A Tiny Beautiful Something | Maine Beer Company
Brewed by:
Maine Beer Company
Maine, United States
mainebeercompany.com
Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
A tiny beautiful something showcases a new hop variety, El Dorado. We started playing around with this hop last year. We brewed a pilot batch with this hop exclusively and one with it blended with some of our other favorite Northwest varieties. In the end, we decided that the El Dorado had such a unique and interesting character on its own, so we decided to brew it as a “single hop” pale ale. The aroma and flavor offer intense candied orange and citrus zest. A touch of flaked oats provide a rounded, silky mouthfeel. And like our other hoppy offerings, tiny was brewed to finish dry and clean.
Added by RKing44 on 02-18-2014
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,252 | Reviews: 203
4.11/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
500ml bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.
A: Very hazy golden-orange. A creamy, whipped-looking off white head retains very well and leaves behind a webbing of stubborn, sticky lacing.
S: Soft pithy and floral hop aromas abound. Wild flowers. Sweet orange peel. Pears and orchard blossoms. Perhaps some candied ginger. Doughy yeast and quiet bready malt underpinnings.
T: The same pithy and floral hop character follows in taste. Pear, very floral. Orange peel. Pithy. A touch of hop oil. Very mild bitterness. Perhaps just a hint of star fruit and a dab of honey. Some doughy yeast. Light bready malt flavors. Drying finish with a slight graininess and a predominantly floral flavor.
M: Medium-light in body. Airy and silky all the way through. Very soft and round with a slight crispness from the carbonation that barely bites through. Awesome texture.
O: Some brewers have been experimenting with El Dorado lately, notably Smuttynose. This is the first time I've had it in a single hop environment. It has the same pear/orchard qualities that I remember, but with a little bit of citrusy nuance here. It can be an awesome complement in a well made saison, a la Smutty's Luna Moth, but it works very well in this charming pale ale too. By the way, the body/mouthfeel of this beer is excellent.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
500ml bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.
A: Very hazy golden-orange. A creamy, whipped-looking off white head retains very well and leaves behind a webbing of stubborn, sticky lacing.
S: Soft pithy and floral hop aromas abound. Wild flowers. Sweet orange peel. Pears and orchard blossoms. Perhaps some candied ginger. Doughy yeast and quiet bready malt underpinnings.
T: The same pithy and floral hop character follows in taste. Pear, very floral. Orange peel. Pithy. A touch of hop oil. Very mild bitterness. Perhaps just a hint of star fruit and a dab of honey. Some doughy yeast. Light bready malt flavors. Drying finish with a slight graininess and a predominantly floral flavor.
M: Medium-light in body. Airy and silky all the way through. Very soft and round with a slight crispness from the carbonation that barely bites through. Awesome texture.
O: Some brewers have been experimenting with El Dorado lately, notably Smuttynose. This is the first time I've had it in a single hop environment. It has the same pear/orchard qualities that I remember, but with a little bit of citrusy nuance here. It can be an awesome complement in a well made saison, a la Smutty's Luna Moth, but it works very well in this charming pale ale too. By the way, the body/mouthfeel of this beer is excellent.
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3.32/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottle purchased from Nathaniel Square Corner Store. Poured into my Abandon Brewing tulip.
Light, peachy orange pour. 2 fingers of head, decent lacing.
Sweet aromas of peach, and pineapple, and some dank, grassy sort of aromas as well.
The taste follows the aroma, but is slightly muted, honestly. A little watery, with a weird metallic twang that I am not enjoying. Very low hop bitterness. Slightly grassy.
As stated above, the mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery. Well carbonated.
Probably the least of the Maine Beer Co brews I've tried.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottle purchased from Nathaniel Square Corner Store. Poured into my Abandon Brewing tulip.
Light, peachy orange pour. 2 fingers of head, decent lacing.
Sweet aromas of peach, and pineapple, and some dank, grassy sort of aromas as well.
The taste follows the aroma, but is slightly muted, honestly. A little watery, with a weird metallic twang that I am not enjoying. Very low hop bitterness. Slightly grassy.
As stated above, the mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery. Well carbonated.
Probably the least of the Maine Beer Co brews I've tried.
545 characters
4.04/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The beer pours a nice, paler yellow with orange and gold hints. The beer forms a beautiful head of creamy, medium-sized bubbles that settles to a half-finger’s width and leaves a fat fluffy drizzle of lacing on the glass. In body, the beer is clean but cloudy and nearly opaque. On the nose, the beer smells wonderfully hoppy. Grass, pineapple, apricots, and even a ghost of peach work their way across the nose. Pine prickles at the back of the nostrils as well buts melds really nicely with the fresh-cut grass smell. Little to none of the malt can be sensed, as this beer is really here to showcase the El Dorado hop, but as it warms I do start to sense a creamy-bread scent on the edges of the nose. On the tongue, the beer tastes far more balanced than the nose would have you believe. Healthy, shivering bitterness blends with bready sweet malts and only comes out healthily bitter, but not overpowering. The beer finishes wonderfully dry with just a touch of acidity along the edges of the tongue. In flavor, the beer tastes of grass, unripe pineapple, apricots, and just a touch of wheat crackers and bread. The malt and bread build towards the finish, though the flavor is surprisingly dry. The finish is fresh cut grass and pineapple juice. In the mouth, the beer feels crisp and tingly, with a body on the light side of medium and a mild carbonation that does provide a nice prickle, but also comes off nicely fluffy. After the beer leaves, the mouth is left sticky dry with lots of saliva in the cheeks. Overall, this is a nice drinking hoppy pale ale. What makes this a pale ale and not an IPA is really semantics in my opinion. It is a beautiful hoppy beer that really showcases the El Dorado hop, and it also has some great malty balance that gives those hops a perfectly light stage to work upon. Another fresh, hoppy, crisp beer from MBC. Superb beer, superb taste, superb company concept (giving back, etc…) I just wish the prices were a little lower. MBC’s pale ales would go great in six-packs, but none of us could ever afford it. I know the cost is going to good causes, but I really wish they could step back on their pricing… 7.00 for a pint of 5.5% beer is a bit much.
2,201 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The beer pours a nice, paler yellow with orange and gold hints. The beer forms a beautiful head of creamy, medium-sized bubbles that settles to a half-finger’s width and leaves a fat fluffy drizzle of lacing on the glass. In body, the beer is clean but cloudy and nearly opaque. On the nose, the beer smells wonderfully hoppy. Grass, pineapple, apricots, and even a ghost of peach work their way across the nose. Pine prickles at the back of the nostrils as well buts melds really nicely with the fresh-cut grass smell. Little to none of the malt can be sensed, as this beer is really here to showcase the El Dorado hop, but as it warms I do start to sense a creamy-bread scent on the edges of the nose. On the tongue, the beer tastes far more balanced than the nose would have you believe. Healthy, shivering bitterness blends with bready sweet malts and only comes out healthily bitter, but not overpowering. The beer finishes wonderfully dry with just a touch of acidity along the edges of the tongue. In flavor, the beer tastes of grass, unripe pineapple, apricots, and just a touch of wheat crackers and bread. The malt and bread build towards the finish, though the flavor is surprisingly dry. The finish is fresh cut grass and pineapple juice. In the mouth, the beer feels crisp and tingly, with a body on the light side of medium and a mild carbonation that does provide a nice prickle, but also comes off nicely fluffy. After the beer leaves, the mouth is left sticky dry with lots of saliva in the cheeks. Overall, this is a nice drinking hoppy pale ale. What makes this a pale ale and not an IPA is really semantics in my opinion. It is a beautiful hoppy beer that really showcases the El Dorado hop, and it also has some great malty balance that gives those hops a perfectly light stage to work upon. Another fresh, hoppy, crisp beer from MBC. Superb beer, superb taste, superb company concept (giving back, etc…) I just wish the prices were a little lower. MBC’s pale ales would go great in six-packs, but none of us could ever afford it. I know the cost is going to good causes, but I really wish they could step back on their pricing… 7.00 for a pint of 5.5% beer is a bit much.
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2.93/5 rDev -27.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Considering how much people love this brewery, and how hard it was to find this beer, I certainly expected a lot more. Pretty basic, nothing really stands out in particular. Smells okay, tastes somewhat citrus-y, fairly bitter. Fine enough, just nothing special.
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look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Considering how much people love this brewery, and how hard it was to find this beer, I certainly expected a lot more. Pretty basic, nothing really stands out in particular. Smells okay, tastes somewhat citrus-y, fairly bitter. Fine enough, just nothing special.
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3.75/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: medium-to-deep golden body, hazy and dull; two fingers of fluffy head showed good retention and left some lace trails behind
S: grains and herbal notes atop a mildly fruity undercurrent - suggestions of citrus and pale dried fruits
T: I got a lotta grains, like a field ripe for harvest; fruit and citric and yeasty flavors were subtle - overall impression was dry grains and mild yeasts, slight fruitiness and very mild bitterness
M: light and crisp, medium-thin body, ample carbonation, slight drying on the finish
O: a decent pale ale, which is not a style I drink too much of - so take my notes with a grain of salt - would probably be very session-able if not for the high price. Worth a try and buy, and probably great for fans of the APA, but slightly underwhelming if that's not a go-to style for you.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: medium-to-deep golden body, hazy and dull; two fingers of fluffy head showed good retention and left some lace trails behind
S: grains and herbal notes atop a mildly fruity undercurrent - suggestions of citrus and pale dried fruits
T: I got a lotta grains, like a field ripe for harvest; fruit and citric and yeasty flavors were subtle - overall impression was dry grains and mild yeasts, slight fruitiness and very mild bitterness
M: light and crisp, medium-thin body, ample carbonation, slight drying on the finish
O: a decent pale ale, which is not a style I drink too much of - so take my notes with a grain of salt - would probably be very session-able if not for the high price. Worth a try and buy, and probably great for fans of the APA, but slightly underwhelming if that's not a go-to style for you.
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3.5/5 rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I opened this in anticipation of being wowed. Cloudy gold color with slight citrus aroma. Slightly more carbonated than expected. Easy drinking and smooth on the throat, Decent legs. A good ale but no Mo; the John Muir quote on the back label made it worth drinking.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I opened this in anticipation of being wowed. Cloudy gold color with slight citrus aroma. Slightly more carbonated than expected. Easy drinking and smooth on the throat, Decent legs. A good ale but no Mo; the John Muir quote on the back label made it worth drinking.
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A Tiny Beautiful Something from Maine Beer Company
Beer rating:
4.02 out of
5 with
1,252 ratings
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