Anderson Valley Summer Solstice
On my last trip to Gail's Hops and Grapes, I picked up a couple different summer seasonal beers that I thought I would try out. Today's sample is from the Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, California. The Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema is rather nice cream ale that poured with a nice copper color and a thick head. The head subsided rather quickly, but a thin, non-lacing foam hung around the edge of the glass for the duration of the drink. Summer Solstice has a very nice sweet malty flavor to go along with the light body of a summer cream ale. From the bottle:
Welcome to Summer Solstice! This copper colored ale is smooth, malty, and lightly sweet with a delicate hint of spice for that oh-so-drinkable, extra velvety flavor. The character is lighter in body than its cousin, our wildly popular Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale. This is a silky, creamy dream, perfect as a warm weather beer. But why call it Cerveza Crema? Two reasons: One, this beer has become a favorite among many of our Hispanic friends, so it's named in their honor. Two, it sounds cool, and cool is what you want when it's hot. Serve at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit for the most optimal flavor and enjoyment.
I started out with mine at the 43 degree mark, but I believe the flavor improves significantly at about 50 degrees, as do most lighter bodied beers. Summer Solstice is also on the higher end of alcohol content for what I would consider to be a really great summer beer. At 5.6% ABV, this isn't a beer you would want to drink all afternoon if you don't have a ride home ;)
