Photo: J.T. Wampler

This week’s beer: Sierra Nevada 2012 Summerfest Crisp Summer Lager.

This seasonal from Sierra Nevada pours clear and pale with a thin, white head that quickly retreats. Its aroma is of light malts and noble hops. On the taste side, it’s crisp and malty with maybe a touch of lemony sweetness. It finishes clean, leaving your palate ready for another sip.

This is a great all-malt pilsner that will be dandy on a hot summer day after mowing the yard or at a friendly afternoon barbeque. The brewery’s website lists the ingredients two-row Pale & Munich malts and Perle & Saaz hops. It comes in at 5.0% ABV and is super refreshing and easy to drink. A fun experiment would be to pour one of these into a glass for a confirmed Bud/Miller/Coors drinker and see if they notice a difference.

I’m not too crazy about pilsners in general, but I can appreciate a well-made beer whatever the style. Sierra Nevada hit a home run with their summer seasonal this year. Don’t miss this one.

This beer is available in the Northwest Arkansas area.

Pair with barbecue chicken or ribs.

Rating: 4.2

J.T Wampler
J.T. is a contributor for the Fayetteville Flyer. He is also the owner and brewer at the Tanglewood Branch Beer Co., located at 1431 S. School Ave. in Fayetteville.
For more beer reviews from J.T., see his author page.