Make It So : Unchained 19 (Summit Brewing)

Make It So is the latest contribution to the Unchained Series by St. Paul’s Summit Brewing, linking together the British Extra Special Bitter (ESB) style with Captain Picard’s favorite beverage, Earl Grey tea. The beer pours with a medium brown to a copper coloration and has a fairly straightforward malt nose. When one takes their initial sip of Make It So, the presence of the tea becomes evident. There is a floral element that works nicely with the bold malt tastes and smaller hop bite (Summit uses a blend of hops including Admiral, Challenger, Aurora, Fuggle, and Target varieties), creating a medium-bodied beer that is easy to drink. The Earl Grey adds a smokiness to the beer, while there is a layering effect present which allows imbibers to taste the constituent elements of the beer (hops, malts, and tea).

The array of flavors that are present in Make It So are more than enough to keep individuals interested from beginning to end. Hints of spice, nuts, and citrus (orange) peek their way through at points, while the dichotomy between mild sweetness and hoppiness create a balanced effort. Make It So can be paired with fried food, fish, burgers, and chicken and possesses a sufficiently-low ABV (5.3%) that one can reliably session the ESB over the course of a night.

The latest Unchained effort Make It So is available for a limited time on drafts and in 12-ounce cans. For those in the St. Paul stomping ground, Summit has a number of release parties that will celebrate this delectable offering. We have reviewed other Summit efforts in the past; check out our coverage of Hopvale , Hop Silo, Unchained #17 : Harvest Fresh IPA and Unchained 15: Fest Bier.

Rating: 9.0/10

Make It So : Summit Unchained 19 / Summit Brewing / 5.3% ABV / 40 IBU / http://www.summitbrewing.com/ / https://twitter.com/summitbeer / https://www.facebook.com/summitbrewingcompany /