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As I mentioned in my last post, I took the Widmer Brothers brewery tour with a friend/coworker (seen here), and had a few samples before the tour began. The next on the list was the Drifter Pale Ale, which our guide told us was a bit of a West Coast pale ale – which used a lot of Summit hops and had a bit of citrus zest in it to give it a bit of a citrusy twist.
It was clear and had a bit of a coppery/amber color to it. There was almost no head, just a thin creamy ring around the top of the glass. The smell of the citrusy/piney Summit hops was instantly noticeable, as well as some slightly bready/malty aromas.
The body was light, but almost light medium, and it seemed to have plenty of carbonation, giving it a bit of a crisp mouthfeel. There was a slight bready and malty flavor before the hop flavor kicked in. I thought it had a bit of a sharp citrusy/piney flavor in the finish. There were also so lemony and other citrus flavors noticeable in the aftertaste.
It’s a beer that seems to have been designed for west coast summers, but I found it a bit to sharp and citrusy for my tastes. This beer, along with the Lucky Labrador Summit IPA, have convinced me that I’m not a fan of the Summit hop flavor. If I had to pair this with a food, I think it might be best with a seafood pasta – a thick dish which might benefit from the citrus. Overall, it was a clean and crisp summer beer, but a bit sharp for me.
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