483 Pale Ale
Old Capitol Brew Works and Public House

on tap @ Old Capital Brew Works

A pale copper color, close to straw yellow, that is very clear. There's a nice 1-2cm head, which appears to be very dense, and actually leaves a decent bit of lacing. The smell is really delightful to me. There's a hoppy presence - with some citrus, a bit of resins, some leafy, floral, almost herbal smells, and a sweet grapefruit presence. Really beautiful hop profile. I wish I could smell a bit more of the maltiness, but still very nice to smell. In the taste, the hops are up first as well. But it's really almost pure hop taste, with very little bitterness at all. Then I noticed the biscuity crackery taste, like some crispy, toasted sweet bread, maybe a bit of caramel. Then the hops start to come back, playing off of the malt, I get lemons, like less sweet lemonade, a bit of rind, some resins, then it turns to floral, like powdery, polleny taste, still balanced with a nice sweetness, a bit herbal, too. Very nice maltiness, a powerful hop presence without being dominant, really right up my alley as far as pale ales go. The body was about medium, not quite full, but definitely not watery. The fullness come on strongest in the middle of the drink, where the combination of the resins and bready malts fill it out, then you get a bit of thinness with the finish, combined with a little sting of carbonation, that really makes it easy to swallow. This one is very enjoyable. The only thing that holds me back is the resins, I love them, and I love the lack of bitterness, but it can be a bit trying, even in a low ABV beer. But overall, this one is great. I never would've thought that some of the best beer I'd taste would be in Iowa.

Pours a clear, golden color. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and decent lacing. Smells of hops. Fits the style of an American Pale Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. There is a strong bitterness level associated with this brew. Tastes of strong hops, slight earthy malt, and the faintest hint of butter. Overall, a pretty decent Pale Ale.