Anchor, Humming Ale

Anchor Brewing Co.
Grade: B+

Humming ale? I have no idea, but Anchor claims it's an old brewing term. I guess I'll buy that. A creamy white head tops a nicely clear golden ale. There's a little bit of particulate floating around, most likely the residual yeast from bottle conditioning. The aroma is unique to be sure, nicely spicy. There are hops here, but I can't readily identify them. It's nice to find a hoppy ale that doesn't have the usual citrus/pine that most American beers have. There's a bit of a bread-like, toast in the aroma as well. The flavor carries those spicy, earthy hops, but a pronounced malt flavor, purely of grains hits the palate first. The body is getting towards the lighter side, thinning out a little at the end. There is a good amount of lingering hop bitterness, not acrid, but certainly present. There isn't much sweetness in this beer at all, it finishes very dry. 

I can absolutely see this as a good summer beer. It's crisp, refreshing, and flavorful enough to keep me interested. A common problem I have with many "summer" beers is that they are all to often flavorless. Just because it's hot out doesn't mean I want to drink beer-flavored water. This beer is not only crisp and dry enough to drink on a hot day, but it has a unique hop character that I'm not used to. Anchor has managed to make a hoppy beer without the crutch of the classic America citrus hop, which is exciting to me. I'd put this in my cooler, certainly, but is it a groundbreaking ale? No. But I wouldn't turn one down if you offered it to me.