Brewery: Stone/Ballast Point/Kelsey McNair
Location: Escondido, CA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
The good folks at Stone and Ballast Point have gotten together with homebrewer Kelsey McNair with the noble goal of creating a session beer (i.e., a beer with a low enough alcohol content that it can be consumed all day long - generally in the vicinity of 4%) that has the big hoppiness that is generally reserved for big double-IPA's. The San Diego County Session Ale pours up hazy gold/amber in color with a foamy white head and some dark swirls of sediment floating. The nose has huge grapefruit and pine hoppiness.
On the palate you are first hit with the telltale grapefruit citrus notes of West Coast hops. There are some toasted grain notes as well as a dry wood/oak note. There is a really big bitter bite with piny, oily hops. The San Diego County Session Ale is light-medium bodied with quite a bit of tannic astringency. The finish is very long and dominated by the bitter hop notes of pine and oily resin.
Well, there's no doubt that the San Diego County Session Ale has met its objective of cramming a massive amount of hops into a session ale. There really is an amazing amount of hops in this beer. Of course, there is something to be said for the higher alcohol and bigger body of an imperial IPA having the ability to hold up to and balance out a tremendous amount of hops. Even though the lighter body and alcohol content qualifies this as a session beer, for me the huge hoppiness still keeps this beer in the "sipping beer" category for me. This is a well-executed, unique idea, but I'll stick to the real deal when I'm looking for an IPA.
Showing posts with label Pale Ale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pale Ale. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Harpoon Belgian Style Pale Ale
Brewery: Harpoon
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
In my glass today is Harpoon's Belgian Style Pale Ale. The Belgian Pale Ale is golden in color with a hint of copper. It pours with a short, off-white head, and a considerable amount of fine carbonation. The nose has a Cascade-like citrus note along with sweet malt.
The Belgian Style Pale Ale leads with a fruity hop note up front followed by a piny hops kick. The hops fade into a sweet malt note of multigrain bread. There is a hint of witbier flavor here (most notably a banana-like sweetness), but it is just a highlight in the background. The body is light-to-medium with fizzy carbonation. The Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale finished with sweet malt over fading hops undertones.
Harpoon has crafted a refreshing, unique pale ale with their Belgian Style Pale Ale. This basically drinks like an amber with a touch of witbier. This is a nice option for pale ale fans looking for something just a bit different.
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
In my glass today is Harpoon's Belgian Style Pale Ale. The Belgian Pale Ale is golden in color with a hint of copper. It pours with a short, off-white head, and a considerable amount of fine carbonation. The nose has a Cascade-like citrus note along with sweet malt.
The Belgian Style Pale Ale leads with a fruity hop note up front followed by a piny hops kick. The hops fade into a sweet malt note of multigrain bread. There is a hint of witbier flavor here (most notably a banana-like sweetness), but it is just a highlight in the background. The body is light-to-medium with fizzy carbonation. The Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale finished with sweet malt over fading hops undertones.
Harpoon has crafted a refreshing, unique pale ale with their Belgian Style Pale Ale. This basically drinks like an amber with a touch of witbier. This is a nice option for pale ale fans looking for something just a bit different.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery
Location: Frederick, MD
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
On the tasting block today is the Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, an American-style Pale Ale from Flying Dog. The beer pours a deep, golden-brown color with lots of carbonation. A huge tan, foamy head with big clumps forms immediately upon pouring. The nose has citrus and herbal hops notes, along with a faint pretzel/malty note.
On the palate the Doggie Style Pale Ale has a pretzely malt note along with a fruit/wine note up front. There is a bitter hops note with a moderate bite. The hops present both citrus and herbal flavors. There is also a distinct alcohol/winy note as well. The Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale is medium-bodied with a juicy mouthfeel and some chewy astringency. The finish has both winy and pretzel notes.
Typical of Flying Dog's beers, the Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale is a nice, hoppy pale ale. My only issue is that this beer is a bit too juicy for my tastes; I'd prefer that it was a touch dryer. All-in-all, this is another very good showing from Flying Dog.
Location: Frederick, MD
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
On the tasting block today is the Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, an American-style Pale Ale from Flying Dog. The beer pours a deep, golden-brown color with lots of carbonation. A huge tan, foamy head with big clumps forms immediately upon pouring. The nose has citrus and herbal hops notes, along with a faint pretzel/malty note.
On the palate the Doggie Style Pale Ale has a pretzely malt note along with a fruit/wine note up front. There is a bitter hops note with a moderate bite. The hops present both citrus and herbal flavors. There is also a distinct alcohol/winy note as well. The Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale is medium-bodied with a juicy mouthfeel and some chewy astringency. The finish has both winy and pretzel notes.
Typical of Flying Dog's beers, the Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale is a nice, hoppy pale ale. My only issue is that this beer is a bit too juicy for my tastes; I'd prefer that it was a touch dryer. All-in-all, this is another very good showing from Flying Dog.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Newport Storm Cyclone Series "Neo" Cascade Pale Ale
Brewery: Coastal Extreme Brewing Co.
Location:Newport. RI
Style:Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Up for review today is the "Neo" from Newport Storm's Cyclone series of limited release beers. The Neo is deep, ruddy-gold in color with a short, white, bubbly head. The nose has a notable citrus character with aromas of lemonade and grapefruit. Also present on the nose are some pretzel notes.
The Newport Storm Neo's flavor profile is juicy citrus over bready malt flavors. Bitter hops fades in with time. There is a slight sweetness that holds everything in balance. The bitter hops meshes nicely with the toasted pretzel character of the malt. There is plenty of the signature grapefruit citrus of Cascade hops here, but it doesn't overpower. The finish is fairly long with bitterness, citrus and wheat toast. The Neo has a medium body that holds up well to the big flavors here.
Newport Storm really does a good job with this one. The Neo highlights the Cascade hop character well without being overbearing. There is a nice balance here for a hoppy pale ale and the malt really holds up well to the citrus character of the Cascades.
Location:Newport. RI
Style:Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Up for review today is the "Neo" from Newport Storm's Cyclone series of limited release beers. The Neo is deep, ruddy-gold in color with a short, white, bubbly head. The nose has a notable citrus character with aromas of lemonade and grapefruit. Also present on the nose are some pretzel notes.
The Newport Storm Neo's flavor profile is juicy citrus over bready malt flavors. Bitter hops fades in with time. There is a slight sweetness that holds everything in balance. The bitter hops meshes nicely with the toasted pretzel character of the malt. There is plenty of the signature grapefruit citrus of Cascade hops here, but it doesn't overpower. The finish is fairly long with bitterness, citrus and wheat toast. The Neo has a medium body that holds up well to the big flavors here.
Newport Storm really does a good job with this one. The Neo highlights the Cascade hop character well without being overbearing. There is a nice balance here for a hoppy pale ale and the malt really holds up well to the citrus character of the Cascades.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Otter Creek Pale Ale
Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
In my glass today we have the Otter Creek Pale Ale. This has long been one of my all-time favorite beers for the summertime, and it's long overdue for a critical tasting.
The Otter Creek Pale Ale is golden amber with a faint haziness. The head is pale tan in color and leaves a nice trail of lace behind it. The nose detects a citrusy hops note along with some pretzels and a slight sweetness.
On the palate there is a sweet, bready malt flavor up front. A bitter hops character builds slowly. There are some nice hops flavors of citrus and herbs. There is a bit of a mineral water character as well. The finish has bitter hops, some herbs and pretzel notes. The finish fades a little bit quicker than the typical hoppy pale ale. The Otter Creek Pale Ale has a crisp, medium body that is smooth, but holds up well to the hops.
The Otter Creek Pale Ale has the perfect balance for a summer session pale ale. There is a nice hoppy "oomph" here without being overpowering. The Otter Creek Pale Ale is flavorful, yet crisp and smooth at the same time. Along with the Smuttynose Pale Ale and the Long Trail Pale Ale, this is one of the best American Pale Ales coming out of New England right now. Highly recommended.
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
In my glass today we have the Otter Creek Pale Ale. This has long been one of my all-time favorite beers for the summertime, and it's long overdue for a critical tasting.
The Otter Creek Pale Ale is golden amber with a faint haziness. The head is pale tan in color and leaves a nice trail of lace behind it. The nose detects a citrusy hops note along with some pretzels and a slight sweetness.
On the palate there is a sweet, bready malt flavor up front. A bitter hops character builds slowly. There are some nice hops flavors of citrus and herbs. There is a bit of a mineral water character as well. The finish has bitter hops, some herbs and pretzel notes. The finish fades a little bit quicker than the typical hoppy pale ale. The Otter Creek Pale Ale has a crisp, medium body that is smooth, but holds up well to the hops.
The Otter Creek Pale Ale has the perfect balance for a summer session pale ale. There is a nice hoppy "oomph" here without being overpowering. The Otter Creek Pale Ale is flavorful, yet crisp and smooth at the same time. Along with the Smuttynose Pale Ale and the Long Trail Pale Ale, this is one of the best American Pale Ales coming out of New England right now. Highly recommended.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale
Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Location: San Diego, CA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's tasting is the Yellowtail Pale Ale from Ballast Point. The Yellowtail Pale Ale is golden yellow with some fine carbonation in the glass. It pours with a short white head. On the nose there are notes of citrus and pine hops along with lagery malt aromas and some wheat.
The Yellowtail Pale Ale is crisp and off-dry with citrus and wheat bread malt on the palate. There is a nice hops presence with some citrus and pine along with some slight bitter notes. The finish is crisp and smooth with lingering light hops and doughy malt notes. The Yellowtail Pale Ale has a light body with a slight fizz.
The Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale is the perfect model for a summer ale. It is crisp and easy drinking with just enough hops. Impress your guests and serve this at your next cookout.
Location: San Diego, CA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's tasting is the Yellowtail Pale Ale from Ballast Point. The Yellowtail Pale Ale is golden yellow with some fine carbonation in the glass. It pours with a short white head. On the nose there are notes of citrus and pine hops along with lagery malt aromas and some wheat.
The Yellowtail Pale Ale is crisp and off-dry with citrus and wheat bread malt on the palate. There is a nice hops presence with some citrus and pine along with some slight bitter notes. The finish is crisp and smooth with lingering light hops and doughy malt notes. The Yellowtail Pale Ale has a light body with a slight fizz.
The Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale is the perfect model for a summer ale. It is crisp and easy drinking with just enough hops. Impress your guests and serve this at your next cookout.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Saranac Pale Ale
Brewery: Matt Brewing Company
Location: Utica, NY
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Up for review today is Saranac's Pale Ale. The Saranac Pale Ale is a deep copper color with a light tan, bubbly head. The nose has a malt note that is very charicteristic of a British-style Pale Ale. There are also both herbal and fruity hops aromas.
On the palate the Saranac Pale Ale has a bready malt note. There is a moderate acidity that highlights cherry and plum fruit notes from the hops. There is also a mild bitter hops note on the tail end. Mineral and nutty flavors are also present. The finish has wheat bread along with a tart fruit acidity. The Saranac Pale Ale has a smooth, medium body with a touch of juiciness.
The Saranac Pale Ale is a tasty British-style pale ale that is smooth drinking with a nice hint of acidity. To me, this tastes like a fuller-flavored take on the Bass Ale style. This is really worth a try if you're a Bass/Belhaven fan.
Location: Utica, NY
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Up for review today is Saranac's Pale Ale. The Saranac Pale Ale is a deep copper color with a light tan, bubbly head. The nose has a malt note that is very charicteristic of a British-style Pale Ale. There are also both herbal and fruity hops aromas.
On the palate the Saranac Pale Ale has a bready malt note. There is a moderate acidity that highlights cherry and plum fruit notes from the hops. There is also a mild bitter hops note on the tail end. Mineral and nutty flavors are also present. The finish has wheat bread along with a tart fruit acidity. The Saranac Pale Ale has a smooth, medium body with a touch of juiciness.
The Saranac Pale Ale is a tasty British-style pale ale that is smooth drinking with a nice hint of acidity. To me, this tastes like a fuller-flavored take on the Bass Ale style. This is really worth a try if you're a Bass/Belhaven fan.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale
Brewery: Blue Hills Brewery
Location: Canton, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B
I happened upon the Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale when I stopped by Not Your Average Joe's in Randolph, MA for lunch recently. I was pleased to find a few local beers on the menu. My Xtra Pale Ale was served in a pint glass with a short white head. It is golden yellow in color. The nose has a light wheat aroma with some citrus.
The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale has a crisp wheaty malt flavor with a short kick of hop bitterness. There are notes of pine and lemonade. There is a bit of sweetness with blueberry and blackberry notes. The finish has wheaty malt with a bit of a hoppy bite. The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale has a fairly light body with a refreshing light fizz.
The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale is definitely geared towards fans of lighter beers. It still has some nice flavor and is well suited to a night-long brewpub session at only 5.25% ABV. This is a nice quaffable light ale that is a good match for a hot summer day.
Location: Canton, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B
I happened upon the Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale when I stopped by Not Your Average Joe's in Randolph, MA for lunch recently. I was pleased to find a few local beers on the menu. My Xtra Pale Ale was served in a pint glass with a short white head. It is golden yellow in color. The nose has a light wheat aroma with some citrus.
The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale has a crisp wheaty malt flavor with a short kick of hop bitterness. There are notes of pine and lemonade. There is a bit of sweetness with blueberry and blackberry notes. The finish has wheaty malt with a bit of a hoppy bite. The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale has a fairly light body with a refreshing light fizz.
The Blue Hills Xtra Pale Ale is definitely geared towards fans of lighter beers. It still has some nice flavor and is well suited to a night-long brewpub session at only 5.25% ABV. This is a nice quaffable light ale that is a good match for a hot summer day.
Samuel Adams Pale Ale
Brewery: The Boston Beer Company
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B-
Up for review today is the Samuel Adams Pale Ale. The Sam Adams Pale Ale is deep gold in color. The head is short, white and bubbly. The head disappears rather quickly after pouring. The nose has aromas of toast and well-done pizza crust, along with some "Eurolager" notes.
On the palate the Sam Adams Pale Ale has bready malt up front, followed by a mild bitter hop kick on the back end. There is a touch of acidity as well as some earthiness, all over a lagery malt backbone. The finish is rather short with a bready malt note. The Samuel Adams Pale Ale has a fairly light, crisp body.
All in all, the Sam Adams Pale Ale has a little too light a flavor for my tastes. This beer tastes more like an upgraded version of the typical "mass-market" pilsner/lagers out there. Not a bad beer for a hot summer afternoon, but not in the same league as some of the better pale ales coming out of the New England area right now, such as the pale ales from Smuttynose and Long Trail.
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B-
Up for review today is the Samuel Adams Pale Ale. The Sam Adams Pale Ale is deep gold in color. The head is short, white and bubbly. The head disappears rather quickly after pouring. The nose has aromas of toast and well-done pizza crust, along with some "Eurolager" notes.
On the palate the Sam Adams Pale Ale has bready malt up front, followed by a mild bitter hop kick on the back end. There is a touch of acidity as well as some earthiness, all over a lagery malt backbone. The finish is rather short with a bready malt note. The Samuel Adams Pale Ale has a fairly light, crisp body.
All in all, the Sam Adams Pale Ale has a little too light a flavor for my tastes. This beer tastes more like an upgraded version of the typical "mass-market" pilsner/lagers out there. Not a bad beer for a hot summer afternoon, but not in the same league as some of the better pale ales coming out of the New England area right now, such as the pale ales from Smuttynose and Long Trail.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Long Trail Pale Ale
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Co.
Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vt
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's beer up for review is Long Trail's Pale Ale. The Long Trail Pale Ale is golden amber in color. It pours a light-tan, foamy head that leaves behind a nice lace trail down the glass. The nose has a huge bouquet of hops, with notes of pine, grapefruit and juniper.
The Long Trail Pale Ale has fruity hops notes and malt up front. The hops bitterness builds over sweet cereal and wheat toast malt notes. The hops give a resinous bitter kick with notes of lemongrass, pine and grapefruit. The finish has bitter hops over a background of sweet malt. The Long Trail Pale Ale has a medium body that is well-matched to the full flavor of this beer.
The Long Trail Pale Ale is a hop-forward pale ale with a solid malt backbone. This beer just smells awesome, and the flavor has all the hops diversity that the nose detects. The Long Trail Pale Ale is simply one of the best American Pale Ales out there right now.
Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vt
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A
Today's beer up for review is Long Trail's Pale Ale. The Long Trail Pale Ale is golden amber in color. It pours a light-tan, foamy head that leaves behind a nice lace trail down the glass. The nose has a huge bouquet of hops, with notes of pine, grapefruit and juniper.
The Long Trail Pale Ale has fruity hops notes and malt up front. The hops bitterness builds over sweet cereal and wheat toast malt notes. The hops give a resinous bitter kick with notes of lemongrass, pine and grapefruit. The finish has bitter hops over a background of sweet malt. The Long Trail Pale Ale has a medium body that is well-matched to the full flavor of this beer.
The Long Trail Pale Ale is a hop-forward pale ale with a solid malt backbone. This beer just smells awesome, and the flavor has all the hops diversity that the nose detects. The Long Trail Pale Ale is simply one of the best American Pale Ales out there right now.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Offshore India Pale Ale
Brewery: Offshore Ale Brewing Co.
Location: Martha's Vineyard, MA
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: B
On tap today we have an IPA from Offshore Ale Brewing Company on the island of Martha's Vineyard. The Offshore IPA is golden amber with a slight reddish tint. It is very hazy. I'm not sure if I accidentally bumped or shook the bottle before pouring, but I got a huge fist-sized head. The head is light tan in color and both creamy and foamy. The nose picks up fruit, flower and pine from the hops, along with a dose of sweetness and bread.
The palate picks up bready malt along with floral and piny hop notes. There is a medium bitter hop kick. There are also some berry flavors detectable. On the finish, the piney bitter hops linger paired with some faint bready notes. The Offshore IPA is medium-bodied with bit of astringency.
The Offshore IPA is a very drinkable beer that is well balanced between malt and hops. Its only downfall is that it is actually a bit too balanced for an IPA, which is a very hop-forward style. If this was billed as a Pale Ale I would probably have rated this higher. The Offshore IPA drinks more like an American Pale Ale with a hoppy kick. Fans of Red Seal and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale would do well to check this one out.
Location: Martha's Vineyard, MA
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: B
On tap today we have an IPA from Offshore Ale Brewing Company on the island of Martha's Vineyard. The Offshore IPA is golden amber with a slight reddish tint. It is very hazy. I'm not sure if I accidentally bumped or shook the bottle before pouring, but I got a huge fist-sized head. The head is light tan in color and both creamy and foamy. The nose picks up fruit, flower and pine from the hops, along with a dose of sweetness and bread.
The palate picks up bready malt along with floral and piny hop notes. There is a medium bitter hop kick. There are also some berry flavors detectable. On the finish, the piney bitter hops linger paired with some faint bready notes. The Offshore IPA is medium-bodied with bit of astringency.
The Offshore IPA is a very drinkable beer that is well balanced between malt and hops. Its only downfall is that it is actually a bit too balanced for an IPA, which is a very hop-forward style. If this was billed as a Pale Ale I would probably have rated this higher. The Offshore IPA drinks more like an American Pale Ale with a hoppy kick. Fans of Red Seal and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale would do well to check this one out.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Location: Portsmouth, NH
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Up for review we have the Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale. With all the great craft breweries in New England, I think Smuttynose tends to fly under the radar a bit, which is a real shame since they brew so many great beers, such as the Shoals Pale Ale.
The Shoals Pale Ale is ruddy amber in color. It has a slight haziness and many very fine bubbles. The head is a rather thick light foam, and is a light golden color. On the nose, the Shoals Pale Ale has fruity hops notes of cherry and lemon, along with bread and some sweetness.
On the palate, there is a grainy, bready malt flavor up front with a medium hoppy kick. The bitter and aromatic hops are well-balanced with floral, pine and citrus notes. There is a slight acidity which rounds out the flavor well. The finish has bitter hops with a background of sweet malt. The Shoals Pale Ale has a drinkable light-to-medium body with some juiciness.
The Shoals Pale Ale is a well-balanced pale ale that drinks like a good IPA. There is a lot of nice hops flavor without being overpowering, and a great bready malt that holds its own with the hops. This is easily one of the top pale ales coming out of New England at the moment.
Location: Portsmouth, NH
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Up for review we have the Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale. With all the great craft breweries in New England, I think Smuttynose tends to fly under the radar a bit, which is a real shame since they brew so many great beers, such as the Shoals Pale Ale.
The Shoals Pale Ale is ruddy amber in color. It has a slight haziness and many very fine bubbles. The head is a rather thick light foam, and is a light golden color. On the nose, the Shoals Pale Ale has fruity hops notes of cherry and lemon, along with bread and some sweetness.
On the palate, there is a grainy, bready malt flavor up front with a medium hoppy kick. The bitter and aromatic hops are well-balanced with floral, pine and citrus notes. There is a slight acidity which rounds out the flavor well. The finish has bitter hops with a background of sweet malt. The Shoals Pale Ale has a drinkable light-to-medium body with some juiciness.
The Shoals Pale Ale is a well-balanced pale ale that drinks like a good IPA. There is a lot of nice hops flavor without being overpowering, and a great bready malt that holds its own with the hops. This is easily one of the top pale ales coming out of New England at the moment.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Style: Pale Ale
Location: Chico, CA
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
The Sierra Nevada Pale ale is the flagship beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing. In recent years, I have found this beer becoming very widely available. Behind Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Sam's seasonal beers, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is probably one of the top 2 or 3 craft beers a bar or restaurant is most likely to carry. It is quite a success story for a microbrew.
The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is golden amber in color with a slight haziness. A firm pour leaves a two-finger thick off-white head that fades slowly leaving behind a clingy lace. The nose has a bright citrus aroma along with some bready malt. There is a touch of piney hops as well.
The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has a bready malt flavor up front with some sweetness. There is a big malt flavor in the middle of the tongue. Bitter hops starts to build as the malt rounds out. There is a wide profile of hops flavors present, but they are not as powerful as the nose would have you believe. A grapefruit-like citrus is most noticible, but there are floral hops and pine present as well. There is nice fizzy carbonation and a touch of astringency. The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is medium bodied, which is full enough to hold up to its big flavors without being too heavy. The finish is balanced between bitter and fruity hops, with some residual sweet malt notes still hanging on.
This is a good time to mention glassware for tasting beer. While I'm not a stickler for matching various types of beer to different types of glasses, I do think if you want to seriously taste a beer then you will have a better experience if you are using a glass suited to tasting beer. The key is that the glass should be big enough to hold as much beer as you're planning to pour with plentry of room left over for a good sized head and also with extra room to spare for your nose. I recently picked up a couple of slightly-oversized pilsner glasses at Pier 1 Imports for $4 apiece and they have been well worth the investment. Oversized pint glasses (the type with the bulbous top) and goblets work equally as well.
The reason I mention glassware here is because the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is one of the best smelling beers out there. It smells like walking through a Cascade hops yard. If given the opportunity, do youself a favor and pour this one in a glass instead of drinking it straight from the bottle. Also, if this has been stored in a cold fridge, let it come up a few degrees before you crack into it. The aroma will be worth the extra effort, I promise. My only qualm with the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is that for all the big hoppiness on the nose, once the beer hits the palate the hoppiness takes a big step down. I'd love to taste a version of this beer where the hops get ratcheted up a notch or two.
Style: Pale Ale
Location: Chico, CA
Brewery Website
Rating: B+
The Sierra Nevada Pale ale is the flagship beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing. In recent years, I have found this beer becoming very widely available. Behind Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Sam's seasonal beers, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is probably one of the top 2 or 3 craft beers a bar or restaurant is most likely to carry. It is quite a success story for a microbrew.
The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is golden amber in color with a slight haziness. A firm pour leaves a two-finger thick off-white head that fades slowly leaving behind a clingy lace. The nose has a bright citrus aroma along with some bready malt. There is a touch of piney hops as well.
The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has a bready malt flavor up front with some sweetness. There is a big malt flavor in the middle of the tongue. Bitter hops starts to build as the malt rounds out. There is a wide profile of hops flavors present, but they are not as powerful as the nose would have you believe. A grapefruit-like citrus is most noticible, but there are floral hops and pine present as well. There is nice fizzy carbonation and a touch of astringency. The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is medium bodied, which is full enough to hold up to its big flavors without being too heavy. The finish is balanced between bitter and fruity hops, with some residual sweet malt notes still hanging on.
This is a good time to mention glassware for tasting beer. While I'm not a stickler for matching various types of beer to different types of glasses, I do think if you want to seriously taste a beer then you will have a better experience if you are using a glass suited to tasting beer. The key is that the glass should be big enough to hold as much beer as you're planning to pour with plentry of room left over for a good sized head and also with extra room to spare for your nose. I recently picked up a couple of slightly-oversized pilsner glasses at Pier 1 Imports for $4 apiece and they have been well worth the investment. Oversized pint glasses (the type with the bulbous top) and goblets work equally as well.
The reason I mention glassware here is because the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is one of the best smelling beers out there. It smells like walking through a Cascade hops yard. If given the opportunity, do youself a favor and pour this one in a glass instead of drinking it straight from the bottle. Also, if this has been stored in a cold fridge, let it come up a few degrees before you crack into it. The aroma will be worth the extra effort, I promise. My only qualm with the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is that for all the big hoppiness on the nose, once the beer hits the palate the hoppiness takes a big step down. I'd love to taste a version of this beer where the hops get ratcheted up a notch or two.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Red Seal Ale
Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.
Style: Amber
Location: Fort Bragg, CA
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Being a New Englander, the majority of the microbrews that are available locally are from the New England and Mid-Atlantic areas. Thankfully, we can find a handful of the better west coast beers around my parts. Red Seal Ale from North Coast Brewing is a beer that's well worth searching out.
The Red Seal Ale pours a hazy amber-brown in the glass. An average pour leaves a thick, golden-tan head which leaves a sticky lacing as it subsides. The nose has fruity hops along with almond and mineral notes.
The initial flavors that show through are sweet malt and fruity hops. Bitter notes develop and pick up in intensity after a few sips. The Red Seal has some mild acidity. There are flavors of yeast, seaweed/iodine as well as mineral notes. The Red Seal Ale has a medium body with some creaminess. The finish is bitter hops with a crisp minerality.
While technically billed as an amber, the Red Seal Ale drinks like a good American Pale Ale. Fans of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale should hunt down some Red Seal (no pun intended). This is a classic American ale.
Style: Amber
Location: Fort Bragg, CA
Brewery Website
Rating: A-
Being a New Englander, the majority of the microbrews that are available locally are from the New England and Mid-Atlantic areas. Thankfully, we can find a handful of the better west coast beers around my parts. Red Seal Ale from North Coast Brewing is a beer that's well worth searching out.
The Red Seal Ale pours a hazy amber-brown in the glass. An average pour leaves a thick, golden-tan head which leaves a sticky lacing as it subsides. The nose has fruity hops along with almond and mineral notes.
The initial flavors that show through are sweet malt and fruity hops. Bitter notes develop and pick up in intensity after a few sips. The Red Seal has some mild acidity. There are flavors of yeast, seaweed/iodine as well as mineral notes. The Red Seal Ale has a medium body with some creaminess. The finish is bitter hops with a crisp minerality.
While technically billed as an amber, the Red Seal Ale drinks like a good American Pale Ale. Fans of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale should hunt down some Red Seal (no pun intended). This is a classic American ale.
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