While Summit Brewing has been around since the early days of 1986, I distinctly remember their entry into the PA markets. It was a visit to Stockertown Beverage when I first noticed this new-to-PA brewery, and just a few short months later we were enjoying Summit Extra Pale Ale on the beach.
I wasn’t familiar with their brewmaster until 2016 when I interviewed him on the radio, but after meeting Damian McConn, I knew I liked their beers even more. If you haven’t heard the interview, be sure to listen and see if you don’t love their beer even more when you know how nice (and talented) a guy their brewmaster is.
Today I’m luck enough to get my hands on a new mix pack coming from Summit Brewing. The package is called the 2021 Mixed Pack IPA Edition and it includes Saga IPA, Twenty One IPA, Elderflower IPA and Slugfest Juicy IPA. This new 12-pack includes three of each of these 12oz cans and it is available now across the Summit Brewing distribution footprint.
I’m excited to revisit these returning 2021 IPAs, so off we go…
Summit Brewing Sága IPA
ABV: 6.4%
Style: IPA
Packaging: 12oz cans
Appearance: Copper & clear
Aroma: Citrus & resinous pine
Mouthfeel: Medium & carbonated
Taste: Citrus and oranges up front with subtle pine late in the flavors
Overall: Sága IPA is a classic IPA with one foot in the west coast-style and another foot in the traditional IPA territory. The beer for me also leans into the hoppy pale ale category a bit but there’s a lot there to enjoy either way.
Summit Brewing Slugfest Juicy IPA
ABV: 4.7%
Style: Unfiltered IPA
Packaging: 12oz cans
Appearance: Medium orange & cloudy
Aroma: Pineapple, melon and oranges
Mouthfeel: Light & Crisp
Taste: Tropical fruit & oranges
Overall: Slugfest Juicy IPA is a really drinkable and enjoyable northeast-style IPA. The beer is juice-forward with loads of tropical fruit, citrus and orange flavors to round it all out.
Summit Brewing Elderflower IPA
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 41
Style: IPA
Packaging: 12oz cans
Appearance: Golden amber & clear
Aroma: Biscuit malt and herbal notes
Mouthfeel: Medium
Taste: Biscuit malt, floral, herbal and citrus
Overall: Elderflower IPA is a really herb-forward IPA that for me feels and tastes a bit like a traditional English-style IPA. The balance of hops and malts leans toward malt but the hoppy bitterness and herbal presence really balances it all out nicely. What really made it drinkable for me was the surprise appearance of a late berry-like flavor I really enjoyed.
Summit Brewing Twenty One IPA
ABV: 7%
IBU: 70
Style: IPA
Packaging: 12oz cans
Appearance: Golden straw
Aroma: Oranges, pineapple and a touch of pine
Mouthfeel: Light bodied
Taste: Grapefruit, orange and dry earthy pine
Overall: Twenty One IPA is a really enjoyable and easy drinking IPA. It initially feels fruit-forward with lots of grapefruit and citrus, but it finishes clean and dry. Overall the balance of the beer leans toward citrus, but the malt and resinous pine sneak in late to make for a nice bitter enjoyable IPA.
The Summit Brewing 2021 Mixed Pack IPA Edition is available now with four different beers in 12oz cans (Saga IPA, Twenty One IPA, Elderflower IPA and Slugfest Juicy IPA) These new and classic IPAs make for a really enjoyable sampling and drinking experience and this is a great pack to share with family and friends or just enjoy by yourself in quarantine. So get out there and try all four IPAs for yourself. And when you do try them, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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