Close your eyes and think, or hum, or sing the opening stanza to the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations (trust me)…

I – I love the colourful clothes she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air

Now open your eyes…

Am I right? Is this not summer? Is this not the Beach Boys on a bottle? Is this not Good Vibrations epitomized as a wheat ale?

Freaking yes it is.

All summer long

I must admit that I’ve enjoyed a SunSetter or two or three as a casual poolside beverage on a number of occasions. However, it has a completely different perspective when you’re drinking it as a reviewer with a pencil and paper.

Trying to be unbiased (ya right), I poured the contents into my gaping mason jar, which, by the way, is how all wheat ale’s are enjoyed in the Panda household. The perky head reveals large bubbles which hold up just fine. There is an obvious strong peachy scent that’s a bit rustic (hard to explain but that’s the word that comes to mind).

My personal preference is to drink wheat ales after they’ve had some time to air out, and warm up a smidge. I find if you drink them too cold they’re not as flavourful, and can be too fizzy.

It has a bright hoppy flavour with only a subtle hint of peach – the bark is definitely stronger than the bite. There is a prominent hop presence which makes it a bit more PNW than some wheat ales. Even at 16 IBU it’s not your typical unfiltered wheat ale or hefeweizen, although it looks the part.

This is quite a versatile beverage that goes really nice on a hot summer’s day on the patio.  Feel free to plop in a lemon if you’re so inclined, and kick back with some tunes. Oh ya, them’s some good, good, good vibrations all summer long.

I miss summer already.

Oh wait, it’s Fall… Pumpkin Ale and Oktoberfest!!!!  Lederhosen, bratwurst, sauerkraut, and oom-pah music – this truly is the most wonderful time of the year…. Forget those good vibrations, let’s grab the tuba and accordion and  “Roll out the barrel” cuz we’re going to have “a barrel of fun!”.

Well, that’s it for now, gonna go quench that panda sized thirst… cheers eh!