Sunrise OPA (Oatmeal Pale Ale)
Fort George Brewery + Public House

been hearing and reading about this one for years and was always intrigued but never really saw it come around or in my travels and have never had it until now, although somewhat of a classic from these guys from what i understand, on tap, fresh as can be to my senses, unique beer and delicious, although not anywhere near as unique as i thought it would be, the oats are more texture than flavor, and even with that, its not unfamiliar at this point. i think the proliferation of oat based hoppy beers in the form of the hazy ones has maybe reduced the impact this may have had, say ten years ago, looks like this has been around for nearly 20, at least here on BA, oats were way less common in hoppy beer back then, so some palate familiarity exists now that wouldnt of awhile back, so less unique in that sense, but this is no dinosaur, super modern hop complexion to me, light and drinkable and soft, nice balance, on the edge of ipa level hop intensity that i found almost striking upon first sip, very well refined liquid, really loved it. light blonde and minimally colored really, soft faint haze to it, lots of bubbles and a creamy near inch of pure white head, somewhat lighter looking than anticipated. aroma is citrus forward hops with some higher alpha character apparent, light malt, maybe some crackery pils type barley in this, some earthiness maybe from the oats but not really an obvious part of the aroma, some light hop spice to this, lemon zest and pith, light spruce, very very fresh, and the flavor is similar, this is hops first for sure, the oats soften the texture but dont taste like a lot, dry cereal grain foundation is mellow but minimal, the bitterness hits in the middle, the oats smooth the finish, this stays light and pretty crisp, somehow modern still, perhaps ahead of its time when it originally dropped. very drinkable, versatile food beer, a different approach to pale ale that i really appreciate, and at the same through the roof quality level we always get from fort george. could see it as a morning beer, low alcohol, the oats, the name, the orange can, mind games maybe but this would play well in a morning beer context i think. glad i finally got the chance to drink this one!

Rated 9-16-2024. This beer pours a nice golden color with a minimal amount of head that turns into a floating cream top. Aroma is oatmeal and slight citrus. Taste is citrus without much bite due to the oatmeal, which also make it pretty smooth. BOD 7-29-2024

12oz can

Pours over two massive fingers of fluffy white head into my can-style glass. Retention is great, though that is to be expected with the absolutely massive nucleation. Lacing is good. Body is a very cloudy pale yellow. Looks great.

Nose has some soft tropical notes of mango and papaya, with underlying pineapple, citrus rind, and pine. Maybe a touch of oat character, it does have a creaminess to it. Smells really nice.

Flavor has a nice steady dose of those smoother tropical fruits. Some faint pine in the finish. Definitely has a creaminess to it. Tastes great.

Carbonation is somewhat high. Relatively light bodied. Medium-high bitterness, but it’s appropriate and not overbearing at all. Very little sweetness. Smooth and refreshing, a lovely mouthfeel.

Drinkability is solid.

Overall a great beer that drinks like a pale, with enough flavor to give an IPA a run for its money.

 

Look: Pours a sunshine yellow with an inch of thick white head.

Smell: Actually not getting much here. Some citrus and hops but no sign of the oatmeal. Smell misses the mark for me.

Taste: Very tropical on the front - I’m getting lemon, grapefruit, and orange. Still no sign of the oatmeal though so although the taste is not bad, it still misses the mark for me.

Feel: Fuller than I’d like for the style but not overly so.

Overall: Disappointed to say that I was disappointed. Falls short of expectations

Pours a slightly hazy straw color with a foamy white head that provides some lacing. Bright citrus notes on the nose and a bit of sweetness from the oats.

The citrus is dominant on the taste and delicious, with ripe orange, grapefruit, and passion fruit imparting dank citrus notes that are complemented perfectly by the sweetness of the oats. Delicious beer, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is medium and a bit creamy, but not as creamy as I’d expected. Still, this is an APA I’d revisit over and over. Really well executed, again IMHO.

Had on tap. A fun concept I wanted to try out once I heard the description. Cloudy yellow body with a white head and lazy spotted lacing. Sunny west coast hops with big citrus star in smell and taste, grapefruit and orange in particular stood out. Taste is sweeter with the fruit, oat but not all the way to oatmeal melds with the malts, toast, hop bitters and a whisper of pine finish. Feels cool, clean, light and very bright with a hint of paleness building as you go through each sip. It worked well as a novelty beer

Pours a clear amber with plenty of foam in the snifter. Seems like an overabundance of bitter hops. Not really mych flavor to speak of— more like sharp water with a woody, musty note. Faint aroma of hay and green herbs of some sort. Then this dark, leafy, vegetable flavor.

Quite tangy and even on the acidic side. Aftertaste is bitter and mineral tasting. One might wish for a mellower oat experience. Now they have the 12 oz orange can, purchased at the Co-op market in the far northwest. Dated 06/09/21 on the bottom.

Look: Semi-opaque light orange and the pour brings on a billowing head that pulls back leaving good lacing
Aroma: Orange cantaloupe melon, some blueberry, sweet malt presence, and a little dank – smells delicious
Taste: Citrus fruits, melon, and berries hit right away with awesome sweet malt coming into play following (almost sweet Hawaiian bread-like). Dank shows up before a nice bite finishes things out
Mouthfeel: Silky and smooth throughout – almost creamy, medium carbonation and a semi-dry finish. Dangerously drinkable
Overall: This is awesome stuff. It was my first experience with a pale ale brewed with oatmeal years ago when they made this as a seasonal in 16oz cans and it blew me away so much that I keep my eyes out for anyone making this variant on the style to this day. Super silky mouthfeel combined with a tasty American Pale Ale makes this quite the treat. I’m pumped that they brought this back and hope it stays as a permanent seasonal or even a year-rounder. A winner

 

Lovely clear pale yellow body with a fuzzy white head perched atop. Seems content to linger for some time, though it seems disinterested in clinging to the past, nor to the walls of the glass.

Nose is lightly floral citrus. Somewhat sweet and a little bit creamy. Light.

Flavour follows a similar vein where the prime mover here is floral citrus. Nectar sweet builds a little too far in the sweet direction, but it's well balanced with a big long pithy/earthy bitter finish. It's bold for an APA, and a touch sweet for a traditional IPA, but I find myself enjoying it overall.

Body is pretty full, but I don't get as much of the oatmeal as I'd hoped. I was envisioning a much creamier body, and I thinkt here's some of that in there, but the carbonation is pretty aggressive and distracts from anything the oatmeal might be adding.
It's a bit of a throwback for me. Reminds me of IPAs of yore, with big bold bitter hops, and the sweet gives it a good balance, but it's a little sweeter than I prefer. Overall though I dig it and hope it sticks around this time.

Must be back after a long vacation. Canned 5/26/20. Unlike the review in Jan '16, this batch pours a clean, clear light golden color. Very light head. Fruity aroma, grapes, berries and plum aroma. Body is a bit fuller than most PA, maybe a smoother aftertaste, but nothing exceptional stands out. Carbonation is good but, could use a little more sparkle. A pleasant beer for a summer evening on the porch.

 

 

Served From 16oz Orange Can into a 20oz Nonic

A — Pours a slightly hazy but bright orange hue into the glass. There is a creamy light brownish amber colored head on top, leaves behind some consistent rings of lacing.

S — Smell is lightly sweet and hoppy, with floral notes and light citrus tones of orange peel and a creamy smooth malt foundation of caramel and oats.

T — Much like the nose, with notes of light orange juice and peel, light pine, balanced on top of a chewy and smooth oat like malt base.

M — Medium bodied, fairly light and refreshing overall.

O — Nice enough overall, a really smooth and clean APA with a bit of a creamy oat presence.

Plenty of cloudiness up in this pour, that is part orange and yellow, with a good half inch of head to top it off.

Citrus-naval oranges in the aroma.

Taste doesn't yield as much flavor. Balance achieved I guess. Smooth mouthfeel. Comes of lighter than the appearance.

 

Can from New Seasons. Heard this was going away so I had to grab it.

A mildly hazy light orange with a dense, white head with solid retention and nice lacing, this looks great. The nose is solid. Bright citrusy hops with orange and a little grapefruit, green, leafy hop character, a malt character that has a blend of oxidized malt, cooked oatmeal and a little cereal-heavy, this is decent. A little honey is present as well. The palate opens with a blend of OJ, honey, a little sweet grapefruit juice, cooked oatmeal and a definite vegetal hop character. For some reason, the leafy hop character really seems to cling to the oats, making this a little distracting. Smooth and slick on the palate with a mild sweetness on the finish, this is decent.

Drank at Canfest a few years back, it seems like half the breweries just bring their old out of date stock to this thing. Good premise, questionable execution sometimes.

Hazy orange and yellow coloured pour, soft 5/8" white head on the beer. You get citrus in the aroma, orange and tangerine. Not really hoppy aroma or taste, just citrus aroma.

Lacked a hop punch for sure in the mouthfeel and taste segments. Oats provided a smooth mouthfeel, but that is also achievable when the hops aren't there. Seemed undercarbonated at times. Little malt contribution flavorwise. An easy going beer to keep in the fridge for when people come over I guess.

L- Bright golden orange color with slight haze. White head dissipates and is retained around the edges.

S- Resinous and citrussy hop aroma dominates. Slight biscuit malt presence in the background.

T- Crisp and balanced. American hops counteracted beautifully with grainy biscuit malt and subtle sweetness.

F- Beautifully creamy with substantial body for a lighter beer. Dries out in the finish.

O- A really nice pale ale that is well-balanced and creamy.