Sum, Sum, Summertime Ale

 

 

Truth be told, the term “Summer Ale” is not an official beer style.  It can be used, however, as a sort of catch-all descriptive term for true beer styles that seem to emerge, gain popularity, or due to their flavor characteristics, achieve a new life – or all of the above – during the three months that follow June 21st.  That Sam Adams Summer?  Technically, an American Pale Wheat Beer.  Wheat beers such as this, along with others like the German Hefeweizen and Belgian Witbier seem nearly synonymous with summer.  Then come a handful of lesser known styles, like the German Kolsch, American Blonde Ale, and many fruit beers that always seem to be clinging to summer’s golden threads, like the little dog hanging on to the girl’s bathing suit in the classic Coppertone ads.

So what makes them go so well with summer? Maybe it’s a simple matter of taste. Consider that more often than not, “summer ales” are wheat based beers. The German Hefeweizen and its American approximation, the American Pale Wheat, are perhaps the most well known styles associated with the warmer months, and with the Summer Ale label.  The wheat in a Hefeweizen, according to German law, must make up at least 50% of the beer’s total grain, and along with certain strains of German ale yeast, contributes to a host of very specific, classic flavors. Among these are banana and clove notes, and sometimes even a bubble gum like taste. Hefeweizens are also left unfiltered and are bottle conditioned, meaning an additional amount of fresh beer is added to the unfiltered beer, which still has enough live yeast to produce a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The leftover, unfiltered yeast produces not only a hazy, glowing, gorgeous looking beer, but the secondary fermentation produces a higher level of carbonation that gives the beer the characteristic crispness Hefeweizens are known for. These flavors, along with the effervescence and the light to medium body, makes for a very refreshing brew, and one that many think fits perfectly when you’re melting in the summer heat. American Pale Wheat beers are an American version of the Hefeweizen, with often a lesser amount of wheat malt and more neutral yeast strains, which produce much less of the classic banana or clove like flavors.

The Belgian Witbier is another summer loving beer. Often confused with the Hefeweizen, since both predominantly use wheat in the recipe, Witbiers differ in a couple basic ways. They are always spiced, with typical ingredients such as coriander or orange peel, while Hefeweizens are not. Witbiers feature raw, or unmalted wheat, while in a Hefeweizen, the wheat is malted, or, heat is put to the grain. Witbiers still have a high level of carbonation, and along with the fruity, spiced flavors, again make for a refreshing summer beer. Think the name “Witbier” sounds odd, and you’ve never had one? Take a look at those taps at the bar again. See the Blue Moon tap? Oh, you’ve even had one before? Guess what – you’ve had a Witbier.

No discussion about summer beer would be complete without the Belgian Saison. The name literally means “season”, and here’s where history again sneaks back into our conversation. According to most versions of the story, Saisons were originally produced prior to harvesting season to serve the farmhands who were out working in the summer heat. Apparently, this particular area of Belgium may have had a particular kind of airborne yeast which produced the complex list of characteristic Saison flavors. They are described as quite fruity, can be somewhat spicy, and are often fairly tart.

There are the others, such as the German Kolsch and American Blonde Ale, which sometimes are pushed under the “Summer Ale” banner. Those two are somewhat similar, featuring a light body, and are often works of subtlety and balance, retaining both a light malt character and slight ale fruityness. Either way, the overall taste is generally sublime. This lightness in flavor and body again makes for a good, refreshing hot day brew.

The “Summer Ale” – a descriptive term really, not an official beer style. Many of the beers that end up with the Summer Ale label applied to them certainly are more than worthy standing alone without it. So what do we make of it, the next time you see those two words printed on a bottle or tap handle? Perhaps it’s best to think of the label as simply a quick way to summarize the probable flavors or body a beer may have. Somehow, the lightness, the crispness, and the fruity ale flavors just seem to go hand in hand with summer. But most of all, the label may give you one vital characteristic. From hazy looking, golden Hefeweizens that look like a lazy summer day put in a bottle, to complex beers like the Saison, to subtle tasting beers such as the Kolsch, they all do one thing well – satisfy and quench a serious thirst the next time you’re on the beach, mowing the lawn, or otherwise sizzling in the summer heat.

Written by guest blogger, Jeff Dean.  His blog was recently recognized by The Roanoke Times as one of the best local blogs.  He kindly took time out of his busy schedule to write this blog post for you.  Thank you, Jeff.  We love you, man!

See what Jeff Dean is up to on The Beer Road - one person’s travels through the world of good beer.