Tuesday, June 14th 2011 Dundee Summer Wheat Beer (Dundee Brewing Company)
New to cans this summer is Dundee's Summer Wheat beer. Previously the only beer they had canned was their ubiquitous Honey Brown. The brand, which is brewed by Genesee Brewing Company in Rochester, New York, has been around since 1994 and has been going through a re-branding of sorts in the past few years. They now brew 6-7 different styles of craft beer. From the Dundee site: "An American-style wheat beer. Brewing with 40% wheat and a touch of rye malt to produce a refreshingly unique taste. Aroma hops, fruity esters and a thick, creamy white head top off this summer classic."
Here we go... Pour - straw-colored with some hints of orange. Not all that cloudy actually. This is just a bit opaque with a nice inch of pure white foam on top. Aroma - hints of orange, lemon and tangerine along with some tangy, sweet and sour smells that might be the malt or the yeast. Not entirely sure. Mostly I'm getting citrus, which is quite nice in a summer brew.
Taste - first sip actually brings about the flavor of pears and lemons. Not all that sweet, more tangy and light on the tongue. Some mellow malt sweetness comes out but even that is pretty subtle. Nothing overpowering whatsoever in this beer, it's low ABV and lighter malt bill make this very palate friendly. The finish is very crisp and with that comes the sense of refreshment.
Overall - I really enjoyed the subtleness of this summer beer. The pear and citrus flavors were quite nice and the finish of this beer really makes it enjoyable on a warm summer day. This is a style that does well in a can as its great for just relaxing while the sun is out and it's not going to put you to sleep.
Would I buy more of it? - if I was in the market for a 12-pack to bring to a barbecue or day of playing yard games I think this would do quite nicely. I'm also guessing the price point on this is very reasonable. Note - The "American Pale Wheat Ale" is a very popular style associated with craft-brewed summer beers. The style is similar to a German Hefeweizen in appearance and grain bill but without the pronounced banana and clove aroma/flavors. Wheat is the dominant grain and the ABV tends to be fairly low. Also, thanks to the folks at Dundee for sending samples of this beer to us here at CraftCans.com. Cheers!
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