Silver Anniversary Ale
Summit's description, "What better way to celebrate 25 years of Summit than with a limited-edition ale
inspired by the beer that started it all? This assertively hopped interpretation of our EPA offers up grapefruit,
passion fruit and kiwi aromas that lead to a crisp yet well-balanced finish."
Specs:
Original Gravity: 14.5° P
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Color, (deg. L.): Light bronze
Bittering Units: 80
Malts Utilized: 2-Row Harrington, Crystal 60
Hops Utilized: Citra, Centennial, Cascade (also dry hopped with all three varieties)
Yeast: American Ale
Established: 2011
Appearance - Light bronze as described, it pours from the 12-ounce can with a nice creamy white head
which sticks around and leaves some really nice lacing on the glass.
Smell - Aromas of strong citrus with an earthy floral undertone. This is a really lovely smelling
beer. My initial impression was, "Wow, this smells a hell of a lot like Pliny the Elder."
Taste - Aggressively hopped, this pumped-up version of their classic EPA (Extra Pale Ale) is a worthy
adversary to do battle with. Strong tastes of grapefruit, kiwi and lemon are gently held up with the light
malt backbone required to keep this one a hop-forward ale.
Feel - Medium bodied, the beer dances on the palate with a perfect amount of carbonation.
Finish - As expected, the hops linger long after the swallow. Lasting flavors of citrus, grass, and freshly
picked hops remain.
Overall Impression - In celebration of their 25th Anniversary, Summit has produced what very well may be their best beer. This
assertively-hopped ale is truly glorious. This is one of the best beers you'll find on the shelf right now. If you're a fan of their best-selling
EPA, you will love this take on that familiar recipe. My only hope is that we don't have to wait 25 more years for the next batch.
Summit's description, "What better way to celebrate 25 years of Summit than with a limited-edition ale
inspired by the beer that started it all? This assertively hopped interpretation of our EPA offers up grapefruit,
passion fruit and kiwi aromas that lead to a crisp yet well-balanced finish."
Specs:
Original Gravity: 14.5° P
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Color, (deg. L.): Light bronze
Bittering Units: 80
Malts Utilized: 2-Row Harrington, Crystal 60
Hops Utilized: Citra, Centennial, Cascade (also dry hopped with all three varieties)
Yeast: American Ale
Established: 2011
Appearance - Light bronze as described, it pours from the 12-ounce can with a nice creamy white head
which sticks around and leaves some really nice lacing on the glass.
Smell - Aromas of strong citrus with an earthy floral undertone. This is a really lovely smelling
beer. My initial impression was, "Wow, this smells a hell of a lot like Pliny the Elder."
Taste - Aggressively hopped, this pumped-up version of their classic EPA (Extra Pale Ale) is a worthy
adversary to do battle with. Strong tastes of grapefruit, kiwi and lemon are gently held up with the light
malt backbone required to keep this one a hop-forward ale.
Feel - Medium bodied, the beer dances on the palate with a perfect amount of carbonation.
Finish - As expected, the hops linger long after the swallow. Lasting flavors of citrus, grass, and freshly
picked hops remain.
Overall Impression - In celebration of their 25th Anniversary, Summit has produced what very well may be their best beer. This
assertively-hopped ale is truly glorious. This is one of the best beers you'll find on the shelf right now. If you're a fan of their best-selling
EPA, you will love this take on that familiar recipe. My only hope is that we don't have to wait 25 more years for the next batch.
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MidwestMicroBrews, 118 S. Washington Street #402B, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 |
| MidwestMicroBrews' Midwest Beer Reviews! |
Unchained Series: Black Ale
Summit's description, "The rich, dark color. Exotic hops from Australia and New Zealand for pronounced
citrus, passion fruit and pepper character. Toasty and dark malts. Summit Black Ale takes you on quite
a journey. Batch 8 in our Unchained Series from brewer Mike Lundell, this medium bodied, hoppy ale
should be a hit with adventurous beer lovers. So get it while you can. Like all our Unchained brews, it
won’t be around long."
Specs:
Seasonal
Original Gravity: 14.5° Plato
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Color, (deg. L.): Black
Bittering Units: 65
Malts Utilized: 2-row Harrington, Torrified Wheat, Cara Wheat, Midnight Wheat, and Carafa III Special
Hops Utilized: New Zealand Pacific Jade, Australian Galaxy
Yeast: American Ale Strain
Established: 2011
Appearance - It pours a beautiful ebony color with a 1/4 inch head of creamy beige head, which had
nice retention and left a fair amount of lacing.
Smell - Aromas are a delicate balance of roasty malts and piney, resinous hops. There are also some orange
and grape undertones that dance with hints of chocolate.
Taste - Wonderfully balanced in taste, the roastiness of the malts and the piney, grassy and citrusy
hops compliment each other wonderfully.
Feel - Medium bodied, with the right amount of carbonation, it is pleasure to sip and savor.
Finish - It finishes with an exceptional dryness that leaves you thirsty for more.
Overall Impression - Summit has a history of making excellent beer. For over 25 years, they've delivered some of the most solid and
true-t0-catergory ales you could find. Their Unchained Series, now in its eight incarnation, is where they allow their brewers the
freedom to experiment with new styles and tweak old ones. Much like those previous releases, Black Ale is an absolute treat. Trying their
hand at the still-relatively-new Black IPA style, Summit shows that there is no style that they cannot produce and excel at. If this is your
first attempt at the style, it's a wonderful introduction. If you've found this to be a style that you enjoy, you'll be more than pleased with
the results. This one ranks right up there with New Glarus Brewing's Blacktop, which picked up the Gold medal at this years' GABF for
the style.
Summit's description, "The rich, dark color. Exotic hops from Australia and New Zealand for pronounced
citrus, passion fruit and pepper character. Toasty and dark malts. Summit Black Ale takes you on quite
a journey. Batch 8 in our Unchained Series from brewer Mike Lundell, this medium bodied, hoppy ale
should be a hit with adventurous beer lovers. So get it while you can. Like all our Unchained brews, it
won’t be around long."
Specs:
Seasonal
Original Gravity: 14.5° Plato
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Color, (deg. L.): Black
Bittering Units: 65
Malts Utilized: 2-row Harrington, Torrified Wheat, Cara Wheat, Midnight Wheat, and Carafa III Special
Hops Utilized: New Zealand Pacific Jade, Australian Galaxy
Yeast: American Ale Strain
Established: 2011
Appearance - It pours a beautiful ebony color with a 1/4 inch head of creamy beige head, which had
nice retention and left a fair amount of lacing.
Smell - Aromas are a delicate balance of roasty malts and piney, resinous hops. There are also some orange
and grape undertones that dance with hints of chocolate.
Taste - Wonderfully balanced in taste, the roastiness of the malts and the piney, grassy and citrusy
hops compliment each other wonderfully.
Feel - Medium bodied, with the right amount of carbonation, it is pleasure to sip and savor.
Finish - It finishes with an exceptional dryness that leaves you thirsty for more.
Overall Impression - Summit has a history of making excellent beer. For over 25 years, they've delivered some of the most solid and
true-t0-catergory ales you could find. Their Unchained Series, now in its eight incarnation, is where they allow their brewers the
freedom to experiment with new styles and tweak old ones. Much like those previous releases, Black Ale is an absolute treat. Trying their
hand at the still-relatively-new Black IPA style, Summit shows that there is no style that they cannot produce and excel at. If this is your
first attempt at the style, it's a wonderful introduction. If you've found this to be a style that you enjoy, you'll be more than pleased with
the results. This one ranks right up there with New Glarus Brewing's Blacktop, which picked up the Gold medal at this years' GABF for
the style.
Summit Brewing Company - St. Paul, Minnesota
Unchained Series: Dunkel Weizen
There's no question that Summit Brewing Company brews solid beers. Its year-round portfolio
is full of classic takes on classic styles. Their Pilsener is one of our favorite Czech Pilseners out
there. Their Great Norther Porter is top-notch. The MidwestMicroBrews office fridge is never
without at least few bottles of their Extra Pale Ale.
Putting out a quality product has brought them great success. Going into their 26th year of
brewing, they are the 20th largest craft brewery in the United States and the 3rd largest in
the Midwest (Bells being the largest and Boulevard the second largest).
Anchored by that success, a few years ago, the team at Summit decided to let their brewers
loose a bit and launched their Unchained Series. By giving their brewers the freedom to try out
new recipes and experiment with different styles, the series has quickly become a showcase of the
extraordinary brewing talents of the Summit team. Each batch is formulated and brewed under
the direction of one of Summit’s brewers.
We’ve found the series to be nothing short of excellent so far – and with Batch 8: Black Ale,
being our favorite of the series thus far (see our review below) -- we were very excited to have
the opportunity to sample the latest offering: Batch 9: Dunkel Weizen.
Brewed by Eric Blomquist, who was also responsible for the excellent 90 /- Scottish Style Ale
of Batch 2, this classic dunkelweizen should soon rank among the best examples of the style in
the world. Blomquist has clearly done his homework when it comes to this Old-World style.
Those who’ve had the pleasure of tasting the classic German dunkelweizens brewed by
Erdinger and Weihenstephaner will know what to expect with this one.
Blomquist’s creation pours a beautiful dark caramel. A slight reddish hue is detectable through the haziness of this mostly unfiltered
masterpiece. With a not-so-careful pour, you get the picture to the right. With a better pour, you get three fingers of a thick, creamy
head of off-white head forms and sticks around for the remainder leaving exquisite lacing across the glass.
Aromas of banana and clove are noticed first, as to be expected for the style. But there is also some green apple, toasted almond, and also
some delicate wafts of cocoa.
The taste is all about the malt in this one. Wonderful tastes of caramel, chocolate, toffee, ripened bananas, and allspice intermingle on the
palate. Hops are almost imperceptible with this one, adding just enough balance for the sweetness. The authentic Bavarian yeast strain
used imparts that distinct banana-clove ester-ness as well. Medium-bodied and effervescent, the carbonation was perfectly suited for the
style. Finishing cleanly, this beer demands you take another sip.
It really is a shame that more American brewers do not take up the task of brewing a dunkelweizen. As Blomquist and Summit show with
this beer, it is a challenge worth accepting. This is a beer wonderfully suited for the upcoming Spring season. This is not only a wonderful
addition to the already stellar Unchained Series, it’s a damn-fine beer and one that we heartily recommend that you seek out.
Unchained Series: Dunkel Weizen
There's no question that Summit Brewing Company brews solid beers. Its year-round portfolio
is full of classic takes on classic styles. Their Pilsener is one of our favorite Czech Pilseners out
there. Their Great Norther Porter is top-notch. The MidwestMicroBrews office fridge is never
without at least few bottles of their Extra Pale Ale.
Putting out a quality product has brought them great success. Going into their 26th year of
brewing, they are the 20th largest craft brewery in the United States and the 3rd largest in
the Midwest (Bells being the largest and Boulevard the second largest).
Anchored by that success, a few years ago, the team at Summit decided to let their brewers
loose a bit and launched their Unchained Series. By giving their brewers the freedom to try out
new recipes and experiment with different styles, the series has quickly become a showcase of the
extraordinary brewing talents of the Summit team. Each batch is formulated and brewed under
the direction of one of Summit’s brewers.
We’ve found the series to be nothing short of excellent so far – and with Batch 8: Black Ale,
being our favorite of the series thus far (see our review below) -- we were very excited to have
the opportunity to sample the latest offering: Batch 9: Dunkel Weizen.
Brewed by Eric Blomquist, who was also responsible for the excellent 90 /- Scottish Style Ale
of Batch 2, this classic dunkelweizen should soon rank among the best examples of the style in
the world. Blomquist has clearly done his homework when it comes to this Old-World style.
Those who’ve had the pleasure of tasting the classic German dunkelweizens brewed by
Erdinger and Weihenstephaner will know what to expect with this one.
Blomquist’s creation pours a beautiful dark caramel. A slight reddish hue is detectable through the haziness of this mostly unfiltered
masterpiece. With a not-so-careful pour, you get the picture to the right. With a better pour, you get three fingers of a thick, creamy
head of off-white head forms and sticks around for the remainder leaving exquisite lacing across the glass.
Aromas of banana and clove are noticed first, as to be expected for the style. But there is also some green apple, toasted almond, and also
some delicate wafts of cocoa.
The taste is all about the malt in this one. Wonderful tastes of caramel, chocolate, toffee, ripened bananas, and allspice intermingle on the
palate. Hops are almost imperceptible with this one, adding just enough balance for the sweetness. The authentic Bavarian yeast strain
used imparts that distinct banana-clove ester-ness as well. Medium-bodied and effervescent, the carbonation was perfectly suited for the
style. Finishing cleanly, this beer demands you take another sip.
It really is a shame that more American brewers do not take up the task of brewing a dunkelweizen. As Blomquist and Summit show with
this beer, it is a challenge worth accepting. This is a beer wonderfully suited for the upcoming Spring season. This is not only a wonderful
addition to the already stellar Unchained Series, it’s a damn-fine beer and one that we heartily recommend that you seek out.
Read more MidwestMicroBrews Reviews... Arbor Brewing Company - Ann Arbor, Michigan Capital Brewery - Middleton, Wisconsin Central Waters Brewing Company - Amherst, Wisconsin Copper Canyon Brewery - Southfield, Michigan Detroit Beer Company - Detroit, Michigan Firestone Walker Brewing Company - Paso Robales, California Goose Island Brewing Company - Chicago, Illinois Grumpy Troll Brewpub - Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Herkimer Pub & Brewery - Minneapolis, Minnesota Onion Pub & Brewery - Lake Barrington, Illinois Round Barn Brewery - Baroda, Michigan Shmaltz Brewing Company - Brooklyn, New York Short's Brewing Company - Bellaire, Michigan Sprecher Brewing Company - Glendale, Wisconsin Stevens Point Brewery - Stevens Point, Wisconsin Stone Cellar Brewpub - Appleton, Wisconsin Summit Brewing Company - St. Paul, Minnesota Sun King Brewing Company - Indianapolis, Indiana Titletown Brewing Company - Green Bay, Wisconsin Upland Brewing Company - Bloomington, Indiana |