From Fuller's. One of the London brewer's seasonal beers designed to be light and refreshing. Abv: 3.9% Price £1.59 TARGET CONSUMER Andrew Fenney 32, currently between opportunities, London SW9 Having endured many gruelling summers in search of the definitive golden guzzle, I sampled this summer brew in the name of science. The general appearance of the bottle would suggest the contents should resemble something equivalent to Scruttocks Old Bowl Snorter while the insipid yellow of the label alludes to the sickliest of pilsners. When poured, the beer was pleasing to the eye ­ a rich amber in hue with a satisfying head of adequate proportion completely undermined by the overwelming stench of hops. The edge of the stench was somewhat taken off by the malty taste. The booze to price/volume factor puts it in the "I wouldn't really go out of my way for this one" category. Expect to see this refreshing summer ale completely hidden at parties Rating out of 25 ­ 9 Jane Brocket Master of Wine and freelance wine consultant An excellent choice of light but flavoursome beer for warmer days. This fresh, clean-tasting, fruity beer comes from a reliable brewery with a reputation for quality. It is pale in colour with a nice touch of hops and malt on the nose. The palate is refreshing and clean, but full of character. It is hoppy and spicy without being too bitter on the finish and is extremely well balanced. Served cool, this beer would certainly appeal to a wide range of drinkers, including women, from those who would usually choose lager to those who are hardened bitter drinkers. Rating out of 25 ­ 22 Simon Massey Marketing and design director of Nine Yards I was quite excited about trying this. I grew up on bitter up North' and now drink mostly lager. So this should be the best of both worlds. In fact, it's just an alternative positioning for a pale ale and doesn't offer anything new. It's pleasant enough. The packaging is a typical brand extension, artworked, not designed. It is in keeping with the Fuller's family, which is good, but no real thought has been put into communicating the positioning. I understand the use of black to change the label shape, but this is supposed to be a refreshing' summer product, and what on earth is that sundial about? Rating out of 25 ­ 12 Steve Mayes Trading controller at Landmark A top beer with that typical Fullerian twang'. With ESB and Pride, Summer Ale is on the must-stock list for bottled ales. As an established product rather than a newcomer, this has a full set of the key requirements for success, except that it's not in full distribution. This is the situation with many bottled ales ­ brewers need to cast their net a little further. The market has tremendous capacity for development despite the growth of wine, FABs and Europop lager, but brewers need to be more proactive ­ this is a mainstream market, not niche. Great product, but must try harder. Rating out of 25 ­ 20 Total score out of 100 ­ 63 {{DRINKS }}

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