Summit - Extra Pale Ale

After a two day hiatus from Summit Brewing Week we are back to wrap things up with Summit's most well known beer, their Extra Pale Ale.  This beauty won 1st place at the World Beer Cup in 2010 for best English Pale Ale.  That's quite an amazing achievement for a Minnesotan brewery to take home gold in an English style brew.  Especially when you are going up against the best breweries in the world!  Summits's EPA also took home silver at the Great American Beer Festival in 2010 as well.  Last year was a pretty good year for this brew!

Dunz reviewed this EPA back in April and found it to be a delicious brew for this scorching weather we have been having recently.  I'm certainly happy I have a few of these from the Autumn sampler pack at my disposal today.  Dunz and I brewed our first beer of 2011 this afternoon and holy crap was it hot out.  A nice, crisp pale ale was definitely in order after we finished up.

Summit's English iteration of the pale ale style has a gorgeous presentation.  Crystal clear, amber orange with a soft white foam.  The aromas here are very floral with a sturdy malt backbone.  Some herbal citrus fruit tags along with a bready malt base.  The taste is a smooth light caramelized malt with balanced by a snappy hop bitterness.  That citrus flows through to the taste but stays mellow enough to retain an English-style profile.  A moderate level of carbonation helps to solidify the crisp and clean mouthfeel.

Overall - You cant go wrong with Summit's EPA.  Its a clean, flavorful and refreshing easy drinker that is included in every sampler pack Summit produces.  You can find this on tap at just about every bar within the Minneapolis - St. Paul area.  This is what I buy at the bar when my only other choices are that light stuff people claim to call beer.


That wraps it up for Summit Brewing Week.  I'm definitely looking forward to the release of Summit's 25th Anniversary IPA next week.  Keep your eyes peeled for our imminent review of what is surely to be a delicious treat!