Full disclosure: I actually shot this video a couple of weeks ago. Subsequent bottles lost even more of their hoppiness, so if you see this now it'll be even more of a standard pale ale.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B-
Showing posts with label American Pale Ale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Pale Ale. Show all posts
20 November 2010
15 November 2010
Troegs Scratch Ale 35 (Fresh Hop Ale)
This is my first Troegs beer, sent to me by Chris over at BeerGeekNation, who lives about as close to them as I do to Bell's.
This is part of their Scratch series, where their brewers make specialty one-off releases. This time it's a wet-hopped Harvest Ale.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
This is part of their Scratch series, where their brewers make specialty one-off releases. This time it's a wet-hopped Harvest Ale.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
05 November 2010
Founders Harvest Ale
Founders Harvest Ale (bottle)
Grand Rapids, MI
6.5% ABV
A quick and dirty review of Founders Harvest Ale, shot after a long day at work. Short story: I like this beer a lot; as the earthy wet hops give it a really fresh and interesting flavor.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
Grand Rapids, MI
6.5% ABV
A quick and dirty review of Founders Harvest Ale, shot after a long day at work. Short story: I like this beer a lot; as the earthy wet hops give it a really fresh and interesting flavor.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
02 November 2010
Bell's Pale Ale (Bell's Week Day 7)
Bell's Pale Ale
Kalamazoo, MI
5.2% ABV
This is Bell's batch number 9875, bottled July 12, 2010. I reviewed it on October 10.
This is a fairly hoppy pale ale, but not overly bitter. Very nice.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 7.0/10
Kalamazoo, MI
5.2% ABV
This is Bell's batch number 9875, bottled July 12, 2010. I reviewed it on October 10.
This is a fairly hoppy pale ale, but not overly bitter. Very nice.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 7.0/10
23 October 2010
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (bottle)
Chico, CA
5.8% ABV
This is one of the beers that arguably started the entire American microbrew market. And I'm reviewing it. Whee!
Sorry about the audio -- it was windier outside than I realized and by the time I got the editing it was too late.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 7.5/10
Chico, CA
5.8% ABV
This is one of the beers that arguably started the entire American microbrew market. And I'm reviewing it. Whee!
Sorry about the audio -- it was windier outside than I realized and by the time I got the editing it was too late.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 7.5/10
20 June 2010
Video: Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale
Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale (bottle)
Munster, IN
6.0% ABV
I recorded this the other day while I was waiting for my oven to pre-heat. Thus it's less meandering and less edited than some of the others I've posted. I'm still playing with my method of recording, but this seems to work well.
My numerical rating: 7.5/10
Munster, IN
6.0% ABV
I recorded this the other day while I was waiting for my oven to pre-heat. Thus it's less meandering and less edited than some of the others I've posted. I'm still playing with my method of recording, but this seems to work well.
My numerical rating: 7.5/10
19 May 2010
Three Floyds Pride and Joy
Three Floyds Pride and Joy (bottle)
Munster, Indiana
6.5% ABV
I picked this up while driving through Indiana on the way back from my sister's wedding. Can't remember the name of the liquor store, but Scott texted me directions to the store and I had a perfectly nice experience chatting with an employee with a totally awesome green mohawk. It's off 96th street right near the I-69 offramp and it's totally worth a visit if you're passing through.
Anyway. The bottle claims this is an English Mild, while BA calls it an American Pale Ale. I've had two bottles of this so far, and I'd say it's somewhere in between -- a bit hoppy and overly alcoholic to really be a traditional mild, but too dark, malty, and with a bit too much caramel to really be a satisfying APA. Either way, a very nice beer, but probably a bit too strange for those looking for traditional interpretations of the respective styles.
Let's do the standard review thing anyway, shall we? Pours dark yellow/orange, clear with only a slight translucent quality, with a thin white head that dissipates the soapscum immediately. Smells bitter, strong sweet notes of caramel, almost like a very standard traditional mild.
Flavor is similar, sweet caramel maltiness up-front with a bit of a bitter drying aftertaste. A very slight hint of citrus. Mouthfeel is moderate, with a dry hoppiness and a moderate carbonation.
Overall? Yeah, see above. Probably too hoppy and alcoholic to really satisfy those looking for an English mild, but as an overexaggerated American version of same, it works pretty well. American Pale Ale is probably a style broad enough to contain this beer, but just barely.
My overall BA rating: 4.0/5
Munster, Indiana
6.5% ABV
I picked this up while driving through Indiana on the way back from my sister's wedding. Can't remember the name of the liquor store, but Scott texted me directions to the store and I had a perfectly nice experience chatting with an employee with a totally awesome green mohawk. It's off 96th street right near the I-69 offramp and it's totally worth a visit if you're passing through.
Anyway. The bottle claims this is an English Mild, while BA calls it an American Pale Ale. I've had two bottles of this so far, and I'd say it's somewhere in between -- a bit hoppy and overly alcoholic to really be a traditional mild, but too dark, malty, and with a bit too much caramel to really be a satisfying APA. Either way, a very nice beer, but probably a bit too strange for those looking for traditional interpretations of the respective styles.
Let's do the standard review thing anyway, shall we? Pours dark yellow/orange, clear with only a slight translucent quality, with a thin white head that dissipates the soapscum immediately. Smells bitter, strong sweet notes of caramel, almost like a very standard traditional mild.
Flavor is similar, sweet caramel maltiness up-front with a bit of a bitter drying aftertaste. A very slight hint of citrus. Mouthfeel is moderate, with a dry hoppiness and a moderate carbonation.
Overall? Yeah, see above. Probably too hoppy and alcoholic to really satisfy those looking for an English mild, but as an overexaggerated American version of same, it works pretty well. American Pale Ale is probably a style broad enough to contain this beer, but just barely.
My overall BA rating: 4.0/5
25 January 2010
Widmer Drifter Pale Ale
Widmer Drifter Pale Ale
Portland, OR
5.7% ABV
(Full disclosure: This bottle was provided as a free sample from one of our distributors.)
Pours deep orange-red with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Hazy, with some effervescence. Smells sweet with apples and some vague citrus with a nice hoppiness underneath. Very fruity, very inviting.
Flavor is sweet, fruity, and quite yeasty, with a bit of a hop bite on the back-end. Yeastiness is something of an unappreciated quality in a pale ale -- usually with an APA you want something clean and clear, but occasionally you find a beer that makes a thicker profile really work in conjunction with the other elements. Drifter Pale Ale is one of those cases. It's not an amazing, life-changing beer, but it's definitely worth a try if you like a good pale.
My overall BA rating: 3.85/5
Portland, OR
5.7% ABV
(Full disclosure: This bottle was provided as a free sample from one of our distributors.)
Pours deep orange-red with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Hazy, with some effervescence. Smells sweet with apples and some vague citrus with a nice hoppiness underneath. Very fruity, very inviting.
Flavor is sweet, fruity, and quite yeasty, with a bit of a hop bite on the back-end. Yeastiness is something of an unappreciated quality in a pale ale -- usually with an APA you want something clean and clear, but occasionally you find a beer that makes a thicker profile really work in conjunction with the other elements. Drifter Pale Ale is one of those cases. It's not an amazing, life-changing beer, but it's definitely worth a try if you like a good pale.
My overall BA rating: 3.85/5
23 December 2009
Short's Kind Ale
Short's Kind Ale (bottle)
Elk Rapids, MI
Unknown ABV
So after a flubbed beer and a day off, we're back to the Short's Limited Edition brews. Today I decided to try their wet-hopped pale ale, just go give myself a bit of a respite from the stouts.
But first, since this is a wet-hopped beer, a word about wet hopping. Since wet-hopping and dry-hopping are both terms used in the production of beer, it is a logical assumption for the uninitiated to believe that they are just different forms of the same basic process, or that they are at least related in some way. Other than both terms describing ways of using hops, this is actually not the case.
Dry-hopping refers to using hops after the end of the boil (and generally after the end of primary fermentation) to add aroma to the finished beer. These hops tend not to add any alpha acids to the finished brew, but are generally only present in the nose of the beer. Wet-hopping, on the other hand, refers to any use of freshly-picked (i.e., not dried or otherwise processed) hops, usually in the boil. (I suppose it's possible to dry-hop with freshly-picked hops, thereby wet-dry-hopping, but that would probably only be done by brewers with a sense of the paradoxical that would rival Joseph Heller's.)
Short's Kind Ale is a wet-hopped ale, and it definitely makes a difference to the flavor. It's earthier and more floral than you'd get from a standard pale, which helps to add complexity to what is generally a pretty standard style of beer. Hoppy, citrusy, a touch of yeast... what else can a boy ask for from a bottle of American Pale Ale? It's a well-made pale that has a nice mix of malt and hops, starts of sweet and finishes dry. I could definitely handle two or three of these if I could ever find it on-tap somewhere.
My overall BA review: 3.8/5
Elk Rapids, MI
Unknown ABV
So after a flubbed beer and a day off, we're back to the Short's Limited Edition brews. Today I decided to try their wet-hopped pale ale, just go give myself a bit of a respite from the stouts.
But first, since this is a wet-hopped beer, a word about wet hopping. Since wet-hopping and dry-hopping are both terms used in the production of beer, it is a logical assumption for the uninitiated to believe that they are just different forms of the same basic process, or that they are at least related in some way. Other than both terms describing ways of using hops, this is actually not the case.
Dry-hopping refers to using hops after the end of the boil (and generally after the end of primary fermentation) to add aroma to the finished beer. These hops tend not to add any alpha acids to the finished brew, but are generally only present in the nose of the beer. Wet-hopping, on the other hand, refers to any use of freshly-picked (i.e., not dried or otherwise processed) hops, usually in the boil. (I suppose it's possible to dry-hop with freshly-picked hops, thereby wet-dry-hopping, but that would probably only be done by brewers with a sense of the paradoxical that would rival Joseph Heller's.)
Short's Kind Ale is a wet-hopped ale, and it definitely makes a difference to the flavor. It's earthier and more floral than you'd get from a standard pale, which helps to add complexity to what is generally a pretty standard style of beer. Hoppy, citrusy, a touch of yeast... what else can a boy ask for from a bottle of American Pale Ale? It's a well-made pale that has a nice mix of malt and hops, starts of sweet and finishes dry. I could definitely handle two or three of these if I could ever find it on-tap somewhere.
My overall BA review: 3.8/5
10 October 2009
Beer Review, Capital Brewing U.S. Pale Ale
Capital Brewing U.S. Pale Ale (bottle)
Middleton, WI
5.0% ABV
Appearance: Slightly hazy yellow body (a tinge of orange) with a thin white bubbly head that sticks around for a bit. Not bad for an APA, but I usually expect a bit more red. 3.5/5
Smell: Pale maltiness, piney citrus hops. 3.0/5
Taste: Much like the aroma, a strong citrus flavor with a hint of dry piney hops on the finish and a dry aftertaste. This is better when it's a bit colder. Almost reminds me of a lager at times. 3.5/5
Mouthfeel: Thin body, heavy hops, moderate carbonation. Actually quite pleasant. 4.0/5
Drinkability: This is a bog-standard APA. Worth drinking, but nothing special. 3.5/5
Overall: 3.45/5
Middleton, WI
5.0% ABV
Appearance: Slightly hazy yellow body (a tinge of orange) with a thin white bubbly head that sticks around for a bit. Not bad for an APA, but I usually expect a bit more red. 3.5/5
Smell: Pale maltiness, piney citrus hops. 3.0/5
Taste: Much like the aroma, a strong citrus flavor with a hint of dry piney hops on the finish and a dry aftertaste. This is better when it's a bit colder. Almost reminds me of a lager at times. 3.5/5
Mouthfeel: Thin body, heavy hops, moderate carbonation. Actually quite pleasant. 4.0/5
Drinkability: This is a bog-standard APA. Worth drinking, but nothing special. 3.5/5
Overall: 3.45/5
31 August 2009
Beer Review, Untouchable Pale Ale
Speakeasy Untouchable Pale Ale
San Francisco, CA
5.5% ABV
Appearance: Orange-yellow with a slight reddish tinge, very hazy with suspended particles, small white foamy head. 4.0/5
Smell: Sweet, slightly citrus, strong clean hops. Cascade perhaps? 4.0/5
Taste: Yeastier than expected, somewhat sweet on the tongue. Notes of citrus. Actually quite refreshing. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thick for an APA, moderate carbonation, moderate-to-heavy on hops. 3.5/5
Drinkability: A pretty classic West Coast APA, perhaps a little yeasty for the style, but quite good, very drinkable. 4.0/5
Overall: 3.95/5
San Francisco, CA
5.5% ABV
Appearance: Orange-yellow with a slight reddish tinge, very hazy with suspended particles, small white foamy head. 4.0/5
Smell: Sweet, slightly citrus, strong clean hops. Cascade perhaps? 4.0/5
Taste: Yeastier than expected, somewhat sweet on the tongue. Notes of citrus. Actually quite refreshing. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thick for an APA, moderate carbonation, moderate-to-heavy on hops. 3.5/5
Drinkability: A pretty classic West Coast APA, perhaps a little yeasty for the style, but quite good, very drinkable. 4.0/5
Overall: 3.95/5
03 August 2009
Beer Review, Lake Effect Pale Ale
Mishawaka Brewing Lake Effect Pale Ale
Mishawaka, IN
5.8% ABV
Appearance: Transparent yellow body, some bubbles from carbonation, but with absolutely zero head. 2.0/5
Smell: Much better here. Rich, malty, with caramel undertones. Strong hoppy aroma. Reminds me more of Dead Guy than any pale ale I've ever had. High marks for impressiveness, though. 4.5/5
Taste: Sweet with apples but quite tart, borderline sour, with a dry yeasty aftertaste. There's a lot going on here, but it's a cacaphony rather than a symphony. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin, but it does coat the palate on the finish. 3.0/5
Drinkability: This doesn't really work as a pale ale. I'd rather think of this as an amber. 3.0/5
Overall: 3.1/5
Mishawaka, IN
5.8% ABV
Appearance: Transparent yellow body, some bubbles from carbonation, but with absolutely zero head. 2.0/5
Smell: Much better here. Rich, malty, with caramel undertones. Strong hoppy aroma. Reminds me more of Dead Guy than any pale ale I've ever had. High marks for impressiveness, though. 4.5/5
Taste: Sweet with apples but quite tart, borderline sour, with a dry yeasty aftertaste. There's a lot going on here, but it's a cacaphony rather than a symphony. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin, but it does coat the palate on the finish. 3.0/5
Drinkability: This doesn't really work as a pale ale. I'd rather think of this as an amber. 3.0/5
Overall: 3.1/5
15 March 2009
Beer Review, Angler's Ale
Arcadia Angler's Ale
Battle Creek, MI
5.4% ABV
Appearance: Orange body, slightly yellowish, with plenty of bubbles and a thick white head. Hazy. Very nice presentation. 4.5/5
Smell: Sweet citrus at first, with a nice crisp hoppy backbone. Very strong orange aroma, almost like orange juice, but tangier. 4.0/5
Taste: Crisp hops up front, tangy and slightly tarty orange flavor. A bit sour on the finish. Dry aftertaste. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin body but high amounts of carbonation and moderate hops. 4.0/5
Drinkability: Decent beer, worth a shot. Not my favorite APA by a long shot. 3.5/5
Overall: 3.65/5
Battle Creek, MI
5.4% ABV
Appearance: Orange body, slightly yellowish, with plenty of bubbles and a thick white head. Hazy. Very nice presentation. 4.5/5
Smell: Sweet citrus at first, with a nice crisp hoppy backbone. Very strong orange aroma, almost like orange juice, but tangier. 4.0/5
Taste: Crisp hops up front, tangy and slightly tarty orange flavor. A bit sour on the finish. Dry aftertaste. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin body but high amounts of carbonation and moderate hops. 4.0/5
Drinkability: Decent beer, worth a shot. Not my favorite APA by a long shot. 3.5/5
Overall: 3.65/5
02 March 2009
Beer Review, Bell's Pale Ale
Bell's Pale Ale
Comstock, MI
5.00% ABV
Appearance: Yellow/orange body, thick bubbly foamy white head that dissipates a bit, but leaves some lacing. 4.5/5
Smell: Sweet with citrus up front, crisp hops underneath. Very fresh, clean, aromatic. 4.0/5
Taste: Orange and citrus on the tip of the tongue, with a crisp finish and a dry aftertaste. Somewhat grassy. Very fresh, quite good. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin but not watery, with a nice carbonation that is pleasant, not painful. 4.0/5
Drinkability: A very nice pale ale, one of the better examples of the style. A very good day-to-day beer if you can get it. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.1/5
Comstock, MI
5.00% ABV
Appearance: Yellow/orange body, thick bubbly foamy white head that dissipates a bit, but leaves some lacing. 4.5/5
Smell: Sweet with citrus up front, crisp hops underneath. Very fresh, clean, aromatic. 4.0/5
Taste: Orange and citrus on the tip of the tongue, with a crisp finish and a dry aftertaste. Somewhat grassy. Very fresh, quite good. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thin but not watery, with a nice carbonation that is pleasant, not painful. 4.0/5
Drinkability: A very nice pale ale, one of the better examples of the style. A very good day-to-day beer if you can get it. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.1/5
23 December 2008
Beer Review, Magic Hat #9
Magic Hat #9 Not Quite Pale ALe
South Burlington, VT
4.6% ABV
Appearance: Clear yellow-orange body, thick foamy white head. Slight effervescence. 4.0/5
Smell: Very very sweet, citrusy. Very cloying, syrupy. Has that kind of "soapy" aroma that some pale ales seem to have. 2.0/5
Taste: Strong glavors of oranges, slightly acidic. Malty and yet very dry on the finish. Slightly yeasty. It's sweet and refreshing like orange juice, but doesn't have a lot of complexity. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: On a scale of one to ten, this is a six for thickness. Low carbonation. 3.5/5
Drinkability: I can drink this, but it certainly isn't a "good" beer by any reasonable standard. There are much better pale ales out there, although people looking for a very citrusy beer might enjoy this. 2.5/5
Overall: 3.0/5
South Burlington, VT
4.6% ABV
Appearance: Clear yellow-orange body, thick foamy white head. Slight effervescence. 4.0/5
Smell: Very very sweet, citrusy. Very cloying, syrupy. Has that kind of "soapy" aroma that some pale ales seem to have. 2.0/5
Taste: Strong glavors of oranges, slightly acidic. Malty and yet very dry on the finish. Slightly yeasty. It's sweet and refreshing like orange juice, but doesn't have a lot of complexity. 3.0/5
Mouthfeel: On a scale of one to ten, this is a six for thickness. Low carbonation. 3.5/5
Drinkability: I can drink this, but it certainly isn't a "good" beer by any reasonable standard. There are much better pale ales out there, although people looking for a very citrusy beer might enjoy this. 2.5/5
Overall: 3.0/5
26 October 2008
Beer Review, Spanish Peaks American Pale Ale
Spanish Peaks American Pale Ale
Appearance: Yellow body tinged with orange. Very hazy, quite a few bubbles suspended in the liquid. Forms a thin white head that dissipates to soapscum quickly. 4.0/5
Smell: Sweet, fruity. Notes of apples. Quite a bit of malt, hints of hops buried underneath. A nice aroma, inviting. 4.5/5
Taste: Crisp bitterness up front, slight malty middle, dry finish. Aftertaste is malty, bready. Hints of apples and grains. Strong flavors of grapefruit and a few notes of banana as the beer warms. Overall an excellent flavor for a pale ale. 4.5/5
Mouthfeel: Moderate. Some carbonation, a touch of dryness to the finish. Slightly chewy. 3.5/5
Drinkability: A highly drinkable, well-above-average pale ale. Well worth the spot in the fridge. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.25/5
Appearance: Yellow body tinged with orange. Very hazy, quite a few bubbles suspended in the liquid. Forms a thin white head that dissipates to soapscum quickly. 4.0/5
Smell: Sweet, fruity. Notes of apples. Quite a bit of malt, hints of hops buried underneath. A nice aroma, inviting. 4.5/5
Taste: Crisp bitterness up front, slight malty middle, dry finish. Aftertaste is malty, bready. Hints of apples and grains. Strong flavors of grapefruit and a few notes of banana as the beer warms. Overall an excellent flavor for a pale ale. 4.5/5
Mouthfeel: Moderate. Some carbonation, a touch of dryness to the finish. Slightly chewy. 3.5/5
Drinkability: A highly drinkable, well-above-average pale ale. Well worth the spot in the fridge. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.25/5
14 July 2008
Beer Review, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55
Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55
Appearance: Pours a middle-grade orange color with a thick white foamy head, lots of effervescence from the bottom of the glass, significant lacing. Very nice presentation. 4.5/5
Smell: Strong bitter hop presence at the start, with a kind of sweetness underneath. Hints of citrus. A slightly "stale" aroma, like a mediocre IPA, but otherwise nice and inviting. 3.5/5
Taste: A bracing citrus up-front with a smooth middle and a somewhat dry finish. Some notes of hops, some sweetness, not too complex. A good hot weather beer taste. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Moderate, sticks around on the palate for a bit, even thick for an APA. 4.0/5
Drinkability: Like pretty much all of Brooklyn's beers, this is a brew that takes a very simple style and simply does it to perfection. I don't like it quite as much as their lager, but for a nice not-too-complex APA you could do a lot worse. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.0/5
Appearance: Pours a middle-grade orange color with a thick white foamy head, lots of effervescence from the bottom of the glass, significant lacing. Very nice presentation. 4.5/5
Smell: Strong bitter hop presence at the start, with a kind of sweetness underneath. Hints of citrus. A slightly "stale" aroma, like a mediocre IPA, but otherwise nice and inviting. 3.5/5
Taste: A bracing citrus up-front with a smooth middle and a somewhat dry finish. Some notes of hops, some sweetness, not too complex. A good hot weather beer taste. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Moderate, sticks around on the palate for a bit, even thick for an APA. 4.0/5
Drinkability: Like pretty much all of Brooklyn's beers, this is a brew that takes a very simple style and simply does it to perfection. I don't like it quite as much as their lager, but for a nice not-too-complex APA you could do a lot worse. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.0/5
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