Pale Ale
Dead Frog Brewery


- From:
- Dead Frog Brewery
- British Columbia, Canada
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 80
- Avg:
- 3.38 | pDev: 14.5%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 12
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Feb 25, 2016
- Added:
- Jul 28, 2007
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 2
A hop forward ale perfectly balanced with a full flavoured malt base.
20 IBU
20 IBU
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Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.64/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.64/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
341 mL bottle from the LCBO; this is the last review of the 6 brews contained within the BC Craft Brewers Guild sampler, which is currently available at select stores (dated May 23 2013). The bottle looks pretty cool - a little Sleeman-esque, although I've never been big on the 'clear glass bottle' thing. Served well-chilled.
Pours a clear amber-orange colour, topped with two fingers of frothy, foamy off-white head that erupts to the top of the glass. Kind of looks like marshmallow fluff as it slowly dies away, leaving lots of sticky lacing behind. Very nice. Nothing special to report on the nose - pale malts, leafy hops, some weak citrus and metallicity - and that's about it. At first I thought maybe the prodigious head was just covering some of it up, but nope; this is just the way it smells. Passable for a pale ale, I guess.
Tasty stuff, with more of a malt bent than the other pale ale that was in this sampler. Bready malts and caramel start us off, leading into some mild lemon and bergamot orange citrus. It dries out toward the finish with some pleasant grassiness, with a slightly fruity aftertaste that leaves a bitter, citric feel behind on the palate. Medium-bodied, with a mild bite from the carbonation and a smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel - but to be fair, I poured this rather aggressively, so there was a lot of head and probably a lot of lost carb. Potentially sessionable, as this one scratches most of my pale ale itches.
Final Grade: 3.64, a B grade. Dead Frog Brewing's Pale Ale isn't an attention-grabber, and I knew from the second I saw the less-than-impressive aggregate score that it probably wasn't very hoppy - but this is still an enjoyable, well-balanced pale ale that I could see myself picking up again, should six-packs ever become available here. Give it a try if you're looking for a maltier pale ale - it's a respectable inclusion in this sampler pack, which I highly encourage all readers to purchase while it's still available.
Sep 29, 2013Pours a clear amber-orange colour, topped with two fingers of frothy, foamy off-white head that erupts to the top of the glass. Kind of looks like marshmallow fluff as it slowly dies away, leaving lots of sticky lacing behind. Very nice. Nothing special to report on the nose - pale malts, leafy hops, some weak citrus and metallicity - and that's about it. At first I thought maybe the prodigious head was just covering some of it up, but nope; this is just the way it smells. Passable for a pale ale, I guess.
Tasty stuff, with more of a malt bent than the other pale ale that was in this sampler. Bready malts and caramel start us off, leading into some mild lemon and bergamot orange citrus. It dries out toward the finish with some pleasant grassiness, with a slightly fruity aftertaste that leaves a bitter, citric feel behind on the palate. Medium-bodied, with a mild bite from the carbonation and a smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel - but to be fair, I poured this rather aggressively, so there was a lot of head and probably a lot of lost carb. Potentially sessionable, as this one scratches most of my pale ale itches.
Final Grade: 3.64, a B grade. Dead Frog Brewing's Pale Ale isn't an attention-grabber, and I knew from the second I saw the less-than-impressive aggregate score that it probably wasn't very hoppy - but this is still an enjoyable, well-balanced pale ale that I could see myself picking up again, should six-packs ever become available here. Give it a try if you're looking for a maltier pale ale - it's a respectable inclusion in this sampler pack, which I highly encourage all readers to purchase while it's still available.
Reviewed by mick303 from Canada (ON)
3.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From the BC Sampler Pack at LCBO. 341 clear glass bottle no freshness date, into tulip glass with a frothy head of creamy off-white foam. Colour is a reddish amber brown, with lots of carbonation. Retention is pretty good with good lacing. 3.75
S – first thing is skunky malts, I guess a running hazard of the clear bottle. Caramel, pears, lemon, maybe some nuttiness, most hop aroma seems to have dissipated, this is mostly malty with some light citrus fruity tones and a bit of a floral character. 3
T – caramel breadiness, a lemon rind citrus, bit skunky again unfortunately, musty grains come through, hay like, what bitterness there is is mostly aged citrus, some grapefruit, maybe light grassy notes. Not much is sticky out to really recommend it, light acidity toward the end, finishes slightly acidic and lingering herbal note. 3.5
M – lots of carbonation, a light body. Has a sort of sour malt profile that I sometimes associate with more mainstream craft brews. Texture is mostly just carbonation and the light malt body. Easy to drink nonetheless. 3
Drinkable, but pretty standard and boring, malts are grainy and sour. There is nothing in the way of hop presence. It has more body than an AAL but otherwise there is little to recommend it other than the fact it is beer. Won’t seek it out again, hoping this was a stale bottle.
Sep 12, 2013S – first thing is skunky malts, I guess a running hazard of the clear bottle. Caramel, pears, lemon, maybe some nuttiness, most hop aroma seems to have dissipated, this is mostly malty with some light citrus fruity tones and a bit of a floral character. 3
T – caramel breadiness, a lemon rind citrus, bit skunky again unfortunately, musty grains come through, hay like, what bitterness there is is mostly aged citrus, some grapefruit, maybe light grassy notes. Not much is sticky out to really recommend it, light acidity toward the end, finishes slightly acidic and lingering herbal note. 3.5
M – lots of carbonation, a light body. Has a sort of sour malt profile that I sometimes associate with more mainstream craft brews. Texture is mostly just carbonation and the light malt body. Easy to drink nonetheless. 3
Drinkable, but pretty standard and boring, malts are grainy and sour. There is nothing in the way of hop presence. It has more body than an AAL but otherwise there is little to recommend it other than the fact it is beer. Won’t seek it out again, hoping this was a stale bottle.
Reviewed by ssmack from Canada (ON)
3.12/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.12/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Clear glass 330 ml bottle from BC Craft sampler 6-pack.
It spewed when I popped the top and poured a one inch yellowish fine head. An orangish amber colour. Excellent lacing.
Musty grain aroma.
Tastes of barley grain and hay bitterness. Floral notes. Bitter grassy aftertaste that lasted over an hour.
Medium feel.
An OK APA but falls way short of hops.
Aug 30, 2013It spewed when I popped the top and poured a one inch yellowish fine head. An orangish amber colour. Excellent lacing.
Musty grain aroma.
Tastes of barley grain and hay bitterness. Floral notes. Bitter grassy aftertaste that lasted over an hour.
Medium feel.
An OK APA but falls way short of hops.
Reviewed by JohnnyBarman from Canada (ON)
3.09/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.09/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Single clear bottle from the BC Craft Beer mixed pack.
Poured into a nonic. Caramel amber, visible carbonation, about a half inch of foam. Good lacing, nice retention.
Nose is sweet malt, caramel, and mild citrus hops. Very faint.
A half decent, though overcarbonated, pale ale. Not much to this, really. Sweet, mild grassy hop finish, with caramel and a bit of bread.
Thin, carbonation is far too high.
Nothing much to see here folks.
Aug 17, 2013Poured into a nonic. Caramel amber, visible carbonation, about a half inch of foam. Good lacing, nice retention.
Nose is sweet malt, caramel, and mild citrus hops. Very faint.
A half decent, though overcarbonated, pale ale. Not much to this, really. Sweet, mild grassy hop finish, with caramel and a bit of bread.
Thin, carbonation is far too high.
Nothing much to see here folks.
Reviewed by spinrsx from Canada (ON)
3.19/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.19/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
341ml Bottle from the Ottawa LCBO - part of a mixed 6 pack for $13
Appearance - Clear amber colour with an average size off white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Malts, caramel, light hops
Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and grassy hops. There is also a bit of a metallic flavour and some grains.
Overall - An above average beer but far from exciting. Perhaps a good gateway beer to get others into craft,
Aug 14, 2013Appearance - Clear amber colour with an average size off white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Malts, caramel, light hops
Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and grassy hops. There is also a bit of a metallic flavour and some grains.
Overall - An above average beer but far from exciting. Perhaps a good gateway beer to get others into craft,
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