What is a summer/golden ale exactly?

Local taproom served me a summer ale with this description:

This wonderful summer brew is a light Golden Ale with just a hint of lemon. The beer has a light lemon aroma that carries through the flavor of this light thirst quenching brew. Especially tasty and enjoyable with hot and spicy foods! Brewed with Pale Ale Malt and Cascade and Columbus Hops.

And it was exactly what I wanted as a summer ale!

I'm looking through beersmith and I'm kinda confused, are summer ales/golden ales classified as Pale ales? Is there a guideline for golden ales?

I didn't really want to post this in the recipe section as I want to work up a recipe first then post it there. Anyone have any starting guidelines or ready made recipes that can give me a general starting direction on brewing this? I guess clarifying the beer's classification for beersmith would be an great first assisting step. Pale ale (it used that obvious malt) seems like a logical place.

Cheers!

Paul

I'll let you in on a little know secret: golden ales are Milds, commonly with a little extra flavor.

and they usually go very fast, you might want to think of doing a double batch. I once had a keg of blonde go in less than 2 hours.

Isn't it more of a blonde ale or a cream ale?

I wouldn't classify it as a cream ale, depending on what the grain bill is.

I just brewed this:
2.5 gallon batch
5# pale malt
.25oz Chinook 60min
.25oz Centennial 10 min

I know that isn't much of a grain bill, but I was trying to make the lightest beer I could. I think it is a blonde ale.

I just brewed this:
2.5 gallon batch
5# pale malt
.25oz Chinook 60min
.25oz Centennial 10 min

I know that isn't much of a grain bill, but I was trying to make the lightest beer I could. I think it is a blonde ale.

david_42 said:

I'll let you in on a little know secret: golden ales are Milds, commonly with a little extra flavor.

Click to expand...

Golden Ales should be pale. Milds are a variety of Brown Ale, but they are both low ABV beers.

-a.

Milds are dark beers.

"Summer Ale" is one of those commercial brands, maybe originated
with Sam Adams. It's just an ale made with light malt, maybe wheat too,
lightly hopped and with some lemon flavor added. Maybe fermented at
relatively higher temps to bring out the fruity esters as well.

http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/beer-detail.aspx?id=8f502ab9-ac04-4799-a24e-ad4144ff5a27

Ray

I'm just trying to make the lightest ale possible. I might try a little wheat next time. I'm not much of a wheat beer lover, and I probably won't use any fruit. One I will be able to lager something. But for now light ale.

Paulgs3 said:

I'm looking through beersmith and I'm kinda confused, are summer ales/golden ales classified as Pale ales? Is there a guideline for golden ales?
Paul

Click to expand...

See http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style08.php#1a, and look under comments.
Start with an ordinary bitter recipe, and get rid of most or all of the crystal.
Replace the English hops with American (if that is what you want), and use a clean fermenting yeast such as US 05, Nottingham, WLP001 etc

-a.

Ah, so it is truely a summer or golden ale. Nice.

I think they are just a re-named kolsch or cream ale.

traditionally a golden ale would be a pale ale. basically an ordinary bitter with little to no crystal malt.

ajf said:

See http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style08.php#1a, and look under comments.
Start with an ordinary bitter recipe, and get rid of most or all of the crystal.
Replace the English hops with American (if that is what you want), and use a clean fermenting yeast such as US 05, Nottingham, WLP001 etc

-a.

Click to expand...

^^ Nice, perfect!

Thanks all for the responses.

I picked up a Brewers best summer ale kit on a lark. Here what was in it and what Beer tools pro says.
3.3lbs Light LME
1lb wheat DME
1lb light DME
.5 lbs Cara-Pils
Hops were Cascade & Palisade

OG 1.041
FG 1.008
ABV 4.26
IBU's 17.3

The kit came with dried orange and lemon peel and I added some coriander and cardamom .75 tsp of each during the 1 minutes

It just falls into the Light Blonde Ale BJCP Category.

Ray

rcreveli said:

I picked up a Brewers best summer ale kit on a lark. Here what was in it and what Beer tools pro says.
3.3lbs Light LME
1lb wheat DME
1lb light DME
.5 lbs Cara-Pils
Hops were Cascade & Palisade

OG 1.041
FG 1.008
ABV 4.26
IBU's 17.3

The kit came with dried orange and lemon peel and I added some coriander and cardamom .75 tsp of each during the 1 minutes

It just falls into the Light Blonde Ale BJCP Category.

Ray

Click to expand...

That actually sounds really good!

Harpoon's current "Summer Beer" is a koelsch.