Looking for a summer beer, I picked up a six pack of the Breckenridge Summer Bright Ale. Now, we had heard great things about Breckenridge and were somewhat disappointed with the Vanilla Porter but I thought I would give them another try. From the Breckenridge site:
“The brewmaster’s goal: the perfect ale for summertime quaffing, nothing more. Breck Brew’s SummerBright is the result. The craftsman’s touch combines white wheat, two row pale and munich malt with the pacific northwest’s most intriguing hops to create a bright, clean ale ideal for picnicking, evenings on the screen porch and enjoying the whims of the summer breeze.”
I found the Summer Bright Ale to have the following characteristics:
- Appearance: Pale, orange a little cloudy with a little or no foam and lacing.
- Aroma: Sweet malt and citrus.
- Taste: Orange and lemon zest with very little carbonation. Overall, a little flat, somewhat refreshing with an average flavor.
- ABV: 4.5%
This is the second bottle of Breckenridge that I have had that was so much less than advertised. You pick up the attractively labeled and well marketed package only to find that the product just doesn’t deliver. It wasn’t good; it wasn’t bad, it was just very average.
Categories: Breckenridge, Brew Review
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
First it was the 100 Year Earthquake that hit the east, then the Storm of the Decade on track to provide a great excuse for craft beer hurricane parties, and now….. another review I agree with!!!! You must have slipped me some Kool-Aid a while back…
So, you’re pretty much right on the mark with these guys. I’ve had a couple of perfectly fine brews from Breckenridge (Lucky U IPA) but most of the time I’ve found their beer to be underwhelming at best and less than mediocre at worst. Their Vanilla Porter is a prime example. Unbalanced and contrived. Compared to Ballast Point’s Victory At Sea Vanilla Porter, this thing is a Natty Light. Summerbright should be renamed Summerlight. It lacks, character, flavor, appeal, you name it.
Colorado craft brewers have a certain caché and many are deserving of high regard (New Belgium, Oscar Blues, Avery & Great Divide to name a handful). Breckenridge just isn’t there – not yet anyway. It’s still a world-class ski destination but the town’s craft brewing namesake has only a couple green circle runs worth trying.
@TheAlemonger
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I’m thinking your positive reviews of Limpd’s reviews should trigger 911 calls to his office/home or wherever he might be when he reads them cause your previous scoldings have conditioned him to expect nothing but negativity. I suspect that all this positivity from you to him may induce a a stroke or perhaps even a myocardial infarction. Forewarned IS forearmed afterall.
FYI, I was gonna say heart attack, but words that contain a “farc” are just so much fun to say.
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I am engaged in a reverse Fatwa!
FYI, I was going to say “peri-euclidian phased fractal grid development” but words that contain “fat” are just so much more natural for me to say.
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I usually take exception to words that contain “fat”. However, as the praise (or at least the Mongerese that passes for praise) keeps coming, I’ll take it. I would like to think that over the last year, I might have actually learned a thing or two but it could be that I am just “cherry picking” Natty Light like beers to review and you cannot help but agree with me. Either way, I think it might be safe to move to the edge of the bunker door at least until Irene hits.
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Total agreement with this review; I have yet to be blown away by Breckenridge.
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You hear about all of the great beers coming out of Colorado and the couple of Breckenridge’s I’ve tried are a little bit of a letdown. I think I will take the Monger’s advice and give their Lucky U IPA a chance. If that is equally underwhelming, I’ll be done with Breckenridge for a while.
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I’m on the flip side of your opinions. Summer Bright is one of my favorite beers, and I think Breck Brewery does an excellent job with all their beers. Cheers!
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David,
Thanks for stopping by. My review is four years old. Perhaps it is time that I revisit the Summer Bright and see if my initial impressions are still valid.
Cheers!
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