After the most recent Beer of the Week post, where I promised to approach reviewing an AB product with unbiased objectivity, Tom e-mailed to respond:
I thought - I'm certain E.J. Dionne, Richard Cohen or 99% of the members of the Dominant Media Culture express a similar sentiment prior to writing a piece on Representative Michele Bachmann.
This week, I have a similar challenge to my beer neutrality although one quite different in nature. For the beer of the week is Horizon Red Ale produced by Summit Brewing.
Summit is the godfather of the local micro brewing scene and Summit Extra Pale Ale was really the gateway beer that helped open my eyes and taste buds to the wonders of craft beer. Over the years I've quaffed many a Summit. I've toured the Summit breweries (old & new), had the pleasure of interviewing Summit founder Mark Stutrud on the radio a couple of times, and attended Summit's Twentieth Anniversary celebration back in 2006. So when the brewery comes out with a new year round beer such as Horizon Red Ale, it's almost impossible for me to approach it in a completely objective manner.
But I'll rise above it, I'm a professional, right? Well, not really especially when it comes to tax purposes, but I will certainly do my best.
The stout brown bottle is the standard Summit fare with that nice familiar feel in the hand. The label is red with a black Summit logo and a couple of juicy hops giving you an indication of what sort of taste lies in store.
Beer Style: Red Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 5.7%
COLOR (0-2): Gorgeous ruby red 2
AROMA (0-2): Hops with a whiff of citrus 2
HEAD (0-2): Off-white color, a little thin 1
TASTE (0-5): Hoppy, bitter but well rounded 3
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Bitter flavor follows through nicely 2
OVERALL (0-6): This is a very good red, better than most. Makes a nice addition to the Summit offering and is a good alternative in the medium-hopped beer category. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14
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