I love Newcastle. Love it. I’ll drink that tasty brown ale with anything. I don’t care if it’s a hot or cold day, daytime or evening, doesn’t matter. Newcastle is one of the best beers of all time. That’s what I think, anyway.

So you can imagine my skepticism when I discovered that Newcastle made a new Summer Ale. Wait a minute. How can you tool around with that classic Newkie Brown taste, I thought? I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the bar was already set so high with the original brown ale. In my mind, there was nowhere to go but down. So needless to say, I was quite reserved when I sampled my first Summer Ale.

First taste – the brew had a bite! I immediately said to myself, this isn’t a Newcastle – this is something else, so I don’t like it! Then I had another sip. Again, the brew had bite! It was brisk, crisp and cut through the palette. I started to get over the fact that this wasn’t a Newcastle I was drinking. I wanted another sip and another and another. This stuff wasn’t like Newcastle at all, but I started to like it.

Newcastle Summer Ale definitely has a hoppier taste, but it’s not overwhelming. Some hoppy beers bite you and keep biting you until you’re well over it. Newcastle Summer Ale has just enough bite. And it’s not too heavy so it’s perfect for summer sippin’.

As a Newcastle purist, I was doubtful that Summer Ale could be anything but a second-class brew. After giving it a taste, a highly recommend that you try this ale while you still can.