Pale Ale
Sheepscot Valley Brewing Company

 

Growler bought at Florian's Market, stored in their walk-in cooler.

Pours a light amber color with a large fluffy off-white head from a vigorous pour, fades at a very slow rate and tons of patchy lacing on the glass.

The aroma is mostly caramel malt, there is a hint of hops but could use a bit more.

Taste has a nice soft but active carbonation that lends itself to a very creamy mouthfeel, caramel malt is the primary flavor, the hops have a slightly larger presence with a bitterness in the aftertaste but it's not a star in this pale ale.

While not as hoppy as some APA's can be, this is a very easy drinker and I probably won't have a hard time finishing a growler in a sitting or two.

Growler (pre-filled and sold out of coolers) purchased at Treats Gourmet Shop in Wicasset Maine on Friday while driving to Ebenezers!

Appearance: Pours a slightly chill hazed medium iced tea/copper with a 1 finger off white crown (faintest shade of buttered khaki) that shows decent retention and lace.

Smell: lightly roasted caramel malt and floral hops.

Taste: same as nose with an added earthy element.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with decent carbonation. Fairly crisp but a bit bland.

Drinkability: Not the most challenging flavor profile, decent mouthfeel, and low abv make this a sessionable pale ale.

Picked up a growler at RSVP in Portland on 6/27/09
This beer pours a medium copper color, with a 2 finger cramy white head to it. Excellent head retention and leaves thick sticky lacing on the glass. Nose is of floral hops at first and some caramel and pale malts at the end. Taste is of caramel malts at first, then a bit biscuity and grainy, mixed in with some pale malts, the finish is of a muted floral hop that gives it a nice bite at the end. Medium bodied, medium carbonation, crisp feel, with a slightly dry finish to it. This is a well balanced sessionable beer.

Growler from Florian's in Auburn. Beautiful amber-red body with a thin film of off-white head. Citrus and piney hops dominate the aroma. The same citrus and pine hops dominate the flavor to a great degree with enough malt to help balance the hops in the beer, A true APA. A nice medium body with only moderate carbonation. A very drinkable, full flavored, pleasant ale. I'm impressed. Love to have something like this local.

Vacationing in mid-coast Maine, I was within 10 miles of North Whitefield, ME. Couldn't visit the brewery itself, but the brewmeister advised me to look for the Pale Ale at Treats in Wiscasset. Treats is a fine little shop along Rt 1 in Wiscasset, with a wide variety of local beers and, yes indeed, they did have a growler of the Pale Ale, which I brought home and (with several friends) enjoyed immensely.

It poured a nice dark bronze with a coarse off-white head. Aroma was somewhat exotic, and taste was piney with *something* extra. After it warmed, I was able to identify a very nice smoky flavor in the finish. This is a brew with excellent flavor, not refined but very workmanlike. Something of a sour aftertaste when cold, but let it warm to develop the flavor, and you will be rewarded.

Mouthfeel was good, medium-bodied and nicely carbonated. Tangy. A fine, highly drinkable, no-slouch ale with something a little different to say. I'd buy another growler in a heartbeat, wish I could get this regularly. This beer is truly a credit to Mid-Coast Maine, along with its much more famous cousin Pemiquid Ale. It's a hearty, satisfying brew, with hoppy personality that honors old English traditions. I need to taste more of this. Highly recommended.

Picked up a growler yeaterday at Downeast in Portland. Fella in the shop told me it was maybe a few days old and should be good. Said he had a growler of the Pemaquid Ale from the same delivery the night before and it was still fine. So glad I took him for his word.

Poured a brown toast in color. Not clear but not hazy. More dense looking in appearance. I can see through the beer but everything is fuzzy. Kind of like when I take my glasses off. Thin head on top that receded but for the ring around the glass. Quite a few carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom.

Nose is malty with some slight hints of hop florals coming through the back door. Has a nice crisp biscuit aroma.

Flavor is definitely a classic American pale ale. Malty sweetness at first followed by a subtle and pleasureable hop kick that is quite flavorful. Only piney and earthy bitterness is in the aftertaste and it rests on the back of the tongue. Very floral tasting--kind of like beeswax. Slightly bready. Incredibly balanced.

Medium body that held up as the beer warmed up. Just a slightly dry finish that was really just a hint. Fantastic carbonation--and surprised by that because it was growled at least a week ago.

A real pale ale. Too many microbrews are selling IPAs as pale ales but this is definitely a pale ale. A great drinking beer that I truly enjoyed.

poured in pint glass from fresh growler
beautiful honey-amber color with a creamy off-white head, left clingy fingers of lacing. smells great: big, sweet nose - malty caramel, hops waft over with floral and some buttery aspects. biscuit malt flavor on tip of tongue with earthy hops bitterness bursting forth mid-palate, mineral water taste in between for a flash. balanced, appropriate carbonation combines with an earthy texture and a certain smoothness for a pleasant mouthfeel. easy to drink and tasty tasty. i'm glad i checked this brewery out. the two growlers of this stuff made for fun...

All Sheepscot beer comes in 1/2 gallon growlers. The only way to tell the difference is by looking what Steve has written on the cap. This is the first time I've seen the Pale Ale so I'll assume its an experiment or a new seasonal. The hops in this one are fantastic. Smells like they are fresh from the vine. A classic example of what a Pale Ale is meant to be. Blows Geary's out of the water.