Surly Bitter Brewer

In my opinion, warm weather beers should be light and refreshing, yet full-bodied and flavorful at the same time. Another big plus is a low level of alcohol. That way, you can drink a few to quench your thirst without the risk of falling out of your chair. Which leads us to Surly Bitter Brewer.

The Surly website lists the style as "not really a British bitter" and describes the beer:

Pale orange in color, this ale gets intense toast and marmalade character from British malt and American hops. Dry-hopping brings the floral citrus aromas.

It is their late spring/early summer seasonal and weighs in at 4% ABV.

I pour the 16 ounce can into my imperial pint glass. A rapidly appearing, coarse, 3-finger off-white head settles into a thin soapy-looking layer of foam. The body is clear and copper in color.

For the aroma, I definitely agree with the brewery's description of marmalade. It's the smell of sugar combined with citrus, which is making me long for a sip. There is also a definite grain character, like the faintest scent of warm fresh bread.

The taste starts with caramel and toasted malt and moves right into apricot and slight orange. Throughout, there is a moderate building bitterness that continues to linger after I swallow.

Mouthfeel is medium to medium-light with a mild, but prickly, carbonation. As the beer level goes down, a nice sticky web of lacing is left behind.

Bitter Brewer is a crisp, light, and refreshing session beer with low alcohol and lots of flavor. It definitely fits my definition of a warm weather brew and would be great for any hot summer day. Thanks to the 4% ABV, you can put down a few and still be in good shape for your favorite outdoor activities. I highly recommend this beer, so give it a try!