Casco Bay Summer (Casco Bay Brewing Co.)

Casco Bay recently was bought out by Shipyard and their beers are now brewed and bottled at the Shipyard facility in Portland. I'm not sure how much has changed in the recipes and whether or not its just the marketing thats left but I guess we'll find out. I can say that the Casco Bay Red Ale that was on cask over at Peaks Island was fantastic.

Pours a deep golden color with about a finger and a half of head on top. A fine looking pour. The Casco Bay Summer is clean and clear in appearance with some nice bubbles bouncing around.

Smells sweet and sugary with a faint hint of citrus from the hops perhaps. A bit of apple cider comes out as well. Not a lot of strong smells with this one.

Taste is fruit esters, juicy and quite thirst quenching. There is a nice hop finish that balances this one out nicely. No major complaints from this light blonde beer. All around its a mighty tasty summer ale.

BEER FACTS

Name: Casco Bay Summer Ale

Style: Blonde Ale

Brewery: Casco Bay Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Summer Golden Ale (Andrew's Brewing Company)

If you were to think of the prototypical Maine brewery, you'd probably imagine something like Andrew's in Lincolnville. The owner and brewer, Andrew Hazen, are one in the same, the brewing equipment was designed by Andrew and its in a very quiet area along the Maine coastline. I heard recently that Andrew's has acquired a grain silo that should help cut some costs.

Summer Golden Ale pours a very light golden color, more apt to be called straw colored I guess. Carbonation level looks pretty good and the thin white head is quite long lasting. Looks like a pretty clean light drinking beer.

Smell is sweet, malty and slightly like bread dough. A few more whiffs and their is some rather astringent and bitter aromas that come through as well.

First taste is pretty light malt and not much in the way of sweetness. The follow through is slightly bitter and sour and their is some definite dryness as well. This is a pretty light tasting beer thats pretty crisp and has some qualities that remind me of a continental lager.

BEER FACTS

Name: Summer Golden Ale

Style: Blonde Ale

Brewery: Andrew's Brewing Company

Location: Lincolnville, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Summer Ale (Shipyard Brewing Company)

Another label that tells all you non-believers that we really do get some nice, warm weather here in Maine. It also shows that famous rocky coastline and nice cold water that lobsters love so much. If I'm not totally mistaken, is that some wheat on the label as well?

Pours a clean, clear golden color. Very similar in appearance to both Geary's and Gritty's summer beers. The head is a finger in thickness but quickly disappears almost completely.

Smells like waffles. Well, not exactly but that comes to mind. Slight buttery notes along with some sharp metallic notes.

Initial taste reminded me a tad of tequila. I don't know why. After a few more sips I get some sweetness from the malt and wheat. No hop presence to speak of. I also taste some of the sharp metallic notes that I smelled. Its a very light beer without a lot of strong flavor and dry in the finish. Not my pint of beer but sure to please those looking for a light-tasting beer this summer.

BEER FACTS

Name: Summer Ale

Style: Wheat Ale

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: Wheat and ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 5.1%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Vacationland Summer Ale (Gritty's)

You have to admit, the label on this beer must draw in the tourists looking to bring back something for their friends back home. Look honey, this one's got a moose and a lighthouse on it! Gritty's calls this beer an "Extra Special Golden Ale" but I've also seen it categorized as a pale ale. I guess its up to you to decide.

It pours a nice, super clean golden color (hey, they were right!). Its got a nice foamy head on it and looks like a prototypical light bodied summer ale.

The smell is toasty malt sweetness and a little bit of hay/grass as well. I also get some of that oh-so-familiar yeast strain known as Ringwood.

Taste is light malt, butter and some wheat. I checked and it is indeed brewed with some wheat malt, so I'm not crazy. Its also brewed with cascade hops and I taste a bit of the hop bitterness and can just make out the faint floral smell from them.

A very easy drinking beer from Gritty's. It makes me want go camping and catch a moose while fishing from a kayak near a lighthouse up in the mountains!

BEER FACTS

Name: Vacationland Summer Ale

Style: Extra Special Golden Ale/Pale Ale

Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewpub

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: Pale and Wheat Malt

Hops: Cascade, Saaz

ABV: 4.9%

IBUs: 22

Brewed in Maine

Summer Ale (Geary's Brewing Company)

Every year Geary's awards a scholarship to a Maine College of Art student whose design they choose for their summer ale packaging. Obviously the winning design has to embody something very Maine-y and I'd say that this year's winner does just that...check out that lobster getting sunburned!

Geary's Summer pours a clean, light golden color with a thick head. It looks very much like a light lager in appearance. It looks like an easy drinking, refreshing beer, as do most Kölsch-style beers.

Smells like light malt, slightly yeasty and very faint hoppiness.

Taste is crisp and slightly dry in the finish. There is some malt sweetness with some hop bitterness at the end. Maybe the bitterness comes from the malt? This is the light-bodied beer you want in the fridge when you've got yard work to do or you're having a barbecue and don't know what your friends like to drink. This is certainly the type of beer that everyone can agree on during a nice warm, sunny day.

BEER FACTS

Name: Summer Ale

Style: Kölsch

Brewery: Geary's Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: Two row English malt (clarity, wheat and caramalt)

Hops: Magnum, Tettnang and Saaz

ABV: 6%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine