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Jalapeño Pale Ale
Birdsong Brewing
- From:
- Birdsong Brewing
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- Chile Beer
Ranked #15 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #20,630 - Avg:
- 3.78 | pDev: 13.49%
- Reviews:
- 34
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 29, 2023
- Added:
- Sep 21, 2012
- Wants:
- 11
- Gots:
- 65
Our Jalapeño Pale Ale is in a class of its own. We start by brewing Free Will Pale Ale, and then add in a hefty dose of fresh-picked jalapeño peppers with the seeds removed, so you can enjoy a subtle flavor and the aroma of the green peppers without the heat.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JWhat:
Rated by JWhat from North Carolina
3.24/5 rDev -14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Aug 23, 2015
3.24/5 rDev -14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Aug 23, 2015
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.05/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Chili ales are obviously a love-it-or-hate-it affair. I fortunately enjoy chilies in beer and have had quite a few, and so I can approach a review placing it in proper context (instead of, "Eww, peppers in beer!").
This is a really balanced and overall excellent take on a jalapeno ale, giving a good amount of vegetal flavor to go with a light but noticeable amount of heat, all riding atop a lightly sweet pale malt base.
At the same time, there are noticeable citrus notes - as well as a moderate bitterness - from the hops, owing no doubt to this beer's origins as a hoppy APA. This was welcome for my palate, although less so for my partner, who hates IPAs, so take that into consideration when making your selection; this is a touch more than "just" a jalapeno ale.
Jul 29, 2023This is a really balanced and overall excellent take on a jalapeno ale, giving a good amount of vegetal flavor to go with a light but noticeable amount of heat, all riding atop a lightly sweet pale malt base.
At the same time, there are noticeable citrus notes - as well as a moderate bitterness - from the hops, owing no doubt to this beer's origins as a hoppy APA. This was welcome for my palate, although less so for my partner, who hates IPAs, so take that into consideration when making your selection; this is a touch more than "just" a jalapeno ale.
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina
3.79/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Enjoyed a pint while dining with Da Boss at Mezzulana in Hendersonville 9-29-22 for $5.50.
Beer was served golden with a nice white head.
Nose was light citrus forward.
Taste was a light malt base that was nicely hopped with citrus and infused with a nice touch of jalapeño. Finished balanced with a touch of heat.
Mouthfeel was light bodied and refreshing.
Overall a surprisingly likable pale ale.
Sep 30, 2022Beer was served golden with a nice white head.
Nose was light citrus forward.
Taste was a light malt base that was nicely hopped with citrus and infused with a nice touch of jalapeño. Finished balanced with a touch of heat.
Mouthfeel was light bodied and refreshing.
Overall a surprisingly likable pale ale.
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
4.25/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at wing and fish Co. Fantastic stuff. Lasting head retention and soapy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big jalapeño pepper vegetables/seeds, wood, herbal, grass, black peppercorn, pine, cracker, toasted biscuit. Med high pine, herbal, woody, peppery bitterness and spiciness on the finish. Med high carb, med body, fairly crisp/clean finish. Balanced bready/grainy malt and sticky/resinous hop feel. Long resin drying finish. No astringent. Plenty of authentic vegetable flavor without being too spicy and not really leaving any pepper heat after the finish. Very drinkable and pretty refreshing.
May 28, 2022Reviewed by hoptheology from California
3.92/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.92/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can, canned on 07.08.21, acquired at Trackside Crafts in Pineville, NC.
Poured into Ellipsis Trophy glass.
Beautiful golden caramel color with a finger of fluffy white head that sticks around awhile and leaves a little bit of lacing.
Aroma is equal parts dry cracker and jalapeno, with cannabis following. I don't get any distinct hop characteristics or varietals. That's okay with me, the rest of the beer smells like quality. It's essentially a jalapeno pipe bowl.
Flavor is old onion and cannabis, with stabs of pine and sticky caramel malt. A layer of crisp buttery cracker wraps things up. Hop spoilage is minimal to none so I'm in the safe zone yet. I also totally forgot about the jalapeno honestly. It's not really that present at all, but now that I remembered, I can detect just a little bit of heat from pepper seeds.
Feel is wet initially, and grows crisp towards the finish. No alcohol heat, just slight peppery heat, and some clinging resins much like a west coast beer would do.
Overall, interesting, but not my jam. It's a well-crafted beer but not at the level that wows me. It doesn't suck either, though. So there's that. Even with this beautiful North Carolina sunset, it's not rocking my bones. Not a repeat purchase for me.
$2.99 @ Kit's Trackside in Pineville, NC
Oct 18, 2021Poured into Ellipsis Trophy glass.
Beautiful golden caramel color with a finger of fluffy white head that sticks around awhile and leaves a little bit of lacing.
Aroma is equal parts dry cracker and jalapeno, with cannabis following. I don't get any distinct hop characteristics or varietals. That's okay with me, the rest of the beer smells like quality. It's essentially a jalapeno pipe bowl.
Flavor is old onion and cannabis, with stabs of pine and sticky caramel malt. A layer of crisp buttery cracker wraps things up. Hop spoilage is minimal to none so I'm in the safe zone yet. I also totally forgot about the jalapeno honestly. It's not really that present at all, but now that I remembered, I can detect just a little bit of heat from pepper seeds.
Feel is wet initially, and grows crisp towards the finish. No alcohol heat, just slight peppery heat, and some clinging resins much like a west coast beer would do.
Overall, interesting, but not my jam. It's a well-crafted beer but not at the level that wows me. It doesn't suck either, though. So there's that. Even with this beautiful North Carolina sunset, it's not rocking my bones. Not a repeat purchase for me.
$2.99 @ Kit's Trackside in Pineville, NC
Reviewed by edineen416 from Illinois
4.02/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Picked this up from the store while I was in South Carolina visiting family. Never tried a brew like this before, so I could not resist getting some. Was it phenomenal? No... But it is a unique take on the APA style. The Jalapeño is definitely present in this brew. It smells spicier than it tastes, but you still pick up strong notes of pepper with the flavor. This would never be my go-to pale ale, and I probably wouldn't want to drink more than one or two in a sitting. But it was good for something different, and I am convinced that it cleared in sinuses up. That being said, it isn't necessarily spicy. They take the seeds out before using the peppers. It has the jalapeño flavor without too intense of a spice.
Jan 01, 2019
Jalapeño Pale Ale from Birdsong Brewing
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
241 ratings
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