Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

A classic

12 oz can acclimated to 49°F and poured into a nonic pint.

Pours a nice clear copper with a 2.5-3 finger seafoamy, barely off white head, leaving little leaving.

Initial aroma is caramel malt, a little pine, and really nothing else. After agitating I kind of just get a general grainy smell. Smells good, just simple.

Initial taste before swallowing is very sweet, with a cereal grain undertone, and a dry hop presence. After swallowing I get more of all of the previous, with the hops being bitter and dry, and seemingly growing in bitterness as I enter the aftertaste, it's not terribly bitter, but the intensity is high.

Mouthfeel is smooth, and goes down easily. The carbonation fades somewhat quickly but can be conjured for a short duration through agitation, it lends a pleasant creaminess through its small bubbles.

Overall it's solid, just simple. Limited flavor notes, in addition to a smooth mouthfeel, but a relatively strong bitterness make for an ale that's easy but not too fast to drink. Would make for a good beer for when you want to not think, or when you want to think. Want to turn your brain off? Drink something simple. Want to think about something? Drink something that doesn't require much thought.

May buy again, not something I would go out of my way for, though. If it's cheap I'll consider it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A perfect 90, no higher no lower. A solid for its category with a very long and pleasant finish

Really really good. Not aggressively hoppy, nice malt character. Fine pale ale.

A decent beer although much too bitter for my liking. I prefer a smoother bite. Overall 2.5/5 on my palette. Once you get a couple in you it is much less bitter though, I will adjust my overall rating to 4.0 overall as a standard beer its a nice stronger beer. If your not drunk its a 2.5 in taste if you have a couple in you its at least a 4.0 these are the facts of life it's just the way it works God bless

 

Poured from a 12-oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Orange-ish golden in color; large creamy barely-off-white head that lingered long, leaving abundant lacing.

Nose: Pine, with a slight hint of floral.

Mouthfeel: Light-medium.

Attack: Lightly-toasted malt, grassy citrus; the tiniest bit of caramel provides depth.

Finish: The hop bitterness comes through strong, but not too aggressively.

Overall: I must admit to approaching this beer with more than a bit of reverence, honoring its status as a long-standing statesman among craft beers. I’m not a hophead, so neither pale ales nor IPA’s are my “go-to’s.” This beer, however, is worthy of its status, and is an ale I’d be proud to serve and drink with food pairings that scream out “pale ale!”

 

Pours beautifully. Dark amber with a generous, frothy head. Slight notes of pine, florals and citrus but fairly subtle on the nose. Full taste though; bursts of fresh florals, grapefruit, citrus and hops. Really enjoyable classic pale ale.

 

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a tulip glass.

Look- Pale amber, mildly hazy, visible small particulate, off white creamy head, average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Bready, grassy, pine, grapefruit, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Bready, earthy, pine, grapefruit, moderately bitter, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, average carbonation, moderately bitter, highly creamy.

Overall- Pale amber and mildly hazy with average head retention and lacing. Bouquet was malt forward with notes of pine and grapefruit. The flavor followed the nose well and was medium in strength. Feel was medium body with moderate bitterness and highly creamy. Overall this was a solid pale ale that provided a nice drinking experience, but other than mouthfeel it was only slightly above average.

Finally leaving this one a review after all these years...

Pours pale with some hints of orange, slightly off white head, OK retention but always great lacing when poured semi aggressively.

Nose is an aromatic combination of light floral with some pine mixed in, the malt is nicely present; very very lightly toasted in nature.

Taste is nicely hoppy and balanced; a very nice malt ever so lightly toasty backbone that carries all the pine and grass from the hops.

Light to medium body; very pleasing carbonation, it has a softness too it; finishes with a dry and piney bitter and grassy bite.

The balance of this beer is always impressive to me, it has a unique malt presence and pairs so nicely with the hops.