Unconventional Ale
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

Even though it was a gusher it smells very good. Breaddy a bit of fruity ester. Earth and floral. Drinks bubbly and light. Carbonation is sparkling like champagne. The beer has a considerable malt to it. The hops are shy on the palate. Their floral is a cool crisp petal. Finishes breaddy and not too bitter. It would have been excellent except you can smell the yeast that went off in there. It smells "hot" and spicy. It's the only off scent and is just faintly in the flavor. It caused that gushing bubble somehow. I also think this beer is in the wrong category. The brewer does not have it listed.

 

Amber with a minimal white head and bubble ring.

Smell is apple, rug, resin and smoke.

Taste is burnt resin, apple, sweet grape.

Thin, fluid with a semi-dry finish.

I don't know what to compare this to. It's not like any pale ale and really hate to see it in this category. Zero hop presence. It's almost lost a slightly more flavorful American adjunct ale. I'll pass on it again though

 

 

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours golden with nice clarity; fluffy white head that slowly falls leaving nice retention and solid lacing. The aromas are tropical, but somewhat unique. I'm picking up alot of fresh strawberries. The flavors follow the nose perfectly. It's not sweet, but it's not that bitter at all. Low bitterness, but has great hop flavor. Solid malt backbone. More fresh strawberries. Lots of fresh grass. Finishes juicy. Alcohol obviously goes completely unnoticed. Mouthfeel is very light with moderate carbonation; fluffy and creamy. Very easy to drink.

This is a nice "Session IPA". This is one that you could literally drink all day. It's pretty refreshing and great for the warm weather. Well crafted.

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pine, honey, biscuit, light caramel, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/floral hops and moderate bready malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pine, honey, biscuit, light caramel, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light herbal/grassy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, light pine, honey, biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/floral hops and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitterness as well. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth and fairly creamy/grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.5%. Overall this is a very good American pale ale. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/floral hops and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

 

I bought a six of these looking for something different from a local area brewer who never seems to go wrong. When I realized that I had purchased an entire sixer of a session ale, I was worried, but Thirsty Dog totally delivers on the premise of a lower alcohol ale that also is less hoppy and more balanced. That really works.

It's gold and fizzy in the glass. The aroma is subdued but clean. The taste is somewhat malty and yeasty, and definitely nicely balanced (unlike the presumptive nominee). The aftertaste is clean and refreshing.

This brew will be a great refreshment while undertaking the various outdoor chores I will soon start. It's a nice commemorative for what is likely to be a scary convention coming to town this summer. We are going to need something stronger to cure the coming D. T.'s. I think Flying Dog makes a brew that will work (and describes the other candidate) - Raging Bitch.

Unconventional Ale | Thirsty Dog Brewing Company. Poured from the bottle into a nonic tumbler, this brew's head is two fingers thick, with secular lacing, and a clear medium gold body. I'mreally unsure as to why the packaging bills this as an amber ale.

Smells like biscuit malts and a moderate "citrus and pine" hop aroma.

I taste a very smooth, and quenching blend of the aforementioned. The hops here seem milder, with no mid-palate "zing" or "citrus-y" aftertaste. Not that its a bad thing; I quite enjoy the cleanliness to be frank.

The mouthfeel I'm picking up here is lighter with mild carbonation.

I'll rate Unconventional Ale | Thirsty Dog Brewing Company with an overall 4 across the board. I kind of expected at least just a tad more hop flavor, but this is still a very crushable "session"-style of IPA. The label's political satire is also a tiny plus for a few knee-slappers.

5/26/16