I'm not much of an island person, never really was fond of hanging out on the beach on some tropical island for my vacation. Hell, I'll admit it. I hate going to the beach during the summer when there are tons of people there and the sun is bearing down on you. The stench of suntan lotion in the air and the feeling of sand all over your body is just not appealing to me. Give me a cold damp day anywhere, drinking local beer of course, and I'll be as happy as a pig is shit. Speaking of beer and beaches St. John's Brewers, a beer company from the US Virgin Islands has a beer for warm weather. Virgin Islands Island Summer Ale "... a light refreshing beer created with our warm weather in mind."
Crystal clear pale golden brew, a sufficient amount of head with some lacing on the glass. The aroma jumps from a grainy, almost husky, tone to a faint fume of alcohol. Grainy as soon as the gates open, a bit of sweetness makes it way out but quickly vanishes. Both malt and hops become a bit thin with a hard husk note form the grain and a faint sharpness of a watery citric hoppiness. Gritty, nearing astringent and a faint yeast note in the back. Finishes with a dry and thin graininess that does not totally go clean and right at the end the bottom drops with a fading astringency.
I'm not really digging this one, if this was just a plain no frills blonde ale that would have been fine but there are definite flaws here that show after a few sips in a row. Not huge glaring flaws but none the less flaws. Enough to the point of not being able to finish the bottle and that is the breaking point.
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