The Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY
A modern rendition of the “Light Dinner Ales” brewed in England throughout the 1800s. Brewed from English barley malt, which gives this light-bodied golden beer a fresh bready flavor. German and American hops lend a light, crisp bitterness and a citrus/floral aroma.
ABV: 5.0
ABW: 4.0
COLOR: N/A
BITTERNESS: 18
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1044
AVAILABLE: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT
This one goes down as easy as a summer day from start to finish. Pouring a bright golden yellow with a skiff of a white head, aromas hint lightly of toasted bread and lemon zest. The beer continues the trend at first sip with similar flavors and just a touch of yeastiness to give it some backbone. Brooklyn Summer Ale isn’t meant to be complex and should be enjoyed at the peak of the season along with grilled meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, a deck chair and a sunny, warm afternoon.
What do you want from a summer ale? I’d suggest a crisp, light-bodied beer that works as a quick refresher without sacrificing character. On that basis, Brooklyn’s creation fits the bill. The herbal hop resins that cut through the slightly creamy, faintly vanilla-like aroma promise a clean, zippy taste and that’s what you get, although the flavor is much drier than expected, with a cracker-like texture behind the herbs and lime-like sharpness. The same wheaty dryness is a key feature of the bitter, herbal finish. The beer has no real depth, but that’s not what I’m after here.
Lisa Morrison, aka The Beer Goddess, writes about beer whenever and wherever she can and also gets to talk about it on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.
Author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide and The Book of Beer Knowledge, Jeff Evans is an eight-time editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. More of his writing can be found at www.insidebeer.com.
