Summit - hitting with limited releases...

I completely agree! I think the Unchained series took a little bit to get going but every one I have tried I liked. I heard Unchained 17 should be hitting shelves this week, I'll be getting 2 six'ers of that. I really enjoyed Herkulean Woods, and such a bummer you missed out on Rebellion Stout, really nice stout! The 3X mild ale sounds good too! Would a 2X mean a regular ale and a 3X mean and imperial ale? Would have been a nice play on styles calling it a mild imperial ale, haha.

I do wonder if any of these will become part of their regular or season lineup?

 

I was a little late to the game, missing everything before Unchained #13 and Union #3. Where have I been?! I really really liked both beers.

Southern Cape was a perfect Summer beer. Super sessionable at 4.4% ABV and delightfully refreshing with its big bubble -almost champagne yeast- fizz. I also love the Wiamea hops. For such a new variety, these were put to excellent use in this ultra-pale ale. I normally wouldn't even drink a beer this light, but I kept going back to it all Summer. Our liquor store had such brisk sales of Southern Cape that Summit was unloading 10 cases a week by the end of inventory.

I am also deeply digging Herkulean Woods! Maple syrup and Spruce tips sound way over the top for a lager, but both are so subtle and serve the malt and hop profiles so well, I don't think I could have identified either addition. Discretely balanced and very unobtrusive for what could have been really crazy beer. It's been selling very well by word-of-mouth (and our strong recommendation).

 

Unchained certainly had a bit of a lull, but one of the first ones (maybe #2?) was a belgian golden ale that was fabulous. Loved the Fest bier.

 

The people are demanding it: more Festbier!!

 

Agree with each of the beers MNAle lists. Summit has put out some great stuff lately.
Rebellion was a nice, bigger dry stout.

I wonder though, how easy it would be to make some of these beers regulars or seasonals given need to source unusual/expensive ingredients and the extra few dollars price tag for the Union and Unchained Series? Typically, people are willing to pay more for unusual/new beers for awhile, but eventually most move on to the next thing once they become just another (slightly) higher-priced easily available beer.

That said, making Festbier a seasonal seems doable and something a lot of people would be excited about.

 

I'll be a happy man when they brew a dopple to be sold at stores.
Whenever that will be.....

 

Kind of makes you wonder, what would become of Summit if they put that effort into reformulating their existing recipes. I get that they sell and bring in the cash... But I don't know too many people that drink their regular lineup anymore. Seems to act as the gateway to better things around here.

 

Never gonna happen. Lagers are boring! Remember?

 

How easy I forget.....

NO brewery in Mn brews one sold in stores....kinda sad.

 

I think they have a West Coast IPA in their regular lineup that's pretty solid, can't remember what it's called........

 

Someone is drinking a lot of EPA somewhere

And they did reformulate the OG IPA and Horizon Red.

 

Unchained:
#1 Kolsch- A fabulous, dry, crisp, refreshing ale. Mankato Original supposedly is the spiritual successor
#2 90/- Scottish Ale- Was not crazy about this beer. Earthy and medicinal also overcarbonated
#3 India Style Rye Ale- What a glorious beer this was. Those of us that drank it, still long for it.
#4 Belgian Style Golden Ale- Another that I thought was rather forgettable.
#5 Imperial Pumpkin Porter- Not a fan of pumpkin in beer, but I thought this was definitely more drinkable.
#6 Gold Sovereign Ale- Here we go, a fabulous British-style ale. Love it.
#7 Honeymoon Saison- My least favorite Summit beer ever.
#8 Black Ale- A real good hoppy black ale. I can taste the black!
#9 Dunkel Weizen- Did not care for it. Not much difference from an average hefeweizen.
#10 Abbey Ale- The best Belgian-style beer Summit has done to date. Great.
#11 Old 152- Excellent rye flavor and spice. Loved it.
#12 100% Organic Ale- Good C-hop dominate, small IPA.
#13 Another IPA- An over-hopped English IPA that I did not care for.
#14 Biere de Garde- Another rather forgettable Belgian-style beer from Summit.
#15 Fest Bier- Perfection. Honestly I do not know how it could be better.
#16 Herkulean Woods- Really like how the spruce and maple syrup work together.

Union:
Meridian Session Ale- Anyone remember this beer? I certainly don't.
Rebellion Stout- A great stout that disappeared very quickly. Wish I bought all I could the one time I found it.
Southern Cape- I drank a lot of this over the summer. One of the better beers Summit has brewed.

 

I've been impressed by nearly every (Biere de Garde was a bit mediocre) Unchained and and Union I've tried thus far. I am glad that Summit gives their brewers a chance to mix it up and display their talents.

 

I managed to sample all but a couple* of the brews from the Unchained and Union series, and to my mind Summit has hit the mark with most of these beers in turn. Not a bad track record at all, eh?

P.S. @Baudette, I agree. Maybe they'll oblige us with a packaged version of their beerhall exclusive Doppelbock?

*Packaged or draught. Did not get around to sampling any of the special or barrel-treated versions, when they were made available.

 

Well and how could we have made it this far without just giving Saga an honorable mention?!

 

I loved the pumpkin porter. My favorite Summit ever. Fest Bier is a close second.

 

All threads are Saga threads. @mothman knows.