Coaster Critique: Sebago Brewing Co. Simmer Down

IMG_5315Name: Simmer Down

Brewed By: Sebago Brewing Company

Style: Summer Session Ale

ABV: 4.9%

Pours an orange-copper color that shimmers gold when held to the light, pour raised a short off white head that left fine lacing down the glass.

Malt aroma comes through as lightly toasted grains; hops are dominating though, fresh squeezed orange juice with just a hint of grassiness.

The malt is pretty much hidden beneath the hops in this beer. Orange pith, orange rind, some fresh cut grass and a citrusy bitter bite in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is thin but is refreshing and works well as a summer seasonal release.

I’ve been waiting for this beer to hit the shelves around Bangor; this is the production version of Citra Saaz Down, the beer that The Beer Babe, Active Beer Geek and I helped pilot batch with Sebago last summer. I’m a touch disappointed as this beer isn’t the same as the pilot beer last summer; the hops were changed from Citra and Saaz to El Dorado, Mosaic and Ahtanum, giving the beer an entirely different hop profile that just didn’t work for me. I have found that I despise the taste of El Dorado hops, there have been a couple other beers releases lately that highlight that hop and all of them have the same orange pith, orange rind flavor that I find unpleasant, had that hop been omitted I’m sure I would have enjoyed this beer considerably more. That said, Simmer Down is a light, refreshing beer that will be a real thirst quencher this summer, I would encourage you to seek this one out in bottle or on tap and find out for yourself, I’ll be sticking to something with a hop I’m not quite so sensitive too.

Cheers!

Chaddah

Chad Lothian

About Chad Lothian

Chad Lothian lives in Old Town, Maine. He is a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer. Chad has travelled to brewpubs, breweries and brewfests all over New England.