Virtual Craft Beer Tasting Club » Discussions

American Pale Ale Tasting - July 16th - 31st

• oregonbeerlover

  

  Member
   

  July 16, 2009

  It's summertime and the livin' is easy...bring on the Pale Ale for these hot summer days, and post about them here.

  It's summertime and the livin' is easy...bring on the Pale Ale for these hot summer days, and post about them here.
• ibbjamin

  

  Member
   

  July 17, 2009

  Deschutes Hop Trip
  5.5% ABV APA out of Bend, Oregon
  
  Paid $4.69 for a bomber from BevMo in San Jose, CA. Poured into a pint glass.
  
  Leaves a massive frothy white head of about two inches after a moderately aggressive pour. Much carbonation visually present. Head retention and lacing are ridiculous. Transparent amber color.
  
  Smells very fresh and hoppy. Dank, resinous and hopilicious. Much hoppier than your standard APA. When focusing in a bit more, you can smell the malt backing these hops up.
  
  So fresh and tasty. The taste of this one leans more towards well balanced than the nose would have predicted. I don't want to pigenhole this into the citrus, grapefruit, pine cliché - the hops are just too good and tasty to put these standardized labels to them.
  
  Medium body and perfectly carbonated. A crisp finish, but there is a very pleasant aftertaste that sticks around making me want to drink this one very fast.
  
  Get this while you can! MMMmmm, yummy.
  
  A / 4.45
  look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 5

  Deschutes Hop Trip
  5.5% ABV APA out of Bend, Oregon
  
  Paid $4.69 for a bomber from BevMo in San Jose, CA. Poured into a pint glass.
  
  Leaves a massive frothy white head of about two inches after a moderately aggressive pour. Much carbonation visually present. Head retention and lacing are ridiculous. Transparent amber color.
  
  Smells very fresh and hoppy. Dank, resinous and hopilicious. Much hoppier than your standard APA. When focusing in a bit more, you can smell the malt backing these hops up.
  
  So fresh and tasty. The taste of this one leans more towards well balanced than the nose would have predicted. I don't want to pigenhole this into the citrus, grapefruit, pine cliché - the hops are just too good and tasty to put these standardized labels to them.
  
  Medium body and perfectly carbonated. A crisp finish, but there is a very pleasant aftertaste that sticks around making me want to drink this one very fast.
  
  Get this while you can! MMMmmm, yummy.
  
  A / 4.45
  look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 5
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  July 17, 2009

  Pigskin Pale Ale, 6.00% ABV
  Beer Valley Brewing Co., Ontario, Oregon
  
  The Pigskin Pale Ale from Beer Valley Brewing Company in Ontario, Oregon pours out deep gold in color with some cloud and a large white head that hangs around for a while. Quite hoppy on the nose with good pine and citrus aromas as well as caramel and an earthiness. in the mouth this shows bitter pine, floral and citrus hops upfront with underlying flavors of caramel. Medium bodied. Great lacing. Good carbonation. Crisp, fairly clean mouthfeel. Quite dry on the finish with good hop bitterness. A hop skewed pale ale that was a delight to drink.
  
  

  Pigskin Pale Ale, 6.00% ABV
  Beer Valley Brewing Co., Ontario, Oregon
  
  The Pigskin Pale Ale from Beer Valley Brewing Company in Ontario, Oregon pours out deep gold in color with some cloud and a large white head that hangs around for a while. Quite hoppy on the nose with good pine and citrus aromas as well as caramel and an earthiness. in the mouth this shows bitter pine, floral and citrus hops upfront with underlying flavors of caramel. Medium bodied. Great lacing. Good carbonation. Crisp, fairly clean mouthfeel. Quite dry on the finish with good hop bitterness. A hop skewed pale ale that was a delight to drink.
  
  
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  July 17, 2009

  Napa Smith Pale Ale, 5.25% ABV
  Napa Smith Brewery, Napa, California
  
  The Pale Ale from Napa Smith Brewery in Napa, California pours out a golden orange in color with a little cloud, vigorous streams of bubbles and just under a one finger, white head that readily dissipates. On the nose aromas of biscuit, citrus, spice and honey. In the mouth there is a honeyed sweetness with good hop flavor too, nice citrus notes and a peppery spice. Prickly carbonation. Medium bodied. Some lacing. Fairly clean, neutral mouthfeel. Dry finish that is more malt than hops. A decent pale ale but nothing reaches out to make it stand out.
  
  

  Napa Smith Pale Ale, 5.25% ABV
  Napa Smith Brewery, Napa, California
  
  The Pale Ale from Napa Smith Brewery in Napa, California pours out a golden orange in color with a little cloud, vigorous streams of bubbles and just under a one finger, white head that readily dissipates. On the nose aromas of biscuit, citrus, spice and honey. In the mouth there is a honeyed sweetness with good hop flavor too, nice citrus notes and a peppery spice. Prickly carbonation. Medium bodied. Some lacing. Fairly clean, neutral mouthfeel. Dry finish that is more malt than hops. A decent pale ale but nothing reaches out to make it stand out.
  
  
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  July 18, 2009

  Full Sail Pale Ale, 5.40% ABV
  Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, Oregon
  
  The Pale Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company in Hood River, Oregon pours out a coppery gold in color with good clarity and a one finger white, head that dissipates fairly quickly. On the nose aromas of floral hops, honey, caramel and some bready malt. In the mouth this is slightly bitter from the hops at first, with good citrus undertones, that becomes quite subdued by malt, honeyed sweetness and some grain flavors. Medium bodied. Good carbonation. Some lacing. Slight oil to the mouthfeel. Good length on the finish that is well balanced between malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness allowing you taste both. A really nice pale ale that shows its Pacific North West roots.
  
  

  Full Sail Pale Ale, 5.40% ABV
  Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, Oregon
  
  The Pale Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company in Hood River, Oregon pours out a coppery gold in color with good clarity and a one finger white, head that dissipates fairly quickly. On the nose aromas of floral hops, honey, caramel and some bready malt. In the mouth this is slightly bitter from the hops at first, with good citrus undertones, that becomes quite subdued by malt, honeyed sweetness and some grain flavors. Medium bodied. Good carbonation. Some lacing. Slight oil to the mouthfeel. Good length on the finish that is well balanced between malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness allowing you taste both. A really nice pale ale that shows its Pacific North West roots.
  
  
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  July 19, 2009

  North Coast Acme California Pale Ale, 5.00% ABV
  North Coast Brewing Co., Fort Bragg, California
  
  The Acme California Pale Ale from North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California pours out an amber-gold in color with nice clarity and a two finger, egg-shell white head that sticks around for a short while. On the nose aromas of citrus, floral hops and light caramel. Flavors of honey sweetened grain that is slightly bready, citrus rind and a little spice. Light side of medium bodied. Well carbonated. Moderate lacing. Fairly clean mouthfeel with just a touch of oil. The finish is honeyed and citrus with a decent hop bite. A very good pale ale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
  
  

  North Coast Acme California Pale Ale, 5.00% ABV
  North Coast Brewing Co., Fort Bragg, California
  
  The Acme California Pale Ale from North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California pours out an amber-gold in color with nice clarity and a two finger, egg-shell white head that sticks around for a short while. On the nose aromas of citrus, floral hops and light caramel. Flavors of honey sweetened grain that is slightly bready, citrus rind and a little spice. Light side of medium bodied. Well carbonated. Moderate lacing. Fairly clean mouthfeel with just a touch of oil. The finish is honeyed and citrus with a decent hop bite. A very good pale ale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
  
  
• mr1mcbeerface

  

  Member
   

  July 20, 2009

  Santa Fe Brewing New Mexico Pale Ale the way it should be. Gold in color with aromas of orange, hops and ginger with a clean taste of the same. They don't call my home state the land of enchantment for nothing so try a well balanced pale ale while you go down the old Santa Fe trail

  Santa Fe Brewing New Mexico Pale Ale the way it should be. Gold in color with aromas of orange, hops and ginger with a clean taste of the same. They don't call my home state the land of enchantment for nothing so try a well balanced pale ale while you go down the old Santa Fe trail
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  July 20, 2009

  Stone Pale Ale, 5.40% ABV
  Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, California
  
  The Pale Ale from Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California pours out golden amber in color with good clarity and an off-white head that dissipates to a film after a while. On the nose there is a good bit of caramel, malt, some floral and woodsy hop aromas. In the mouth you get the sweet caramel, biscuit and toasted grain with just enough hops to give a nice bitter twang. Light side of medium bodied. Fairly low carbonation. Velvety mouthfeel with some oil to it. Sheets of lacing. The quite long finish starts off mildly bitter and intensifies. A wonderful pale ale that is close to the top of its class (especially for those of us that like more hop driven pale ales).
  
  

  Stone Pale Ale, 5.40% ABV
  Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, California
  
  The Pale Ale from Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California pours out golden amber in color with good clarity and an off-white head that dissipates to a film after a while. On the nose there is a good bit of caramel, malt, some floral and woodsy hop aromas. In the mouth you get the sweet caramel, biscuit and toasted grain with just enough hops to give a nice bitter twang. Light side of medium bodied. Fairly low carbonation. Velvety mouthfeel with some oil to it. Sheets of lacing. The quite long finish starts off mildly bitter and intensifies. A wonderful pale ale that is close to the top of its class (especially for those of us that like more hop driven pale ales).
  
  
• ibbjamin

  

  Member
   

  July 20, 2009

  
  Pigskin Pale Ale, 6.00% ABV
  
  I just picked one of these up and had it this past weekend at the park. Forgot where I remember reading about it - well here it is - from Mark's review! It was the perfect beer for the occasion - not too big and very drinkable with a nice hop character.

  [quote=Mark]
  Pigskin Pale Ale, 6.00% ABV
  [/quote]
  I just picked one of these up and had it this past weekend at the park. Forgot where I remember reading about it - well here it is - from Mark's review! It was the perfect beer for the occasion - not too big and very drinkable with a nice hop character.
• beerfoodie

  

  Member
   

  July 21, 2009

  I'm a huge fan of pale ales that aren't too hoppy. Summer beers and Pilsners win! Here's my Examiner.com post about pairing summer ale and Greek food I tested the theory with Brooklyn's summer ale, but I strongly suspect any of your suggestions and pale ales would work.
  
  Mark, your description of the Acme just about made me drool. :-)

  I'm a huge fan of pale ales that aren't too hoppy. Summer beers and Pilsners win! Here's my Examiner.com post about pairing summer ale and Greek food I tested the theory with Brooklyn's summer ale, but I strongly suspect any of your suggestions and pale ales would work.
  
  Mark, your description of the Acme just about made me drool. :-)