United Nations of Beer

Wasatch Summerbrau Lager

by Bret
(Las Vegas, NV)

Wasatch Summerbrau Lager (5.6% ABV)
Wasatch Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Visit the UNOB's Utah beer guide

Generally, Wasatch is hit or miss in my opinion, they have some great beers and some that just miss the mark. This one missed.

The aroma is very sweet with malt followed by mild yeast esters and notes. There is a very mild hop aroma apparent as the beer warms, but the hops are very light when present. No real earthiness or bitterness in the scent of this beer. The appearance is a pale cloudy straw color with slight golden hues. The thick foamy brown head laces the glass as the beer is consumed. Summerbrau is moderately carbonated which gives it a little bubbliness.

The flavor is very mild with a sweet and moderately bitter taste from the malt with very mild hop overtones in the finish. It is a very mellow beer, kind of like the Brewmaster Series from Michelob, but Summerbrau has a good flavor it just feels weak and uninspired. It is as if they wanted to make a summer beer but then decided to call it a German Style Lager and then didn't do anything to fix either interpretation of the beer. The mouthfeel is mildly carbonated and refreshing in texture which coats the palate with a sweet film. Light and refreshing with a mild body and smoothness. I wish I could feel the “blitzkrieg of hops” which the brewer claims are in this beer.

Overall, If I just wanted to get drunk and drink a lot of beer, this one would not be it. Lackluster, uninspired and I was not impressed. Sure it had some flavor and appeal, but there are so many other better summer beers out there. Better luck next year.