Tuesday 12 March 2013

[CASK REVIEW] Summer Wine Brewery - Zenith


Modern session ale from Yorkshire.

Summer Wine Brewery from Yorkshire are a brewery that have made a stir the length of the country. Even down here in London, they have built themselves a big reputation for providing some world class craft ale. As a brewery they are forward thinking and creative: my first ever bottle I got from SWB scorned me for looking for tasting notes on the label, stating that "taste was subjective". I couldn't agree more.

Zenith is a pale session ale that comes in at 4%. It pours a gentle golden colour, and offers a spicy zing of pineapple and citrus on the nose. To taste, a light malt base flows into a mouth-filling hop bitterness that is present right the way through the beer. Due to the clarity of the malt base, it should be regarded as a session ale for hop fans. It's light going down and highly drinkable; the bitterness is evident, but in no way overpowering. The beer finishes with a grassy linger, and a floral dryness.

Certainly there is a growing shift from malt led session beers from newer breweries, and why not? SWB perfect demonstrate with Zenith why breweries are leaning towards hoppier beers, and how a beer labelled as sessionable doesn't always have to be lacking in character when compared with higher ABV counterparts. I had this beer in great condition at the Old Red Cow.

I can't recommend Zenith enough, but really, you should try any Summer Wine Brewery beer you come across.