Been a drinking a lot of these and would be curious on your thoughts on these four. I rank them like this: 1.Mankato Original: Just a light edge on Summit Summer. A little more interesting and complex malt profile. Dryish finish 2.Summit Summer: Right there with Mankato Original and maybe a bit maltier overall but I enjoyed the complexity of Mankato a bit more..Not quite as dry as Mankato on the finish. 3.Schell Zommerfest: I try this every year and just never am I blown away. It's better than good but just a notch below the top two Has some lemony zestiness to it. 4. Goose Island Summertime: This seems to have gotten worse over the years or the others have gotten better. Had it side by side on draft with Summit Summer this year and it was not even close. Just kind of a bland, basic beer that doesn't really even seem to fit the style anymore... So there are my thoughts what are yours...I love these beers in the summer. Love filling my liter sized Paulaner mug with three of them and relaxing in the back yard...lower ABV but still nice flavor and easy drinking this time of the year...
Tough one between Mankato Original and Summit Summer. I might prefer Mankato but Summit is cheaper and much more available. Schell's is a distant third.
I haven't done an actual side by side, but I've always been Zimmerfest fan. I also really liked mankato. I don't recall being realimpressed with summit summer, but all the great comments have me thinking I may have to revisit this one.
zommerfest might be at a bit of a disadvantage purely based on it's age. 15 years ago when schells released there wasn't nearly the near culture locally that we have now. You probably would've considered a bar pretty solid just for carrying z-fest, now we'll complain about a bar for not having a cask of the latest bourbon barrel aged single hopped mango infused better sour rye wine. it's amazing how far it's come. also where does laker superior kayak kolsch fall on your list? orwould youinclude blonde ales like provider or lonely blonde
I think I would slip in Lake Superior Kolsch ahead of Goose but behind Schells but it has been a couple years since I had it so I didn't include it initially as all the others I have had this summer.
I've been drinking the shit out of Peace Tree Sidekick Kolsch this summer. Great example of the style.
Thanks for posting. One of my favorite beer types that I think is a bit misunderstood. I had to look-up my ratings and was surprised I rated the Three Kings from Point as high as I did. I’m not sure what is going on with Goose Summer as it seems to lack the snap and pear taste it used to have. If you can get the Metropolitan Krankshaft consider yourself lucky as it is top notch (as are all their German style beers). http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19127/50984 Heading to Ely tomorrow where I will make one final stop at the Boat House before going beer free in the Boundary Waters…. Maybe on the way home I will stop in Duluth to see if I can get the Mankato offering.
Heading to Ely tomorrow where I will make one final stop at the Boat House before going beer free in the Boundary Waters…. Maybe on the way home I will stop in Duluth to see if I can get the Mankato offering. [/quote] Might have a problem finding in anywhere much north of the Cities. Their website doesn't indicate it's available much towards Duluth.
Wow, surprised this wasn't mentioned in the first couple of posts, but my favorite is Alaskan Summer Ale: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/429/3961
To clarify my statement Mike was Head Brewer at Mankato Brewery. He left Mankato Brewery last summer. He was the man behind Mankato Original and Stickum. All the beers produced after that have been the creation of his replacement Bobby Blasey.
