HPA - Hoppy Pale Ale
Max's Fanno Creek Brew Pub

I stopped by the brewpub on the way to my parents' house for a small party. I was just going to have a beer to kill some time until the get-together later in the day. The brewpub is hard to find since it is off the main highway and sits down in the old part of the city of Tigard. It is like an oasis of historical buildings amid the suburban sprall that dominates this area.
After sampling a few of their beers I decided on a pint of Nit Wit and a growler fill of the HPA. It turned out to be a wise choice as I took the growler to the party where it disappeared in a matter of minutes. And most of the people that tried it are not usually beer drinkers. There was a lot of lip smacking and ummms of pleasure. The beer pours a pale amber with plenty of head and lacings. The aroma is floral hops. The taste is bold Northwest hops with a good malt profile to offer balance. Not boring or over the top with hops but a very tasty and sessionable beer. I think I will get a refill the next time I pass Max's Fanno Creek Brewpub.

The HPA I had tried many times but this time I took notes. It poured a cloudy amber color with a single finger foam head. It had good snow like lacing and decent head retention.

The aroma was hop dominated and you got a citrus and floral smell. The taste had a good malt balance with the aggressive hop profile coming at you in full force. It was semi chewy in the mouth and the bitterness left a mark on your tongue and roof of the mouth. Being someone who loves the Humus Lumpus I really enjoyed this pale ale. It had a nice crisp finish and is one of their better beers.