Alexandria Ale
Shenandoah Brewing Co.

Alexandria AleAlexandria Ale
Beer Geek Stats
From:
Shenandoah Brewing Co.
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 1.28%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
4
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 16, 2011
Added:
Mar 01, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by dickroop:
Photo of dickroop
Reviewed by dickroop from Maryland

3.96/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
I picked up a 6 of this last May at an event at Shenandoah Brewing. I was told by the brewer that this was the same as the Big Meadow Pale Ale. I like the label better than the Big Meadow. It has this text: "The first commercial brewer in Alexandria was Andrew Wales, who began production about 1770 at Point Lumley. Eventually, the industry grew to include over a dozen different breweries. The largest of these was the Robert Portner Brewing Co., which produced approximately 75,000 barrels per year between 1805 and 1916. Your Alexandria Ale was made in Alexandria by the first bottling brewery in town since Prohibition."

The ale pours a coppery dark-amber, not completely clear, with a rapidly diminishing head. The nose is faint citrus hops, a little lemon but more grapefruit.

Taste is slightly piney, nice malt tang, perhaps small flavor notes of pepper. Nothing is quite strong enough to stand out, but it has an easy finish with mild hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is a little watery, alcohol is a bit noticeable, carbonation is very nice, adding to very good drinkability.

This ale has understated integrity. Designed not to offend anybody, it pairs very well with good food and can stand up to spicy eats. Recommended. Is it the same as Big Meadow Pale Ale?? MORE tasting RESEARCH is needed!
Sep 19, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of CuriousMonk
Reviewed by CuriousMonk from District of Columbia

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Usually drunk directly from the bottle while hitting golf balls near the brewery that I go pick up beer from beforehand. But when pouring, it pours a clear, bright copper color; off-white head with good retention and fine-bubbled lacing. Aroma is pretty malt-forward for a pale ale: toasty / biscuity malts and sugar; some earthy and citrus bitterness creeping in, but not much. Quite watery mouthfeel: wet tea-like malts (a bit tannic), toasty / biscuity notes, with some earthy bitterness as well; not overly generous, but nothing foul about it either; just a very drinkable, vaguely watery pale ale. Solid maltiness shows past the hops. Medium finish showing bitter earthiness, toasty malts, and some dough (the final notes seems pretty standard for all of the Shenandoah beers I've tried). I believe this is now an alias to Big Meadow Pale Ale at the brewery now (the brewery can be inconsistent with its offerings sometimes).
Jan 16, 2011
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Another surprise beer from the now second-most-local brewery 'round here. It pours a clear straight amber (I'm still looking for the skeeter) topped by a finger or so of white foam that eventually settles to about a third of that height. The nose comprises plenty o' citrus hops, leaning toward the orange-y, backed by a bevy o' biscuits, slightly browned. The taste is nearly identical, though the citrus has a decidedly increased bitterness to it. The balance, though, is quite good. The body is fairly light, with a light moderate carbonation and a creamy feel. Overall, a very solid brew, one of the best I've had from SBC. Get some!
Aug 01, 2010
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.94/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a hazy deep amber with some small chunks and floaties swirling about with a huge bone white head that just sticks to the glass like glue leaving quite an odd looking finish as it slowly came down.The aromas are that of a hopped up red very piney and citrusy overtop caramel and brown sugar,a little lighter on the mouth than expected but not watery by any means either.This is no wimy red flavor wise starts out pretty sweet and caramelly very caramaelly in fact then big somewhat raw hop bite really comes in late somewhat herbal and piney into the finish.Hmm interesting brew here a bit rough around the edges but it keeps your attention.
Feb 21, 2006
Alexandria Ale from Shenandoah Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 3.9 out of 5 with 4 ratings