Summit Scandia Ale

12 oz bottle poured into a weizen glass. pours a lightly hazy golden color with three fingers of light, frothy white head.

aroma is a standrad witbier, with the lightly bready malt forming a base for citrusy hops and a light spiced character, probably from coriander. a lightly sweet quality envelops the malt, allowing the citrus to become the focus. the spiced flavor becomes more distinct as the brew warms.

taste is of wheat malt up front, with a bit of citrus mixed in. the spiced character shows itself on the back of the palate, along with a bit of residual yeasty malt.

mouthfeel is light bodied, with a smooth and somewhat watery texture. finishes curiously crisp with little residual aftertaste. only distant citrus and malt on the palate after the fact.

drinkability is decent. as far as witbeirs go, this one lacks character and could use a bit more concentration. otherwise the proportioning is nice and the crisp finish is suprizingly pleasant. worth a try, but not one of Summit's best by far.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 711021 Reviewed on: 07-21-2008 17:01:23

A: medium amber, large white head.

S: Smell is very malty. Very sweet, like candy almost.

T: medium bodied, typical of the style. Very sweet, a bit too heavy for my taste.

M: Strong and sweet. Strong hoppiness, very crisp and refreshing.

D: Good, if you like this style. Decent example of the style. Quality all around.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 710392 Reviewed on: 07-20-2008 16:48:05

Pours a cloudy golden color with a large white head that has good retention. Sticky lacing is left on the glass surface.

Very aromatic. I smell cloves, ginger/cinnamon (I guess comes from the cardamon), and yeast.

Heavy spice flavors. I do not detect much for fruit or malt qualities. Most of the flavor must come from the yeast and added spices. A bit one dimensional and a little overpowering.

Nice light body with a well suited carbonation.

Would be a good session and refreshing beer if it wasn't so full of spice and lacking beer flavor qualities. Whatever that means. A couple of these and I have had enough and I quickly grow tired of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 710063 Reviewed on: 07-19-2008 22:31:37

12 oz. bottle poured into a Hoegaarden glass. Dark gold-straw color with a thin but bubbly white head. Cloudy with small soap sud-like lacing. Looks like a witbier should.

Spicy nose, as should be expected. Coriander and something I'm not too familiar with -- the website says it's brewed with cardamom, so that's my guess. Citrusy as well, mostly orange peel.

Taste is pretty much what the aroma had prepared me for, with a little bit of a peppery bite, more earthy malts, and mildly yeasty.

Clean, crisp mouthfeel and all around a solid, if not spectacular witbier. Given its availability and price in these parts, I will definitely be picking up a couple more 6-packs before things start cooling down.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 700472 Reviewed on: 07-01-2008 18:06:36

12 oz bottle. Pours a cloudy orange color with a big, lively white head full of tons of tiny bubbles. Great head retention. Aroma is of coriander and lemon zest, with a nice subtle floral note. Flavor is at a perfect level...it's not too overpowering like sometimes happens in Belgian Wits. Nice citrus notes with a touch of the coriander and just a dash of spice. Very pleasant. Nice easy drinker, very nice in the hot weather.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 697915 Reviewed on: 06-27-2008 00:39:42

A- Pours a slightly cloudy, perfect for a white ale, color with a 2 finger head, that recedes slowly

S- The orange and coriander pop out on this one with also some nice wheat yeast smell of clove and banana.

T- A touch thin on this one with some initial orange, but finishes with the clove, banana, and the slightest pepper, much the same as Summits Hefeweizen. It's refreshing, and sweeter, but I just have had better white ales. This just attains a 4... barely.

M- Low carbonation but works well with the style.

D- This isn't the greatest Wit that I've ever had, but I'd maybe drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 687594 Reviewed on: 06-07-2008 04:08:40

Appearance: cloudy orange-gold body beneath a short but creamy head of white. Decent retention. Average lacing.

Smell: The aroma is spicy and bright. Maltiness lies beneath. No hops, as intended/expected.

Taste: Very spicy. Also woody. Peppery. I was thinking Juniper and twigs (Sahti?), but that's not it ... cardamom, coriander, citrus ... very bright and intertwined with moderate bitterness. Still earthy, or mineralish in a way.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Crisp and effervescent. Probably 2.65 volumes/Co2 liter.

Drinkability: Well, this beer is certainly not for everyone, but I loved it. It's different and unusual. And it's got character despite its drinkability. Worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

| id: 679699 Reviewed on: 05-23-2008 02:28:34

A-Light golden-straw hue. Formed one-finger head that slowly faded into a think cap. Even carbonation dispersed throughout, all of rising through the core, and none of it coming up the edges of the glass. Yeast at bottom of bottle. Left weak lacing.

S-Wheat malt, coriander, white pepper, cardamom, lemon zest, hint peppermint on first few gos, and bit of pine.

T-Wheat malt with spice and lemon backbone. Fruity lemon citrus and spice hit at first, followed by a smooth mid-palate of fine cardamom, pepper and pine that is coupled with light sweetness. Hops open up at the back, and linger on the finish with the spice.

M-Body is textured enough to carry the flavor, and crisply complements the flavors and carbonation. The drinks easy, and it's pleasant on all the senses.

D-Different than your run-of-the-mill American Witbiers. It's crisp, well-balanced, and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 616789 Reviewed on: 02-01-2008 03:14:19

A - Poured out a golden yellow color with a small white head that left no lace. It was also very cloudy with a good deal of yeast sediment.

S - It smelled of yeast, clove and banana.

T - It had a citrusy taste with some wheat overtones. It also had some spice to it.

M - It was crisp and very sharp. A light bodied beer.

D - This was pretty good even though I drank it long after it was "out of season".

Serving type: bottle

| id: 597456 Reviewed on: 12-30-2007 00:55:06

Thanks to Tip Top for this beer.

A: Drab and cloudy pear juice colored brew with a mediocre off white head which enables only a small ring around the glass.

S: Whole lot of coriander, some lemon zest, wheat and black pepper

T: Starts of minerally, with a lot less flavor than the smell with lead the drinker to believe. The spices are subdued but present…coriander, nutmeg and all spice. Gets a little dirty tasting, sort of like old hops. Finishes fairly cloying, nutmeg lasting a bit longer than I would have preferred.

M: Thin a hard.

D: Me thinks that the age on this beer affected the spices within.

Serving type: bottle

| id: 565157 Reviewed on: 10-21-2007 22:44:04