Alesmith's Summer Yulesmith

Alesmith's Summer Yulesmith is the Trevor Hoffman of beers (Trevor circa 1998). When you in the need of something good at the end of an evening of beer tasting or after tasting several marginal beers, the Summer Yulesmith does not disappoint.

It is consistently one of the best double IPAs on the market. It is good that Alesmith only brews it once a year. Despite the summer release, it can be found from around the Fourth of July through Thanksgiving.

Summer Yulesmith is a classic example of a San Diego IPA. It has a sharp hop taste that coats the mouth and leaves a bitter aftertaste. Its mouthful could be described as sticky. For the past two years Summer Yulesmith has had substantial carbonation that requires a precise pour or you run the risk of overflow. I prefer the carbonation to a beer that tastes flat. Since this is a double IPA it needs to be consumed fresh.