Brewer's Pale Ale (Nelson Hop Blend)
Anchor Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
- ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.7 | pDev: 9.73%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 57
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Aug 25, 2025
- Added:
- Feb 14, 2018
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 16
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Brewers' Pale Ale is an aromatically complex, double dry-hopped American Pale Ale. The Nelson Hop Blend has a bright, citrus-peel and fresh-hop aroma, balanced with a slightly sweet finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NeilSilber1:
Reviewed by NeilSilber1 from California
3.57/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours super hazy cloudy golden yellow with white laced cap. Subtle notes of hop and citrus peel. Mild middle of road bitter hoppy flavor with orange rind and fizzy carbonization. A bit skinny ranc and hoppy with notes of bitter orange rind.
Oct 19, 2019More User Ratings:
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.6/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
RB transfer
Aug 25, 2025
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
4.24/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Intense Nelson notes, lots of white wine/green grape on the front. Easy drinker, with just enough backing.
I had this fresh, from a bottle, when it was still being produced.
Nov 29, 2019I had this fresh, from a bottle, when it was still being produced.
Reviewed by joaopmgoncalves from Portugal
3.79/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.79/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured to a tumbler glass.
A: Body is yellow with minimal haziness. Head is white, fluffy, two inches thick, good retention.
S: Aroma is very characteristic with tones of grass, hoppiness, no tones of citrus and a just a more herbal-oriented aroma.
T: Taste starts off with a total lack of sweetness that the mouth perceives as a hops-forward beer. It's like there's nothing in between sweetness, saltiness and bitterness. In the end of the sip, you feel some malty tones. Even though it's disguised as a regular Pale Ale, it's something that has more effort and more thought into it.
M: Body is a bit too light. Carbonation is good. Alcohol is unnoticeable. Bitterness is medium high to high.
O: Not expecting this to be as different as it is but it's a decent beer with a pretty good drinkability.
Sep 25, 2019A: Body is yellow with minimal haziness. Head is white, fluffy, two inches thick, good retention.
S: Aroma is very characteristic with tones of grass, hoppiness, no tones of citrus and a just a more herbal-oriented aroma.
T: Taste starts off with a total lack of sweetness that the mouth perceives as a hops-forward beer. It's like there's nothing in between sweetness, saltiness and bitterness. In the end of the sip, you feel some malty tones. Even though it's disguised as a regular Pale Ale, it's something that has more effort and more thought into it.
M: Body is a bit too light. Carbonation is good. Alcohol is unnoticeable. Bitterness is medium high to high.
O: Not expecting this to be as different as it is but it's a decent beer with a pretty good drinkability.
Reviewed by BlackBeerPirate from Illinois
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Taste: slight tart citrus, soft hops pallet, some Orange peels. Citrus hopped nose. Pale gold hue, unfiltered, with white head and ringed webbed lattice. Medium/full body. 39 IBUs
Aug 30, 2019
Reviewed by Joe6pax from California
2.61/5 rDev -29.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
2.61/5 rDev -29.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
As a big fan of Anchor Brewery, I always try their new offerings.
The ale poured fine and smelled fine but like Licular’s review, I couldn’t finish the one bottle out of the six-pack I brought home.
You know that taste you get on your tongue from the strong smell of nail polish? That was the aftertaste I experienced, very chemically. This can’t be right. I’ve got 5 bottles left and will see what some friends think.
This was bottling #8SE in case the gang on Mariposa Street wants to look into it.
Aug 03, 2019The ale poured fine and smelled fine but like Licular’s review, I couldn’t finish the one bottle out of the six-pack I brought home.
You know that taste you get on your tongue from the strong smell of nail polish? That was the aftertaste I experienced, very chemically. This can’t be right. I’ve got 5 bottles left and will see what some friends think.
This was bottling #8SE in case the gang on Mariposa Street wants to look into it.
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland
3.3/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.3/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Single bottle picked up as part of a mix-six pack. I didn't know how Anchor's dating system worked so I took a chance on a bottle marked 8N(something). Unfortunately, the beer was undrinkable and I poured out half of it. The hops were dead and that's not surprising since the beer was bottled last November. Stale cardboard was the predominant flavor. I will revise my ratings if I ever have this beer fresh(er).
Jun 17, 2019
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.69/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Not sure why this is listed as no longer brewed when it was part of a variety pack I picked up just a few weeks ago...
In any event, this beer provided me with a first time experience. After cracking open the bottle I started to pour the pale ale into a pint glass. The smell of sweet citrus smacked me in the nose like no other beer ever has, and by smack I mean *smack*. The citrus smell just permeated the areas where I held the glass and it was deliciously sweet, and though it tamped down after about 10 seconds, it still held at a discernible level in the glass.
As far as the rest of this beer - it was decent enough. The look is a cloudy yellow with creamy head and some lacing, mouthfeel is light with a touch of astringent feel across the tongue. The taste was the least appealing aspect - very muted, almost watered down. Nonetheless, like I wrote above, it's a solid enough beer to at least give it one go.
May 18, 2019In any event, this beer provided me with a first time experience. After cracking open the bottle I started to pour the pale ale into a pint glass. The smell of sweet citrus smacked me in the nose like no other beer ever has, and by smack I mean *smack*. The citrus smell just permeated the areas where I held the glass and it was deliciously sweet, and though it tamped down after about 10 seconds, it still held at a discernible level in the glass.
As far as the rest of this beer - it was decent enough. The look is a cloudy yellow with creamy head and some lacing, mouthfeel is light with a touch of astringent feel across the tongue. The taste was the least appealing aspect - very muted, almost watered down. Nonetheless, like I wrote above, it's a solid enough beer to at least give it one go.
Rated by poneill12 from California
4.56/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Fruity, thick, smooth not bitter pale ale. Subtle easy drinker with a lot of flavor for abv.
Apr 11, 2019
Reviewed by Ronl12 from Massachusetts
3.52/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle into IPA glass. No date.
Look is hazy yellow. Smell is dank citrus. Taste follows nose with citrus top and dank ending. Feel is light. Overall an interesting APA but I.m not sure I would seek it out.
Apr 08, 2019Look is hazy yellow. Smell is dank citrus. Taste follows nose with citrus top and dank ending. Feel is light. Overall an interesting APA but I.m not sure I would seek it out.
Reviewed by Thankin_Hank from Texas
3.93/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Reminds me of a slightly hazy NEIPA in look with a small head that dissipated quickly. Has a moderate but nice hop aroma. Taste is equally light with the hops and slightly citrus and pineapple but a good taste for a lighter style beer. Again it's light in the feel for an American Pale Ale and could make a fair session beer. Easy drinking with some flavor. Overall I like this beer, and could have several on a hot Texas day. Should have bought more. I see this one is retired already. Undated bottle but a '8AS' printed code.
Mar 28, 2019
Reviewed by hophugger from Virginia
3.46/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Slightly pale orange in color with almost a finger of fizzy white head. Aroma is full of fresh orange and light guava. Taste is tropical citrus with a light hop bitterness and the mouth feel is light and crisp
Mar 19, 2019
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