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<< Previous   of   Next >> Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Summer beers (from left) Diamond Knot Blonde Ale, Snoqualmie Pre-Prohibition Pilsner, Scuttlebutt Tripel 7 Belgian, Red Hook Sunrye and Pyramid Curve Ball Photo taken 061909 Features - summer beer   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Gastrointestinal problems lurk on sandy shores 7/9/09 • Thou shalt pack heat 6/28/09 • Spring brews: How five local seasonals rank 3/29/09 • BREW HO-HO: Locally produced seasonal ales add flavor to the holiday season 12/8/08 • Take one down and pass it around ... beer, that is 9/29/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, June 28, 2009 Summer brews: We test 5 refreshing beers By Andy Rathbun Herald Writer Brewing a summer seasonal is tricky. On the one hand, the beer has to be light and refreshing, the cliched goal of most summer beers. On the other hand, it also has to be distinct and flavorful. If it's not, you may as well drink a Miller Lite. Some of the larger microbreweries fail to accomplish both, playing it safe with lighter fare that's as thirst-quenching as it is forgettable. Smaller brewers in the area have better luck, crafting beer that you may remember after the season ends. Tripel 7 Belgian Style Ale From: Scuttlebutt Brewing, Everett Thoughts: You might dismiss Scuttlebutt's Tripel 7 as gimmicky, what with the banana and white pear accents. That would be shortsighted. The Tripel 7's light, tropical flavors elevate this wonderful Belgian ale. Drink with caution, however. The carefully blended tastes ably mask the high alcohol content. Alcohol by volume: 9 percent Served in: 22-ounce bottles Grade: 3 1/2 stars out of 4 Blonde Ale From: Diamond Knot Brewing, Mukilteo Thoughts: This blond delivers an outdoorsy flavor that, as one in our informal group of eight testers said, tastes like camping. While the flavor is pleasant at first, the initial buzz gives way to a buttery aftertaste that detracts from the otherwise admirable beer. Alcohol by volume: 4.2 percent Served in: Half-gallon growlers Grade: 3 stars Summer Beer From: Snoqualmie Falls Brewing, Snoqualmie Thoughts: Snoqualmie's summer beer is not all that summery. A variation on a pilsner, it has a strong, bitter flavor that tastes more like an effervescent IPA. It's hard to imagine drinking one at the beach, but a bottle could work if you're grilling something equally substantial, like a rack of ribs. Alcohol by volume: 5.6 percent Served in: 22-ounce bottles Grade: 2 1/2 stars Curve Ball Blonde Ale From: Pyramid Brewing, Seattle Thoughts: Curve Ball is refreshing in the same way water is refreshing. The drinkable ale satisfies, but it also lacks flavor. A pint glass might benefit from the addition of a slice of orange. Without that spike of citrus, you may want to just grab a Bud Light. Alcohol by volume: 5 percent Served in: 12-ounce bottles Grade: 2 stars Sunrye From: Redhook Ale Brewery, Woodinville Thoughts: Like Pyramid's Curve Ball, Redhook's Sunrye is refreshing but unremarkable. Again, it calls to mind a slightly more complex mass-market beer, and again, it doesn't quite justify the extra money for a six-pack. Alcohol by volume: 4.7 percent Served in: 12-ounce bottles Grade: 1 1/2 stars Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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