Summit 100% Organic Ale Review

I liken Summit Brewing here in Minnesota to New Glarus Brewing in Wisconsin. No matter where you go in Minnesota, you can find it in pretty much every nook-and-cranny here. The only difference is that Summit distributes out of state..... Oh and that whole "Unchained-Unplugged" controversy.  They have a pretty good year round selection and their "Unchained" Series usually comes up with something pretty cool and unique, like their Old 152, a Kentucky Common beer which uses Sour Mash in the fermentation process.

Today I will be turning my attention their latest Unchained beer, 100% Organic Ale, so organic that the USDA has slapped their sticker of approval on the label, which you can see on the bottom left corner. I can honestly say that I've never seen that before.

Organic pours a dark hazy copper color with a small but foamy head and excellent lacing. There's also a good amount of carbonation visible when held up to the light.

The smell offers up a sweet citrus scent with hints of caramel, yeasts and malts. The flavor however is more balanced & milder with orange, citrus hops, caramel, malts and yeasts. Aftertaste is a bitter citrus finish. The body is moderate in weight and the carbonation is a couple notches above mild.

I would label this beer as a "Light IPA." It has all the components necessary for an IPA but it comes off as somewhat muted, which accomplishes the goal of making a Session IPA as described in the beer's dossier. It's a good beer that's easy to drink and a great way to introduce someone to the IPA style but if you're used to your IPAs with tons of flavor, you'll be disappointed. On that note, if you want an organic IPA with a robust flavor, try out Flat Earth Angry Planet.

Summit 100% Organic Ale - 7.5/10