A Tiny Beautiful Something
Maine Beer Company

The clear golden amber colored beer pours out into a Duvel glass with a 1 1/2” fluffy off white head that recedes slowly but visibly to a ring around the glass and a thin irregular island of foam while leaving some rings and lots of small patches on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates a couple of arches and lots of small patches and a few legs of lacing.

The aromas are mostly about citrus with both orange and orange zest showing most. In the background there is also some light biscuity malt and a touch of pear and stone fruits showing.

The flavors are similar to what is expected from the nose with the orange, other fruit flavors and a bit of sweetness up front but then soon giving way to a solid firm bitterness from the zest that also seems to have a light touch of pine.

The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium bodied and both smooth while still having some slightly prickly feel from the persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the solid bitterness replaces the fruit flavors and becomes dry as it slowly fades away in the back of the palate.

This is easily drinkable and a bit unexpected in that it’s almost like having two beer in the same sip. I’d be happy to have another one some day. If you enjoy single hop beers this one is definitely worth a try.

 

RB transfer

 

Hazy, golden color. Pine, citrus, grass, and malt in the aroma. Crisp bitterness in taste with malt on the background. Amazing beer, perfect balance between old and new.

 

 

On tap at the Vermont Tap House in Rutland Vermont where it is incorrectly listed as an IPA.

Appearance. Hazy amber body with a short and weak, off-white head.

This is a moderately strong and near moderately bitter APA. Good balance with more obvious malt than many pale ales. Lightly dry finish from the medium body.

 

On tap at the brewery. White head with lace. Clear golden color.

Nice pale ale. Pretty simple, but done well. Floral and pine. Light bitterness. Bready malts. Light citrus fruit. Sticky hop finish.

 

 

I had an old bottle from a friend, so I probably shouldn’t rate it at all. I was actually surprised it was this good, considering the stamped date 04/07/15!

On tap in the Pine Room. Poured into frosty mug. Had my first one after work had a second watching the game. Enjoyed each sip. At only 5.5% I’m having another.

Another solid offering from Maine Beer Co.

 

16.9oz bottle purchased off the shelf for $7.49. Bottled on 6/21/22, so this is one day shy of 6 weeks old.

Look: Pours a beautiful copper orange color with a faint haze and rocky off-white head. The head dissipated at a moderate rate and left a bit of lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell: Very dank aroma mixed with huge orange zest, apricots, mild green bell pepper aroma, and a bit of creamy almost vanilla sweetness. Secondary notes of mango and other tropical fruits. Smells lovely.

Taste: Very interesting. The taste is a bit different from what is presented in the nose alone. Up front, it has a nice caramel malt sweetness and fruitiness. Those sweet and fruity notes pass through the palate quickly. The finish is quite bitter, yet it is somehow still balanced and refreshing. It's hard to describe the flavors here. I would say that the finish is full-on orange peel and grapefruit seed/pith type of bitterness, very concentrated with essential citrus oil flavor. There are lingering herbal and spicy, peppery notes on the palate. Really gives you a nice sense of El Dorado hops in an interesting way. The more I drink of this, the more I can appreciate that this is an American Pale Ale and not an IPA; after my palate has had a chance to become acclimated with the bitterness scale, I can ultimately appreciate the biscuity, crackery, and mildly caramel maltiness here that is really fun and provides great balance. Really delicious and very drinkable.

Feel: The mouthfeel is nice. It's medium bodied and appropriately carbonated.

Overall: Very interesting that they chose to put out a single-hop pale ale with El Dorado. I have definitely had El Dorado hops before, but probably never as a single-hopped beer before. I appreciate the opportunity to try single-hop beers because it really gives you a sense of the flavor profile and potential that a given hop can do. This makes me really look forward to the bottle of Firestone Walker's Tequila Barrel Sunrise (variant of Helldorado Blonde Barleywine) that I have in my stash.

From the website:
Our single hop pale ale, brewed to highlight the flavors and aromas of El Dorado hops.
Flavor profile: Aromas of orange marmalade, apricot, and floral perfume. Notes of spice and earth.
Hops: El Dorado
Malt: American 2-Row, Caramel 40L, Carapils, Flaked Oats

 

 

 

Looks to be a golden hazy yellow. Smells crisp with some hop. Taste smooth with some hops and citrus. Overall is very tasty.