Victory Brewing - Summer Love Ale

Tonight I'm going to be reviewing Summer Love Ale from Victory Brewing in Downingtown, PA.  This is a summer seasonal that classifies as an American Blonde Ale.  Brewed with german malts and a combination of american and german whole hop flowers, this is another European-influenced take on an American style brew. 

The label on the bottle has a summer baseball theme, and the back of the label has a little story which I have pictured below.  After a rough pour, the beer leaves an inch of frothy white head.  Very little lacing left behind.  The color is pale gold/straw, clean and very clear.  The aroma is full of lemongrass, some sweet orange zest, and honey on toast.  Also a touch of sugar in there.  The flavor starts off crisp and zesty, with lemon peels and citrusy hop bitterness.  In the background, there is a toasted bread maltyness with honey sweetness on top of it.  An herbal grassiness also plays a part in there.  The body is light, with a medium amount of carbonation - perfect.

Overall Rating:  Light, refreshing.....at it's core, this is a hoppy pilsner.  Terrific brew for a baseball game or a day on the beach.  Give it a try!  B+