Sierra Nevada ‘2013 summerfest’ lager

Rating:

image“Since their invention in the 1840s, Pilsener-style beers have become the world’s most popular style. With a nod toward the original Czech tradition, Summerfest is brewed to feature the best of Bohemian nature. Crisp, golden, dry and incredibly drinkable, Summerfest has a delicate and complex malt flavor and spicy and floral hop character—the perfect warm weather beer.”

As we wipe the sweat off our brow on this warm Sydney day we thought a crisp, refreshing lager would be a fitting beverage. We served in a dimpled mug. This pilsner-style lager pours a slightly hazy gold with a compacted white head that peels off quite quickly, forming a halo around the glass with minimal lacing. A vigorous twirl of the glass struggles to lift the very delicate aroma that mainly consists of herbal saaz hops, honey, light citrus and bready malts. A little too restrained for our liking. Swishing the beer around the mouth provides a light texture with mild carbonation. Medium bodied. Upfront we got a subtle grainy malt sweetness with a mild lingering hop bitterness. A soft hint of citrus props up in the mid and leads to the crisp, refreshing finish. Reasonable length. At 5% ABV it’s a perfect beer for a hot afternoon session. A little bland for this brewery but overall it wasn’t a bad addition to this brewery’s huge repertoire.