Try?
Re-buy?
I like the motto of Atlanta’s Sweetwater
Brewing Company. “Don’t Float the Mainstream” they say. In other words,
don’t settle for your average, uninteresting, boring American Light Lager
the likes of Budweiser, Miller, or Coors. And I can understand that
sentiment. I share it. I think more beer drinkers should explore the
wide and wonderful world of beer. Look, you wouldn’t eat the same food every
time you sat down for a meal, so why drink the same beer every time you get
a hankering for a brew?
As much as I like the motto, however, floating the mainstream is exactly what Sweetwater seems to have done with their latest offering, Sweetwater Summer Hummer. Everybody loves a hummer, or so they say on the label. And they are of course referring to a different kind of hummer, too (it’s a euphemism for something I won’t go into here. Here’s how they describe the beer on the label:
A crisp refreshing wheat ale to raise your summer spirits! Hints of coriander and orange peel deliver tantalizing tones of citrus.
OK, so it’s supposed to be a Belgian style wheat ale, a Wit beer. These brews contain a generous does of wheat in the mash to impart a very refreshing crispness and drinkability. This makes them perfect for summer quenching purposes.
Here in Georgia, the now-defunct Dogwood brewing Company made an excellent Wit beer as their Summer Brew. I found it to be one of the better examples made in the states. Those who would like to read about it for historical or comparison purposes can do so by clicking here .
In any event, Sweetwater hopped right on the style for a summer brew of their own this year. The results, unfortunately, are not as spectacular as I had hoped. Because while Summer Hummer is a refreshing and very drinkable ale that might be nice for the hot weather, it lacks the true subtleties and finesse of the style.
Sweetwater Summer Hummer (now Sweetwater Hummer, and available year-round) pours to a cloudy whitish yellow color with a thick foamy head formation and a big yeasty nose. There are subtle hints of coriander to be found in the nose as well.
In the palate, there’s a touch of malt but the wheat predominates with a crackery, light bodied presence. This makes the beer very drinkable and it is tart in the finish and refreshing. So what’s the problem then? For my taste, the spicing is far too late.
To be sure, there is a touch of coriander here. And I get just the faintest hint of citrus, too, from the orange peel. But not enough to make the beer overly interesting. In truth, these spices should combine to give the beer an almost blueberry like quality (at least that’s how my taste buds have always perceived it). At the very least, they should be more perceptible than they are here and serve to accent the wheat more than they do here.
This is not a bad beer, but it is not an exceptional one either. Perhaps the weakest link in an otherwise strong line of brews.
As much as I like the motto, however, floating the mainstream is exactly what Sweetwater seems to have done with their latest offering, Sweetwater Summer Hummer. Everybody loves a hummer, or so they say on the label. And they are of course referring to a different kind of hummer, too (it’s a euphemism for something I won’t go into here. Here’s how they describe the beer on the label:
A crisp refreshing wheat ale to raise your summer spirits! Hints of coriander and orange peel deliver tantalizing tones of citrus.
OK, so it’s supposed to be a Belgian style wheat ale, a Wit beer. These brews contain a generous does of wheat in the mash to impart a very refreshing crispness and drinkability. This makes them perfect for summer quenching purposes.
Here in Georgia, the now-defunct Dogwood brewing Company made an excellent Wit beer as their Summer Brew. I found it to be one of the better examples made in the states. Those who would like to read about it for historical or comparison purposes can do so by clicking here .
In any event, Sweetwater hopped right on the style for a summer brew of their own this year. The results, unfortunately, are not as spectacular as I had hoped. Because while Summer Hummer is a refreshing and very drinkable ale that might be nice for the hot weather, it lacks the true subtleties and finesse of the style.
Sweetwater Summer Hummer (now Sweetwater Hummer, and available year-round) pours to a cloudy whitish yellow color with a thick foamy head formation and a big yeasty nose. There are subtle hints of coriander to be found in the nose as well.
In the palate, there’s a touch of malt but the wheat predominates with a crackery, light bodied presence. This makes the beer very drinkable and it is tart in the finish and refreshing. So what’s the problem then? For my taste, the spicing is far too late.
To be sure, there is a touch of coriander here. And I get just the faintest hint of citrus, too, from the orange peel. But not enough to make the beer overly interesting. In truth, these spices should combine to give the beer an almost blueberry like quality (at least that’s how my taste buds have always perceived it). At the very least, they should be more perceptible than they are here and serve to accent the wheat more than they do here.
This is not a bad beer, but it is not an exceptional one either. Perhaps the weakest link in an otherwise strong line of brews.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
