Way back in 1986, before craft brewing was even cool, Summit Brewing Company Founder and President Mark Stutrud set out in St. Paul, Minnesota, to make craft beers inspired by old-world brewing traditions and ingredients. More than 30 years have passed since he first brewed our flagship Summit Extra Pale Ale, and it’s safe to say he freaking nailed it.
Today, Summit Brewing continues to infuse traditional recipes with modern ingredients from around the world, crafting high-quality and consistent craft beer out of respect for the hardworking folks who enjoy our beer.
And because we’re independently owned and operated, we get to make craft beer our way. That means relying on natural carbonation, protecting the foam, and celebrating the true dance between malts, hops, water, and yeast. It means protecting the environment, supporting the community and the arts, being kind to animals, and always having one more beer with our friends and family even if we’re already late for rotary club. It means drinking our beer fresh and cold, because warm storage turns good beer to shit. And it means never settling for “good enough,” always pulling the goalie when we’ve got a chance to win, swinging for the fences, and never, ever forgetting where we come from. Grain country represent.
12 oz bottle at my parents house. The pour is a clear darker golden with a fizzy where head. Some floaties are visible. The aroma is clean pilsner malt and soft earth hops. The taste follows the nose, gentle blend between cracker malt and earth hops. The palate is light to medium bodied, nice clean carbonation and a softly malt sweet finish. Nice enough.
Smell of grain, malt. Deep red colour, small white head. Aroma of grass, hops. Grass and spruce in finish. Not so much rye to be noted. Very bitter. Sharp carbon, mid-light body. Borderline IPA.
Can. Pours clear orange, medium creamy off-white head, dissipates slowly, good lacing. Aroma is floral pine, some herbal notes. Flavor is medium sweet, medium bitter, caramel and biscuit, floral and piney hops. Medium body.
Sampled from the Firkin at Happy Gnome Firkin Fest 2015. Pours a clear golden orange with a white head that dissipates nearly completely. Aroma is full of tangerine, orange peel and sweet citrus with some sweet grains underlying. Flavor is extremely citrus forward with a good amount of sweetness and a light grain backbone.
Sampled from the Firkin at Happy Gnome Firkin Fest 2015. Pours black with a creamy dark brown head that lasts throughout the beer. Aroma has notes of creamy dark grains, chocolate and a bit of peppers. Flavor has more of a pepper note with some chocolate, dark grains and roasted malts.