Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema

Brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Style: Cream Ale
Boonville, California USA

Clear amber with almost no head whatsoever. Aroma very muted sweet malt, almost american wheatlike character. Flavor much the same muddled corn lager/american wheat sweetness with nothing else. Vey thin body. Not my gig.

Poured a nice enough beer, though a bit hazy. Big froth in the glass with good retention. Misses on flavor. Some grassy/weedy things. Reminds me of an off Spotted Cow. Is there corn in here? These guys do better than this.

Clear amber/orange pour with a small white head that hangs around the entire glass. Very mild malty aroma, sort of sweet. Taste is also mild, sweet and syrupy. Nice bodied, but lacked flavor intensity.

Tap. Pours a clear amber, with a nice little off-white head. Tons of fruit on the nose. Flavors of peaches and apricots in this sweetened ice tea reminder. Slight essence of hops in the background. Thick and creamy, real nice summer time thirst quencher, definately a lawnmower beer.

Poured an amber orange color with an unimpressive head. Aroma was sweet and malty. The flavor was somewhat fruity and sweet. Hard one to figure out and there seemed to be an odd aftertaste. MOuthfeel was moderate to heavy. No idea why this is a cream ale.

Bottle (12oz). Okay, my expectations aren’t exactly high here - Mexican; Cream Ale; oh boy. Looks pretty good, like a decent APA - clear deep burnished copper with a smallish off-white head. Aroma - cream ale? Smells like a very mild sweet APA - sweet citrus juice malt, soft perfumy/floral hops, hint of grain. Taste - oh, man, this is weird - very sweet, tastes like someone mixed in a bunch of vanilla Quality Street toffee with a mild juicy citrus-hoppy session ale - not awful but to me these flavours don’t blend well. Light body, lightly syrupy mouthfeel, extremely cloying finish - I need way less candyish malt and vanilla - balance this with some more soft hops (which don’t seem to make it from the aroma to the flavour) and it’s a good summer sipper.

Pours a clear deep amber color with a nice head that faded quickly. Light carbonation. Has a light sweet malt aroma. Has a light malt flavor with a hint of vanilla. Very light hop bitterness. Light to medium body. This beer is very smooth and easy to drink. Better than I expected.

This year’s cerveza crema pours an orangey wood color (matches my hardwood floor) with a thick, lacey beige head (if you pour it right). This beer is very creamy, with vanilla, bergamot, orange and carmel (the good kind) notes. The sweetness is matched by a squeaky clean, palate-cleransing finish that leaves only a hint of a nice malt flavor. Tasty and drinkable, sweet but not gross... I’d choose it over a milkshake (or an orange creamsicle) on a hot afternoon. Beware; this beer can’t handle being mishandled. Drink it fresh.