothness over crispness in a fluffy light body. Buttery yeast flavor is the main attraction here, with the malt helping to round it out. Hops have a quick kiss of bitterness and spicy flavor. Light bready maltiness peeks through right before the dry finish. The buttery tone eventually chips away at the drinkability; not half bad, but the flavor doesn’t scream summer to us, so perhaps it’s not so typical after all.
697 characters
2.89/5 rDev -2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
A 355ml bottle with a BB of April 2013. Picked up from a supermarket a while back, and stored in my garage. Brewed in Tadcaster (presumably at John Smiths). The Newcastle brand seems to be plastered on an increasing number of beers - rather than bolstering the brand I reckon the effect will be to dilute it. Oh well.
Poured into a straight pint glass. A clear golden-amber colour with medium carbonation. Forms a decent head of frothy white foam that lasts for a minute or two before dissipating. Some lacing. Aroma of light grainy malt with hints of faint caramel, husk, mild cardboard, fruity ale yeast and a whiff of stewed leaves. Not much going on.
Tastes of grainy malt with a mild finish. Hints of weak caramel, husk, fruity ale yeast, wet cardboard and a hint of stewed leaves. A slightly harsh note in the background, followed by a subtle bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is dry, smooth and faintly tingly. Carbonation is OK but the body is thin and watery. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of cardboard and stewed vegetables.
Meh - a pretty poor effort. Bland and watery, with little depth or character to keep you interested. The Newcastle brand is going to be subject to the law of diminishing returns if it keeps making brews like this. Give it a miss.
1,281 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
A 355ml bottle with a BB of April 2013. Picked up from a supermarket a while back, and stored in my garage. Brewed in Tadcaster (presumably at John Smiths). The Newcastle brand seems to be plastered on an increasing number of beers - rather than bolstering the brand I reckon the effect will be to dilute it. Oh well.
Poured into a straight pint glass. A clear golden-amber colour with medium carbonation. Forms a decent head of frothy white foam that lasts for a minute or two before dissipating. Some lacing. Aroma of light grainy malt with hints of faint caramel, husk, mild cardboard, fruity ale yeast and a whiff of stewed leaves. Not much going on.
Tastes of grainy malt with a mild finish. Hints of weak caramel, husk, fruity ale yeast, wet cardboard and a hint of stewed leaves. A slightly harsh note in the background, followed by a subtle bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is dry, smooth and faintly tingly. Carbonation is OK but the body is thin and watery. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of cardboard and stewed vegetables.
Meh - a pretty poor effort. Bland and watery, with little depth or character to keep you interested. The Newcastle brand is going to be subject to the law of diminishing returns if it keeps making brews like this. Give it a miss.
1,281 characters
4.1/5 rDev +39%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I had this one on tap last summer and never thought to write down any thoughts about it, maybe it wasn't too memorable. Pours pale yellow with a billowing white head leaves behind thin wispy lace on the sides of my glass. Aroma has a nice earthy citric hop character with light pale airy malts a bit of cracker and white bread grain action going on. Nice to see a one trick pony do something different for a changes. Flavor is light on bitterness with a touch of fruity apple notes and pale malt sweetness a very nice refreshing mass produced beer that strays from mass produced beer. Under 4.4% abv send me this in cans and I will tailgate before the concert or the big game. Mouthfeel is light bodied definitely a summer drinking beer, not a lager but a light floral/citrus lightly hopped golden bitter. Each sip is more enjoyable than the next excellent easy going mass produced English summer ale.
901 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I had this one on tap last summer and never thought to write down any thoughts about it, maybe it wasn't too memorable. Pours pale yellow with a billowing white head leaves behind thin wispy lace on the sides of my glass. Aroma has a nice earthy citric hop character with light pale airy malts a bit of cracker and white bread grain action going on. Nice to see a one trick pony do something different for a changes. Flavor is light on bitterness with a touch of fruity apple notes and pale malt sweetness a very nice refreshing mass produced beer that strays from mass produced beer. Under 4.4% abv send me this in cans and I will tailgate before the concert or the big game. Mouthfeel is light bodied definitely a summer drinking beer, not a lager but a light floral/citrus lightly hopped golden bitter. Each sip is more enjoyable than the next excellent easy going mass produced English summer ale.
901 characters
3.03/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Definitely one of the better summer ales Ive tried. This beer is a light pale yellowish color. It pours smoothly into my snifter and has an average amount of head, lace and foam. It has a typical summer ale aroma of lemon and lager. It is a beautiful color and it is a pretty decent beer. Great for barbeques and backyard swim parties.'
336 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Definitely one of the better summer ales Ive tried. This beer is a light pale yellowish color. It pours smoothly into my snifter and has an average amount of head, lace and foam. It has a typical summer ale aroma of lemon and lager. It is a beautiful color and it is a pretty decent beer. Great for barbeques and backyard swim parties.'
336 characters
1.75/5 rDev -40.7%
look: 1.75 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.75
look: 1.75 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.75
3.88/5 rDev +31.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It was a Saturday morning with warm weather and football on the TV. I've always liked Newcastle and all summer my main beer place has had the Newcastle Summer Ale so I decided it was high time I tried it.
It came to me with almost no head a light orange in color. I raised it to my lips taking in the slightly hopy scent. Took a taste rolling the liquid over my tongue and realized it was just a lighter version of Newcastle and nothing more. I was a bit disapointed but didn't really expect anything more. Just a lighter version of the English Ale.
It goes down easy but is just not that exciting, I'd have it again but maybe next year.
639 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It was a Saturday morning with warm weather and football on the TV. I've always liked Newcastle and all summer my main beer place has had the Newcastle Summer Ale so I decided it was high time I tried it.
It came to me with almost no head a light orange in color. I raised it to my lips taking in the slightly hopy scent. Took a taste rolling the liquid over my tongue and realized it was just a lighter version of Newcastle and nothing more. I was a bit disapointed but didn't really expect anything more. Just a lighter version of the English Ale.
It goes down easy but is just not that exciting, I'd have it again but maybe next year.
639 characters
Newcastle Summer Ale from Heineken Nederland B.V.
Beer rating:
2.95 out of
5 with
361 ratings
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