Alpha Mandarin
Pennsylvania Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very hazy amber color. Head is a crop of cream foam that fell concavely. Lacing is okay.

Citrusy hops with a blood orange vibe getting seriously matched up with a truckload of pale malt. Some raw hop leaf, in contention, but the grains are creating a sensory stalemate. Rather simple, but mushy.

Flavors like an American Barleywine Lite. Caramel malts offer some burnt sugars and malty brawn while the mandarin and citrusy hops give the bitterness some speed. Alcohol is not factoring in the way I thought it might. A nutty yeast and finishing citrus and stone fruit saves it from being too malty or too grainy. Body achieves greatness with a well-developed bite and swish. Carbonation is tuned to an appropriate level. So good, it's boring.

 

Pours a cloudy burnt orange color with a soapy white froth. Aroma of nutty malts, bread, toffee and citrus.
In the taste, much like the nose, the yeast is very strong in the flavor, big time english barleywine notes, cherry like fruitiness, along with the fresh citrus notes. The beer is very fresh and drinkable, not overly strong but fits well in the American Strong Ale category. The more you drink it, the more enjoyable it is. The citrus element gains as the beer warms and it's quite nice. The hops play well with the citrus zest.
Full bodied, smooth and creamy. Medium carbonation.
Overall, this is a very nice ale with citrus and worth the try. I'd have this again, if it weren't draft only I'd age it.