Happy Heron Pale Ale
Central Waters Brewing Co.

Happy Heron Pale AleHappy Heron Pale Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Central Waters Brewing Co.
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 13.92%
Reviews:
94
Ratings:
197
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 30, 2015
Added:
Mar 22, 2002
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  11
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by wheatyweiss:
Photo of wheatyweiss
Reviewed by wheatyweiss from Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle into a standard pint.

Pours a medium straw with cloud. Impressive rocky head that recedes to a cap leaving sticky kegs all around.

Aroma is floral hops with a malt backbone.

Flavor is of oats and barley grains with a solid hop floral note. the oat flavor lends an earthiness to this beer that actually overpowers the hops. The hops are there, don't get me wrong and they are strong enough, but the mealy oat flavor subdues the hop bite quite a bit. Metallic twang on the tongue. The oat bran flavor is very interesting, it's almost a different take on fruity yeast flavors typical of a weizen.

Mouthfeel is quite dry and refreshing. Carbonation is not to sharp and very pleasing.

Good ale, I like the alternate take on the flavors.
Jun 21, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by puftdank from Illinois

Apr 30, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

3.92/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From taste notes. Appearance: Pours gold with a slight chill haze that becomes brilliant as the beer warms. Has a very finely bubbled 1” white foam cap. Smell: faint malt and hops, traces of fruit. Taste: Light fruit – plum or peach – light malt, the major impression is the light fruit that carries throughout and then there is a mild, lingering hop in the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium to medium light body, medium carbonation, very creamy Overall: a very pleasant and drinkable beer but could use some more hop to balance.
Mar 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by TheArtOfWort from Wisconsin

Dec 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Brock915 from Illinois

Sep 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by derkfromwi from Wisconsin

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Robloc303 from Colorado

Sep 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Wobbly from Missouri

Aug 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by MattSharpless from Virginia

Jul 17, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by green_plastic from Wisconsin

Jun 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by jzlyo from Iowa

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by KindaFondaGoozah from Wisconsin

Jun 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by fenlop54 from Wisconsin

May 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by gio540 from Wisconsin

Apr 21, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by PickwickHopz from Minnesota

Apr 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Can_if_you_can from Minnesota

Feb 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by ahermsen from Wisconsin

Jan 25, 2014
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

2.76/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
12 fl oz brown glass bottle with classy understated label art and unbranded pry-off pressure cap acquired at Zipp's Liquor in Minneapolis, MN for $1.79 and served into a stem-tulip. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery. 5.2% ABV confirmed. Bottled September 2013. Reviewed as a pale ale because of the name.

Served cold - straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Some foam gushes out upon opening.

A: No bubble show forms as it's poured.

Pours a 1.5 finger wide head of white colour. Decent thickness. No real creaminess. Lacks frothiness. Decent consistency. Okay complexion. Head retention is pretty good - about 4-5 minutes. Little lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes.

Body colour is a dark copper. Some minimal yeast particles are visible floating in the body. Average vibrance. Translucent. Nontransparent.

Overall, it looks pretty basic for a pale ale. I'm looking forward to trying it, but it's not unique or special. There are no egregious flaws here.

Sm: Has the kind of hop profile I'm not a big fan of in a pale ale: somewhat soapy, with vague tropical fruit notes, sticky nectary sweetness, and generic floral character. Pale malts. Too sweet. Has an unbecoming booziness. This is a real mess. I hope the taste isn't the same.

An unappealing aroma of average strength. No yeast character is detectable.

T/Mf: Candi sweetness. Pale malts. Floral hop character. Some vague tropical fruitiness. Sticky and sappy. Some out-of-place caramel and toffee. Both the malt choices and the hop choices here are poor. It's just a mess. Lacks complexity, subtlety, intricacy, and nuance.

Shallow depth of flavour. Average intensity and duration of flavour.

Smooth, wet, unrefreshing. Too thick. Medium-bodied. Overcarbonated. A biteen oily. Way too boozy for a pale ale. Not soft or comforting. Poor presence on the palate.

Not astringent, harsh, or rough.

Dr: Downable but underwhelming. A disappointment from Central Waters. I wouldn't get it again. A very mediocre pale ale with no sense of balance. Not recommended. Central Waters has far stronger pales.

Low C
Dec 02, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Westuh from Wisconsin

Nov 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Nov 22, 2013
Happy Heron Pale Ale from Central Waters Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 197 ratings