MacTarnahan's Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale
Portland Brewing Company

MacTarnahan's Sling Shot Extra Pale AleMacTarnahan's Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale
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From:
Portland Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.44 | pDev: 9.3%
Reviews:
30
Ratings:
38
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 11, 2015
Added:
Feb 13, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
Sling Shot is a seasonal Extra Pale Ale for the spring with rich golden color. Its lively hopped flavor makes for a mischievously good and refreshing ale that "hits the spot!"

27 IBU

Malts: 2 Row Pale, and Caramel
Hops: Nugget and Cascade
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MaltsOfGlory:
Photo of MaltsOfGlory
Reviewed by MaltsOfGlory from Oregon

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a one finger head, at first glance the head looks creamy, but upon further inspection the head is actually somewhat soapy, and I can head it fizzing away. The head is pure white in color and is leaving ok lacing throughout the glass. The body is a golden color, nice mix between yellow and orange. It looks more like a golden ale than a pale ale though. Carbonation looks very high, almost too high. Visibility is also very high, a can see a lot on the other side of this beer. Overall not a very impressive look to this beer, I mean it's ok, but not too amazing, pretty standard. Two things I notice on the smell, honey and soap. I don't know if all Mac's beer are going to turn out this way, but the Mac's amber tastes soapy too, I hope this one doesn't as well. The honey is a bit surprising because this is a pale ale...and it does not mention the use of honey what soever. Either way, the honey smells good, but if it is indeed soapy, honey wont be enough to save it. Hopefully I'll get more hops on the flavor, because I'm getting very little on the smell. Nice malt is evident though on the smell. Overall the smell is decent-good, but the soapy smell worries me. Wow that's a very interesting taste. First thing I get, again, is soap. It's a lot less noticeable than it was in the amber ale, but it's still there. There is a little bit of honey in this beer as well, caramel malts, pale malts, etc. Maybe a smidgen of hops, but not much at all. Overall the taste is just all over the place. Slightly sour, and slightly bitter, but it doesn't taste like it's from the hops, it's not a hop sour or bitter. Overall I'm just really confused with Mac's beers, they are generally good up until the taste, I don't know what they do to get a soapy flavor, but it's for sure there. Is it a terrible flavor? No, not at all, it's just really peculiar and not normal at all, all over the place and weird. Carbonation is better than I thought it would be, not too high, the body is a little small for the style, but that's ok. Drinkability is pretty good, it's not too hard to put this back. Overall it's am ok beer, and the soapiness isn't that bad, it's just like....why is it there at all? Ya know? I'm very confused by this beer, even more so than I was by their amber ale. Not a bad beer, just very weird.

Again, like with the amber ale, once I drank it more and more the taste got better and better. The soapiness almost completely went away in this beer, and the honey and malts really came out more. I seriously consider changing my taste grade from a 3 to a 3.5, but even with the better taste, it's still not amazing, and it in no way tastes like a pale ale.
Jun 01, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.29 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

Sep 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by jaydoc from Kansas

Dec 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Kopfschuss from Oregon

Oct 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by edwardkersh from Oregon

Apr 05, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by WaydeRafnel from Pennsylvania

Apr 02, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by shelby415 from Oregon

Feb 26, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by twelveinches from Washington

Nov 20, 2011
 
Rated: 3.5 by CoryR from Oregon

Nov 19, 2011
Photo of inthebeeraisle
Reviewed by inthebeeraisle from Oregon

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz. bottle poured into a regular pint glass.

A: A fingers worth of white fluffly head. Low lacing, but active carbonation bubbles. Dark golden color that is clearly (no pun intended) filtered.

S: A malty aroma with some citrus undertones.

T: Just a bit of hop bite there.

M: A medium mouthfeel. Not thin or thick & no funny aftertaste or anything.

O: A really approachable pale ale that didn't knock my socks off, but was a long way from bad.
May 20, 2011
Photo of katybee
Reviewed by katybee from Oregon

3.8/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A good all-around beer in my book. No exceptional flavors that make it especially memorable, but it goes down easily.

Light golden yellow, like iced tea. Translucent, with quickly dissipating head.

Very light smell, if at all, a little malty.

Cold, the taste is very light peppery hops, slightly bready malty. Warmed up the taste is sweeter, bready. Very mild, with no overpowering hops or citrus, yet a little more body than a light lager like PBR. No weird aftertaste or strong smell. Very drinkable.

Likewise average light mouthfeel, with quickly disipating carbonation.

Overall a good beer to go with any food, not overcome by strong malted side effects or sourness. A summer kegger!
May 03, 2011
Photo of LazyL
Reviewed by LazyL from Canada (BC)

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A bright golden ale that has a fluffy cream head and heavy carbonation bubbles rising through the glass. Not alot on the nose, but still more than the basic pales. There is some very mild citrus and a soft alcohal note to remind you that this is 6.2%. Again some mild citrus up front and then a bit of medium toasted malts that finishes slightly dry and only mildy bitter. The carbonation is quite heavy but because of the good balance of mild flavours the drinkability level is good. This is a good drinking beer that does not stand alone as great but is very much better than average.
May 01, 2011
Photo of Fatehunter
Reviewed by Fatehunter from Oregon

3.03/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
A - Poured into a pint glass. Transparent yellow with a thin white head that was quickly gone.

S - Very faint smell of wet malt... and nothing else.

T - Slightly sweet, hint of charcoal (weird), with bitter following, but not hoppy.

M - Bubbly, moderate carbonation with a light body. Hits the mark for a pale ale here.

D - Drinkable, besides the charcoal taste, but not all that enjoyable.
Mar 24, 2011
Photo of Wasatch
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a nice clean/clear golden yellow color, nice carbonation, nice little white head, with some minimal sticky lacing to follow. The nose is malty, sweet, with some caramel. The taste is sweet, malty, very slight hop note, and caramel. Medium body. Drinkable, a nice thirst quencher.
Mar 16, 2011
Photo of industrialswill
Reviewed by industrialswill from Washington

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
I think all beer looks good, this one is no exception.
The smell...fairly pungent, fairly generic.
The flavor is lacking anything noteworthy. I am getting a sour mouthfeel that overrides any flavors that I could try to pick out.
I'd call this a very mediocre craft ale, not bad but not real good.
Feb 11, 2011
Photo of Docer
Reviewed by Docer from Washington

3.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I thought for sure I had reviewed this... guess not...

- Pours a clear copper color.. fizzy finger of white head down to a thin fuzzy layer on top.. slight lacing.

- Light grain and sweetness.. bread, and bitter fresh citrus hops, slight pine.. zesty.

- Nice smooth and balanced pale.. good sweet grains and bready flavors... light citrus sweet bitter hopping.. not too overhopped.. light citrus, lemon zesty, some floral..

- Little thin and syrupy, well carbonated.. light bodied..

- Overall a good standard for a pale... good hop notes which are subtle.. floral and citrus play part. Lightly syrupy and sweet though which kind of kills it for me.
Jan 26, 2011
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue V:

Extra Pale Ale, aka American Pale Ale, is a new limited release beer from MacTarnahan's Brewing, aka Portland Brewing, aka Pyramid Breweries.

Stellar white lacing that resembles a thick, sticky latte froth, golden honey color is bright and clear. Mildly buttery with a solid bready malt and light herbal citric hop in the nose. Sufficient amount of crispness fluffs the moderate body. Maltiness goes from bready, to a thick biscuity flavor, then grainy with a mild horse feed quality. Herbal flavor comes in, then some bitterness, and lastly, a citric tone as the layers of the hop unfold. A breath of clean alcohol lets you know that it is slightly higher than the norm. Semidry finish with a lingering citric hops and clean grain.

Drinkable without a doubt; nothing earth shattering, but enjoyable and certainly worth a shot ... LOL.
Sep 10, 2010
Photo of RJLarse
Reviewed by RJLarse from Washington

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I bought a bomber of Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale at a grocery store. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a rich gold color and is clear. Well carbonated with a lot of little bubbles rising in the glass. Thin fizzy white head.

Smell is a sweet and fruity bread aroma, warm dough and grapes perhaps.

Taste is also sweet and malty, brown sugar, grapes and pear flavors in a sweet bread. There an acerbic bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is crisp and clean, but the bitter aftertaste gives it a medium bodied quality that I wouldn't expect of the style.

Drinkable enough, but I think there are better thirst quenchers in the style, and certainly better pale ales, so I can't really see myself having this one again.
Aug 17, 2009
Photo of maximum12
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota

2.7/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Thanks to Dubbercody for throwing this into an early spring trade, a brewery I haven't had the pleasure to sample yet.

Sling Shot is pale, unfiltered in appearance, opaque without the floaties. Smells like a rather unappealing beer.

Tastes like wheaty squash mingled with lemon zest with some beer in it. None of which is terribly prominent, &, well, meh. I wouldn't walk across the room to get another.

One of those beers that I drink & wonder why the brewer bothers. Pedestrian at best.
Jun 28, 2009
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.41/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a clear honey color with a nice head that sticks and laces

Smell: Bready, with hints of herbal tones and butterscotch

Taste: Buttered bread, up front, with a growing herbal bitterness through mid-palate; after the swallow, the flavors blend together

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Really rather forgettable; lacks the character I would expect in an APA and packs a bit too much sweetness, to boot
May 30, 2009
MacTarnahan's Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale from Portland Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 38 ratings