Summer Solstice Ale

Picked up a single can from The Wine and Cheese Place in Plainfield, after spending a lovely dinner with Miss Sheri Hendricks! Making up for the fact we only drank water ;) Poured into a pint glass.


Appearance: Got a little shook up on the ride home, so it poured with a lot more foam than expected. Retains a frothy and tan colored head about a 1/4 inch thick and leaves wet lacing on the side of the glass. Color is a light brown with a slight copper and ruby tint. Relatively clear, yet the carbonation is barely visible.
Aroma: Very sweet aroma, mainly comprised of caramel and toffee malts. There are traces of vanilla and actually, it is kind of reminiscent of cream soda. Complements of herbal-like hops and a dark fruit like raisins at the finish.
Taste: Caramel malts provide the majority of the flavor upfront. Less sweet than the aroma lets on. Some cereal and breadiness add to the body as well. Detect a bit of spicing, toffee, and lot of vanilla flavoring becomes more evident with each sip. Dark fruit at the finish, and some traces of alcohol becomes more apparent as it reaches room temperature. Aftertaste sticks around for a bit.
Mouthfeel: Medium body that basically coats your mouth on the way down. Creamy with moderate carbonation.
Overall Impression: Overall, it was a bit heavier than I expected for a "summer"-esk beer. Not entirely sure what to think of it since I haven't tasted a lot of cream ales. Yet I'd like to try another can so that's gotta say something!