Ninkasi Radiant Summer Ale
Seasonal Release Series. Radiant Summer Ale is, "Crisp and flavorful, Radiant Summer Ale is a clean finishing summer offering in the Ninkasi tradition. The smooth malt character is balanced by a clean noble hop presence, the perfect compliment to a glorious summer day! 6% alc./vol. 40 ibus." It’s dry-hopped with Liberty hops. It’s more bitter rather than floral and has a crisp, clean finish.
3.4
161 reviews
Eugene, United States
Community reviews
650 ml bottle. Pours a dark copper color with full head that dissipates quickly. Aromas of butterscotch, tropical fruit, and toasted malts. Flavors of light pine and caramel. Light bitter finish. A little light overall but definitely a fair summer ale.
Bomber. Pours hazy amber with a small off white head. Just like Ninkasi claims its smooth and malty with a nice hoppy bitter finish. Just the right amount for this easy drinking summer ale. Feelings like it is missing a little something on the nose though.
Tap at Commons Santa Monica. Thanks Dedicatedtofun! Clear orange amber. Medium white foam. Good lacing. Nose is sweet strawberry, orange peel, hints of ruby red grapefruit. Taste is dark chocolate bitter, long rindy bitters. Fresh though with tart ruby red grapefruit. Actually pretty legit.
On tap @ Malibu Sundowner. Golden orange pour with a white head. Some sweet malt, citrus hops, and grass. Spicy and grapefruit hop notes, light pine, and toffee. Flavors of sweet toffee and bread. Spicy and citrusy hops. Grapefruit, pine, and grass. Light bitterness. A bit sweet, but not bad.
On tap at Darby's. Slightly hazy yellow gold, minimal cap, solid lacing. citrusy biscuit and pine. Steady medium dry finish.
22 oz. bottle from Costco. It pours golden orange with a small off white head. The aroma is faintly piney and citrusy with a good bready malt base. Very traditional APA. The flavor is rather dry, floral and bready with a pretty intense bitter finish. A little too bitter IMO. Other than that, a pretty standard, good APA.
Orange with a white head. The aroma is full of toffee notes and not too much else. The flavor has some nice toffee character, as well as some grain and grass. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
Pours a clear amber color. Aroma is sweet and malty, as is the taste. Finish is a bit hoppy. Pretty good
On tap at Portside in Gastown in Vancouver. A nice orange amber color with a bit of whitish head. A bit of hop and malt on the nose. In the mouth it’s a mildly hopped, appropriately malted summer ale. Somewhat less interesting than the preceding Fresh Squeezed IPA from Deschute, but we have to go somewhat by type, don’t we? A nice American pale ale.
8 aug 2013, bottle. Yellow, clear, no bubbles. Nose is light bread, some caramel malt. Thin body and fizzy. Slightly piney hops but immediately overshadowed by caramel malt. Ok.
Pours a dark gold with an off-white head. Nice aroma and full taste of an IPA - surprised that this is a summer ale, especially at 6% ABV. Also surprised at the low ratings. I think this is a nice pale ale, it’s just too heavy for a summer ale.
Faint aroma but big taste. Pours amber with moderate white foamy head. Aroma seems light(fruit, pine), but taste bursts through, citrus, hops, floral notes, finish is semi dry. Light enough for a hot day, but full enough flavor to be enjoyed.
December 2011. 22 oz. bottle. Orange amber color with a white head. Pine, citrus, malt and hop aromas. Caramel flavors with hops, spice and fruit. Dry finish. Not great, but drinkable.
Tap at the brewery. Orange pour with a white head. Aroma is grapefruit, some tropical fruit and pear hiding in there. Flavor is good initially but gives way to a fairly intense bitterness. Not a palate bruiser by any stretch, but a bit unbalanced.
Bottle. Pours a light amber color with a finger of head. Smells slightly citrusy and malty but the taste just starts sour and ends up unforgivably bitter and dry with only a hint of sweetness. Undrinkable with food. Pass.
The most uninspired Ninkasi I have tasted. Pours rusty color and its head dissipates quickly as well as the lacing. Fairly nice caramel malt but the absence of framing hops leaves you with a dull quaff. Ninkasi ought to kick this one up a few notches or remove it from their portfolio. Tastes like it came from homebrew.
Pine and hop aroma. a bit of cirus there too.lighter red/golden color and white pillowy head. Tart start with a hoppy malt finish. Would enjoy this with some mexican food.
unfortunately this is my least favorite of Ninkasi’s seasonal releases. American pale ale happens to be one of my favorite session beer styles and so far I’m not getting much for the classic APA "dry hopping" on the aroma. Big malts and a subtle grassiness make up most of the nose which is a bit of a let down. The beer is a nice clear light amber hue with a fluffy white head. The taste is malty sweet upfront with earthy hops in the middle finishing very bitter and slightly dry. For me it’s too earthy and bitter to be enjoyable.
22 oz bomber from whole foods Portland Oregon. Wow another winner from ninkasi. As a "seasonal" summer release I expected
The usual bland summer ale, but this one has an unexpected pronounced bitterness (a good thing).i am surprised the ibu is not higher than 40. Lots of nice hops and clean crisp light flavor. Highly recommended.
Fruity (apple, grapefruit) and sweet (fruit salad, malt) with a bitter grassy finish. Flabby in flavor and palate.
This is a truly refreshing afternoon brew. It goes well with a freshly mowed lawn and a little sunshine.
A red orange pour with small white head. Slight orange and hop aroma with biscuit smells as well. Very dry beer. Upfront hop bitterness with ever so slight citrus notes. Finish is a lasting bitterness with strong malt.
Citrusy and a slight malty aroma with a cloudy red orange color and little white head. A sweet taste with a slight bitter almost tart taste. Crisp and medium bodied. Bitter malty aftertaste. An alright hot day beer. But not great. Not the best job ninkasi
Bomber. Grapefruit and light bitterness balanced with malty caramel in the background. Dry finish. An average American Pale Ale.
12oz bottle to tulip glass. Pours a nice yellow-orange tint with lacy white head. Smell is floral, citrusy and very hoppy. Taste is bitter, light bodied. Finishes a little sweeter, nice summer beer.
Bottle. Pours a crystal clear amber color with a moderate pillowy off-white head on it. Nose has a nice little bit of floral tones to it with a subtle malt backbone coming off. Taste is actually a little toasty up front with a subtle bitterness coming through afterwards. Decent brew.
Pours an orange copper color with frothy white head. Floral hops, malts and grassy aromas. Malt, grass, floral and hop flavors. Some hop bitterness with strong malt backbone.
Bottle compliments of bu11zeye. Honey aroma. Poured a clear amber with a foamy white head and some lacing. Flavors of floral, spruce, grass, and resin with a bitter finish.
Pours amber with a white head. Bready malt, grass, citrus. It was ok. Just your average pale ale.
Bottle. I have only tried a few from this brewery but this is a solid ale.