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Sunset Summer Ale

Smithers Brewing Company
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🌍 Canada · Saison · One of 61 Saisons in hopIQ

The summer entry in the Skeena seasonal series, a Belgian-style farmhouse ale in which the yeast does most of the talking: bubblegum, banana and citrus up front, white pepper and clove behind. A heavy charge of rye malt adds a spice of its own, and locally sourced wildflower honey leaves a floral note without making the beer sweet. The finish is bone dry, the carbonation lively. Label art by Roy Henry Vickers.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
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How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Very crisp and dry.

A direct pour that closes clean — trim and sharp, working together to keep things moving.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Saison.
Fermentation & yeast
banana
bubblegum
clove
yeasty
Distinctive notes
citrusy
spicy
Hop character
floral
Malt character
honey
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Sunset Summer Ale

Appearance

A pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent head. The lively carbonation is evident in steady streams of small bubbles rising through the glass, with good Schaumhaftung that leaves a delicate lacing on the walls.

pale goldenbright clarityfine carbonationpersistent head

Aroma

The nose is immediately expressive, dominated by the yeast's signature esters: bubblegum and ripe banana leap forward, backed by white pepper and a subtle clove spice. A floral character from the wildflower honey emerges beneath, alongside a light citrus note and the dry, peppery undertone from the rye malt.

bubblegum, bananawhite pepper, clovewildflower honeycitrus esters

Taste

The palate opens with the same fruity yeast character—bubblegum and banana—balanced by the rye's assertive spice and a gentle white pepper finish. The honey provides a floral sweetness that never tips into cloying, while the rye's peppery edge and the beer's overall dryness keep the profile crisp and refined throughout the mid-palate.

fruity, esteryspicy rye maltfloral honeybone-dry finish

Finish

The finish is bone dry and cleanly articulated, with the white pepper and clove lingering softly on the palate. The lively carbonation amplifies the sense of crispness, leaving behind only a whisper of floral honey and rye spice.

bone-drypeppery spicecrisp carbonation
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
82
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Sunset Summer Ale

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 8–12°C. Saison is refreshing but complex — cold works, but slightly warmer shows its farmhouse character.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within a year. Farmhouse character is liveliest when the beer is relatively young.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Sunset Summer Ale

About Saison

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Saison?

Saisons are Belgian farmhouse ales with 5–8% ABV and IBU 20–35. Spicy, fruity yeast — pepper, citrus, hay — with high carbonation and a dry refreshing finish.

Finding a similar Saison

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, clove, banana character as Sunset Summer Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Saisons in hopIQ

Explore all Saison beers in hopIQ →New to Saison? Read our guide →Browse Canada beers →

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