Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Restaurants Beer pick of the week: Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale
Posted by Jeff Holland on Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA
7.3% ABV
Iconoclastic brewer Tony Magee and his crew don't need much excuse to release a new beer, and their hop-forward wheat ale is the second to draw on the current economic crisis for inspiration. "So we are all on collective disability," says the label. "That's cool. Let's put some ice on it and keep ourselves elevated for a while." I couldn't agree more. The brewery's website says that this beer has a nice "wheaty-esque-ish-ness," as if they were a bit embarassed to be releasing a wheat ale, considering their reputation for big, hoppy beers. They needn't have worried, since this is not your typical pale wheat ale.
Sumpin' Sumpin' pours a glowing gold beer with excellent clarity. None of the unfiltered haziness or yeasty aroma often associated with wheat beers is present. Just fresh, piney, grapefruit-y hops and some cookie-like malts in the background. Hops dominate the taste, as well, with some tropical fruit notes. The wheat malt lightens the body a bit, but not to the point of being watery or thin. There is some breadiness mid-palate and a hint of yeasty tang, but mostly a firm, fruity sweetness carries the hop flavors aloft, and all else drops away. The mouthfeel is sticky, but soft, leading to a bone-dry finish. A modest bitterness lingers nicely, and the final impression is of a buttery white wine with some grainy tannins and palate-drying resins.
Little Sumpin' Sumpin' might be a bit puckering and potent for swilling, but it nevertheless hides its alcohol well and is thankfully not overly sweet or bubble-gummy, making it a perfect summer sipper for hopheads. Another interesting concoction from Lagunitas.
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