Pseudo Sue
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

The hazy orange amber colored beer pours out into a Duvel glass with a 1” layer of frothy white foam that recedes slowly but noticeably to a cap and then eventually to a ring and a thin irregular island of foam on the surface while leaving a web of some legs and rings and large patches of lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates some small patches and irregular legs of lacing.

The firmly present aromas include some citrus (orange and grapefruit), some tropical fruit (mango and lychee) and a bit of zest that seems almost resinous, all against a lightly caramel malt background.

The flavors are basically as expected from the nose with the orange, grapefruit, mango, lychee and zest all noticeable and intertwingled with each other. The touch of light bitterness from the zest is softened by a touch of caramel malt sweetness that shows but is even further in the background.

The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and lightly crisp with gently prickly moderate carbonation. The finish begins as the fruit flavors and sweetness begin to recede leaving the almost resinous zesty bitterness to more slowly fade away in that long dry slightly bitter ending on the back of the palate that invites another sip.

Overall this is a highly drinkable and enjoyable APA and one I expect I’ll be having more of in the future. Well worth having as an occasional 6 pack in the fridge for family and friends when they come to visit and as a beer to repeat fairly often. This one has earned an occasional spot in my regular rotation when I find it fresh.

1 US pint can, as Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue Pale Ale, from Left Field Beer, England. ABV is 5.8%. Hazy yellow to orange colour, small white head. Pleasant aroma and flavour of various citrus fruits, apricot and mango. Bitter and dry finish.

Pour had a generous off-white foam head over an opaque, pale apricot/peach body -- about as unfiltered hazy as one can get. Scent is a heavenly aroma of tropical and citrus notes, but never too sweet and whiffs of pine help keep it firmly in line. Taste is more subdued in a good way -- notes of melon, stonefruit, citrus, and aftertaste of pine come across cleanly. Feel is well balanced; not too heavy nor too light and the sensation if you hold on the tongue helps to accentuate the flavors. It is a good brew!

 

 

Pint enjoyed on tap at Noble Hop Bierhaus in Hillsboro, OR.

The body is a completely opaque and slightly muddy yellow-orange, with a skimpy head of cream-colored foam that leaves impressive lacing. The nose is deep with citrus (orange peel, grapefruit juice, lime zest) and a dazzling floral component. If the flavor matches the nose, I am in for a real treat.

The nose zigs, the flavor zags. It opens spicy and floral/woody, backed with bitter grapefruit peel and orange oil. Not too sweet! The mid-palate is thick-cut orange marmalade and lemon curd, with a mild grainy character in the background. Notes of underripe mango, honeydew, and a breeze of pine add interest. Finishes with mild bitterness and harsh hop burn. Medium-bodied with fluffy consistency. Agreeable carbonation provides a good bite.

Overall, this is a good hazy pale that doesn't quite live up to the promise of the nose and is burdened with an unpleasant level of hop burn. It has attributes I really like (citrus variety, flavor doesn't drop abruptly like most hazies, not too sweet) and drawbacks I can't ignore (punishing hop burn).

It yields hop burps that are utterly spectacular.

 

Look: bright yellow and hazy

Smell: smells like fresh citrus

Taste: Juicy, without being overly sweet fresh citra hops: citrus, and light stone fruit, a little berry, at a refreshing sweet pine finish

Mouthfeel: soft with a medium body and a slight bitterness. It is well balanced. It's exciting to the taste buds and It allows the back of the throat to stay open.

Overall: It's very delicious and expressive beer, Not as intense as most IPAs but not as thin as most pale ales, a hazy juicy Pale Ale.

 

After years of being the "lets try new stuff" guy at the shops, I think I have finally found a beer I can settle with. Lovely full bodied smell, so much citrus. Tastes unbelievably smooth for an unfiltered beer.

 

 

Pseudo Sue is an outstanding hazy pale ale—quite possibly the greatest thing to ever come out of Iowa. (Though depending on who you ask, Caitlin Clark or Jason Momoa might want a word. My wife has opinions on the ladder.)

Technically, this isn’t a Hazy IPA but a hazy pale ale. I didn’t realize there was a difference either, but apparently there is. Both styles deliver that cloudy look, creamy mouthfeel, and juicy, tropical hop profile I love; the main distinction, as I understand it, is ABV. This one clocks in lower than a typical Hazy IPA.

That said, it drinks like the king of Hazy IPAs anyway. At the time of writing, this is my highest-rated beer overall, and I enjoy every sip. And honestly, I’m fine with the lower ABV—it just means I can enjoy a few more of them.

Right? …Ehhh...Probably not.

 

 

Exceptionally well balanced, flavorful, smooth & citrusy pale w/incredibly hoppy taste for only 50ibus!! Great grapefruity, slightly tropical finish, aroma & aftertaste!! Just might be my new favorite pale. Great "stage1" brew for those venturing into craft beers or about-to-become hopheads!

 

 

L- Pours a hazy bodied deeply straw colored beer with a nice soapy white head that's about 3 fingers in size.
S-Sweet and juicy orange citrus up front. Melon follows, with some additional notes of mango and pine. Some yeasty bready notes are there as well.
T-Much more subtle than expected. Slightly sweet and citrusy with notes of bready malt that follows. The citrus is orange specific with maybe some tropical influence. Subtle earthy notes that end with a light, but rewarding bitterness. Well crafted notetheless.
F- Medium bodied and a bit chewy on the tongue. Subtle carbonation.
O-A bit of a let down.