Dark Star Sunburst

mintjellie · Post by **mintjellie** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:01 am

B+ / 4 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep golden straw colour with brilliant clarity. A finger of pale white foam is only somewhat retentive, but leaves some nice lacing behind. Delicate and perfumey aroma with notes of honey, grapefruit rind, wildflowers, clean hay, and very faint butter. It hits the palate with some juicy grapefuit and lemon before transitioning into lightly buttered white bread. Finishes with a dry, woody bitterness that only shows intensity or linger when you really hold it and roll it on the palate. It's a light-bodied ale with low carbonation, but it's actually just a touch oily and resinous too. Has a slight slickness to it. Sits lightly in your stomach. I would love to see how this balanced and tasty ale would pair with pan-fried pickeral, fries, and slaw. I'd also love to see how well it goes with the back porch and a hot July day.

carguy · Post by **carguy** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:53 am

I tried it a few days ago, and thought it was brilliant. Reminds me of Black Sheep Ale. A nice summer beer.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:37 pm

I liked this one a lot too, and liked it a lot better than the other golden ale in the current release (the Celt one).

mintjellie · Post by **mintjellie** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:31 pm

midlife crisis wrote:I liked this one a lot too, and liked it a lot better than the other golden ale in the current release (the Celt one).

We have the Honeydew as well, which I didn't think was quite as good as the Sunburst, but still found pretty enjoyable. The Celt is in my fridge, I'll try it this weekend.

I might have to stock up. I could make golden ale my official beer of summer.

G.M. Gillman · Post by **G.M. Gillman** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:27 am

Excellent beer, I'd advise to drink it only lightly chilled so the relatively light carbonation doesn't get too locked in.

Granite's IPA is very much in this style, plus of course it's a cask beer.

It's interesting to compare the "grapefruit" taste to that of some American hops; there is a definite similarity, so perhaps the latter have some Kent Golding in their DNA. Still, to my taste the English hops have a superior flavour especially in the finish where you get the woodsy notes noted in the review above.

Gary

trub_man · Post by **trub_man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:12 am

VKD-diacetyl through the roof, this one was a drain pour.

matt7215 · Post by **matt7215** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:35 am

trub_man wrote:VKD-diacetyl through the roof, this one was a drain pour.

mine didnt have any diacetyl, maybe you got a beat up bottle

trub_man · Post by **trub_man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:57 am

Diacetyl is formed three ways
1) Fermentation and yeast metabolism - which is re-absorbed by the yeast through a diacetyl rest.
2) Respiratory mutants and petite mutants - yeast which has lost the ability utilize oxygen and therefore cannot uptake naturally formed diacetyl
3) Pediococcus - bacteria that can make beer buttery

If I got one bottle with this all bottles should have it.

Will purchase another and I hope I do not have to use it as a topping for my kids’ popcorn.

Bonesey · Post by **Bonesey** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:01 pm

I second the diacetyl.

mgmoney · Post by **mgmoney** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 12:27 pm

have to agree with above diacetyl present in my bottle as well...didn't drain pour it, but wary of buying some more..found the Celt to be much more pleasant imho

mintjellie · Post by **mintjellie** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:40 pm

Having had a few more bottles now, I'm also finding some diacetyl as well. Not exactly through the roof though, and anyways, I find that butteriness pleasant at low levels.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 6:29 pm

Found this to be a very good summer sipper. Very, very floral and quite herbal as well. I detected no diacetyl, but that is not to say some bottles don't throw it.

JohnnyB · Post by **JohnnyB** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:00 pm

I'll have to fifth the diacetyl on the one. Reminds me alot of the trait i find in bottled dead elephant ale, but with a bit of light citrus. Will try not to drain pour, but won't be going for this again. The Fuller's Honeydew was actually the surprise of the night, liked that alot more than this or the celt, good balance and a very sweet and subtle touch of real honey