Hop Overboard
Circle Brewing Company

RB Transfer

 

 

 

On tap at WET Bar (W Austin Hotel), served in a plastic beer cup; clear golden Amber with large bubbles and a spotty near-white head. Nose of light caramel malt, citrus rind and grassy hops. Light malty taste follows in taste with caramel hints, refreshing citrus (grapefruit) and herbal bitterness. Light to medium body and carbonation. Just enough hops and malt to keep from feeling thin, but still light and drinkable enough to enjoy poolside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very brief notes taken while drinking a 12 fl oz brown glass bottle:

A: Pours a healthy head. Off-white colour. Foamy. Nicely frothy. Decent creaminess and fullness. Leaves no lacing as it recedes. Retention is nice - about 7-8 minutes.

Body colour is a clear copper of average vibrance. No yeasty muck is visible.

Pretty average appearance for a pale ale.

Sm: Fresh cannabis, hewn grass, herbal hops, floral hops, faint pale malts. That's about it.

Average aromatic intensity.

T: Pale malts, off-puttingly bitter floral and herbal hops, grassy hops, soap. Poorly balanced and not very cohesive. Definitely not gestalt. There's little to no subtlety or intricacy here.

I can't say I much like it.

Mf: Smooth, wet, medium-bodied, well-carbonated, unrefreshing, and fairly thick.

Doesn't accentuate any specific flavours or elevate the beer as a whole.

Overall: An underwhelming pale ale from Circle. I wouldn't buy it again or recommend it to friends. Its shallowness and simplicity result in a lack of much to describe.

C- (2.53)

 

64 oz. growler filled at Harvey Washbangers, College Station, TX (on-tap)
poured into nonic

L: very light gold ... it looks like a gold brew watered down ... awesome, unique color, this lighter gold, and it's not yellow -- the hue is darker than that; clear; pushes up a thick head of offwhite foam that is super sticky at the top and maintains a thick collar and almost full skin; laces ... man, this is a show

S: hoppy ... caramel from malt, mango mixing malt and hops with the hops being orange and grapefruit; also has a distinct green note, some grass in there, maybe even chives; it smells sweet, the malt really kicking in its share

T: bitter ... wow, is that bite fantastic! for just 45 IBUs, it really lets the hops chomp down first and get some citrusy bitter goodness going; follows the nose with a bit of caramel/mango riding with the sweet grapefruit/orange -- the bitterness has grapefruit leanings, but it's also just straight up *bitter* ... like biting a flower stem. very good.

F: for a 4.7% ABV pale, approaching perfection. it's *too* drinkable ... seriously, I'm having to tap the brakes because it's light, crisp and full.

O: fantastic pale ale and one I will gladly pay cash money for again ... the growler was a great idea; the citrusy bitter bite is wonderful, and the sweetness from the malt is nice to have in there, and it's even better that it's not overpowering or getting in any other note's way

Full of flavor and perfectly balanced with a nod to the hops. Great sugary-clear cream soda smell with enough malt to keep it in check. Hops are citric and fruity.