Mendocino Summer
White Ale
Review Date 7/4/2008
Try?
Re-buy?
I don’t know
about you, but I’m tired of prices going up. Gasoline may be the most
noticeable example, but anybody who has bought beer lately has probably
noticed that it (including macro brands like Budweiser) has gone up in
price, too. That said, I was pleasantly surprised not long ago to pick up a
six-pack of Mendocino Summer Seasonal White Ale for a measly $6.49.
Mendocino beers have always been a bargain, and it’s nice to see that they
still are even in times like these.
Mendocino Brewing began life as the Hopland Brewery, a brewpub/microbrewery in California in 1983. Since then, the company has greatly expanded its operations and in 1997 was acquired by India’s United Breweries. In addition to a large brewery in Ukiah, California, Mendocino also operates a facility in Saratoga Springs, New York, which is where the beer I’m drinking tonight originated.
Mendocino’s beers have been a favorite of mine for almost two decades now, and beers like this summer’s White Ale are a good example why. A Belgian-inspired white ale was the perfect choice for a summer seasonal, as the crisp spicy flavor is perfectly suited for a hot summer afternoon or evening’s imbibing.
Here’s how Mendocino describes it:
This Limited Edition Summer Seasonal White Ale is a crisp and refreshing classic Belgian White Ale that is brewed with spices. This delightful ale is brewed with only the finest American two-row malted barley and unmalted wheat.
Our Summer Seasonal is an unfiltered and naturally cloudy ale. It features a thirst quenching blend of sweet orange peel and the subtle spiciness of coriander, topped off with a delicate twist of lemon. Summer is a time when we soak up the sun, and enjoy the goodness of life and friends. A time for parties and pools, barbecues and beer ~ A time for our crisp, refreshing White Ale.
Date of Introduction: May 15, 2008
Style: Handcrafted Belgian White Ale
Alc/Vol: 4.8%
Mendocino Summer Seasonal White Ale pours to a soft milky white and yellow color with a thick, tightly packed head formation and a very appetizing tart and spicy nose. But you don’t even have to smell the beer to want to sip it; this one looks extremely refreshing. And it is, as you’ll soon see when you take a sip. The body is nicely done here, very tart and quenching with crackery wheat but still there’s enough barley malt to add depth.
The spice and citrus hit you very quickly, citric orange and zesty lemon really liven things up while the coriander is drying and aromatic. A light hint of grassy hops poke through in the finish, but only a hint, and the beer ends tart and very more-ish. Indeed, Mendocino’s White Ale is dangerously drinkable, and you’ll likely find your glass empty in no time.
Maybe just a little more citrusy and hoppy than the Belgian versions, but a very, very nice beer all the same. I just adore its tart and refreshing flavor. And at the price, it’s a real bargain at a time we could all use one.
Mendocino Brewing began life as the Hopland Brewery, a brewpub/microbrewery in California in 1983. Since then, the company has greatly expanded its operations and in 1997 was acquired by India’s United Breweries. In addition to a large brewery in Ukiah, California, Mendocino also operates a facility in Saratoga Springs, New York, which is where the beer I’m drinking tonight originated.
Mendocino’s beers have been a favorite of mine for almost two decades now, and beers like this summer’s White Ale are a good example why. A Belgian-inspired white ale was the perfect choice for a summer seasonal, as the crisp spicy flavor is perfectly suited for a hot summer afternoon or evening’s imbibing.
Here’s how Mendocino describes it:
This Limited Edition Summer Seasonal White Ale is a crisp and refreshing classic Belgian White Ale that is brewed with spices. This delightful ale is brewed with only the finest American two-row malted barley and unmalted wheat.
Our Summer Seasonal is an unfiltered and naturally cloudy ale. It features a thirst quenching blend of sweet orange peel and the subtle spiciness of coriander, topped off with a delicate twist of lemon. Summer is a time when we soak up the sun, and enjoy the goodness of life and friends. A time for parties and pools, barbecues and beer ~ A time for our crisp, refreshing White Ale.
Date of Introduction: May 15, 2008
Style: Handcrafted Belgian White Ale
Alc/Vol: 4.8%
Mendocino Summer Seasonal White Ale pours to a soft milky white and yellow color with a thick, tightly packed head formation and a very appetizing tart and spicy nose. But you don’t even have to smell the beer to want to sip it; this one looks extremely refreshing. And it is, as you’ll soon see when you take a sip. The body is nicely done here, very tart and quenching with crackery wheat but still there’s enough barley malt to add depth.
The spice and citrus hit you very quickly, citric orange and zesty lemon really liven things up while the coriander is drying and aromatic. A light hint of grassy hops poke through in the finish, but only a hint, and the beer ends tart and very more-ish. Indeed, Mendocino’s White Ale is dangerously drinkable, and you’ll likely find your glass empty in no time.
Maybe just a little more citrusy and hoppy than the Belgian versions, but a very, very nice beer all the same. I just adore its tart and refreshing flavor. And at the price, it’s a real bargain at a time we could all use one.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
