My word associations for summer: Hot, steamy, beach, sand, yard work, barbecue, soft serve Orange custard on the Jersey shore, Maine, lobster, Geary’s.

Well, this is the first summer in a few years that I won’t be vacationing in Maine, but I did happen upon a stash of Geary’s Summer Ale at the bargain price of $6.99 a six-pack this week, so maybe it’s not so bad I’m staying home fighting mosquitoes (the Jersey state insect) by my lonesome.

Geary’s was one of my first forays into craft brewing and over the years I’ve returned to them time and again when I find them available. Brewed since 1986 in Portland Maine by the D.L. Geary Brewing Company, Geary’s Pale Ale is one of the benchmark beers of the craft brewing industry here in the U.S. No matter what the other breweries might experiment with and foist on an unsuspecting public, Geary’s keeps doing it right in my opinion. They just make great beer.

Style Notes
Geary’s Summer Ale aspires to reach the same pinnacle as their Pale Ale and whether it succeeds or not, it is a beer I’ve grown awfully fond of over the last few years. It is a Kölsch ale in style (meaning a top fermenting golden ale), one common to the German city of Cologne. Kölsch ales are generally thought to be a perfect choice for warm weather drinking and enjoyment here in the U.S.

Now, Geary’s notes that the “style of this ale will be...similar to a German Kölsch” so it is not a truly authentic one for those keeping score at home. The ale is brewed with two row English malts (clarity pale and carapils) and Magnum, Tettnang and Saaz hops. Its alcohol by volume rating (ABV) is 6 percent. [See the drinkmainebeer.com Web site for more info.]

Tasting Notes
The brew pours out to an amber honey color with a full on frothy and fragrant head of beer lace. The malt presence is noted immediately and the surprisingly complex mouthfeel reveals delectable variations on the sweet, tart, tangy, and floral tinges of the taste scale. The finish tends to be on the tart or dry side with a grassy touch, like that of fresh mowed lawn grass or picked herbs. I suppose “earthy” would be a good descriptive as well.

Would I Have Another?
Absolutely. Some reviewers on other sites have derided this beer’s ability to be a thirst quencher which I have to disagree with. I personally enjoy a beer that smacks my taste buds around a bit while drinking, and Geary’s Summer Ale certainly wins in that regard. The hops come on strong within this ale. I would call it a “lip smacker.” In my opinion, this is a perfect beer for summer drinking (four stars) as its thirst quenching capabilities are rivaled only by its ability to encourage one to have another round like a true session beer for the dog days of summer. Others mileage may vary.

Geary’s Summer Ale is also notable for its packaging which changes every year. The company sponsors an art contest every year in which the winner receives a scholarship to the Maine College of Art in Portland, in addition to the brewery using their work on that year’s label.

The artwork normally depicts a Maine scene (lobsters, lobster traps, lobster boats, beach scenes and sunsets are found on past labels) and the ale is available from April-September each year.

Sources
More about the brewery can be found at the www.drinkmainebeer.com site or at www.gearybrewing.com



Recommended: Yes