Peerless Pale Ale
Portsmouth Brewing Co. / Mault's Brewpub

Peerless Pale AlePeerless Pale Ale
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From:
Portsmouth Brewing Co. / Mault's Brewpub
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
81
Avg:
3.41 | pDev: 13.2%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
24
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 14, 2018
Added:
Oct 13, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  5
In the early 1900’s, Portsmouth, OH, was known as Peerless City, USA. Continuing the tradition of excellence, our Peerless Pale Ale is highly hopped with Cascade hops for this style's characteristic bitter finish. This ale is well balanced with spicy citrus notes from the yeast, & dry hopped for a fruity aroma.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by AtLagerHeads:
Photo of AtLagerHeads
Reviewed by AtLagerHeads from Ohio

3.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A nice amber body capped by a decent off-white head that gives nice lace effect. The nose is light but provides a sense of the malt base with a small hint of hops. The taste is of the malt base early on, but the hops begin to kick in as the brew warms a bit, giving a nice light citrus bitterness. Very mild and smooth body. Good drinkability as this is a very smooth Pale.
Oct 13, 2003
More User Ratings:
Photo of TigerSweat
Reviewed by TigerSweat from Ohio

3.69/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Solid APA. Some sharp bitterness up front followed by candied like malt notes. If you're familiar with Sierra Nevada pale ale, just imagine peerless pale ale as turned up a notch across every aspect (hops, malt, abv, etc.).
Apr 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.33 by ajreds11 from Ohio

Apr 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.53 by Zylod from West Virginia

May 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by Steve_Trick from Ohio

Feb 01, 2016
Photo of Bonkinishwa
Reviewed by Bonkinishwa from Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Portsmouth Brewing Company - Portsmouth Brewing Peerless Pale Ale. Unknown ABV. Served in a standard pint glass at the Brewpub.

Look: Arrived with a white frothy head, on a mellow golden/copper body. Head dissipates into thin lacing rather quickly.

Smell: Some wheat and earthly resin aromas up front, with hops and some spiciness throughout. A little fruit is detected, however is quite faint.

Feel: Thin bodied, with medium amount of carbonation.

Taste: Bitterness from the hops is immediate, along with some piney resin tastes. About midway through, some spiciness, and some light fruits emerge, into the back end.

Overall: This is definitely more pine/resin forward than fruit. Has some strong bitterness, with some spicy notes on the palate, but is very crisp.
Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by zachlink720 from Ohio

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Eziel from Ohio

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 2.25 by jlarimore4 from Ohio

Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by khargro2 from Tennessee

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bakerca from Ohio

Apr 18, 2014
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce bottle stamped with 12229070130811 on it, I have absolutely no idea what that means. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a slightly hazy amber color with a half inch off-white head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. The brew smells like bready malt/wheat, along with some earthy/spicy hops. It tastes similar to the aroma, but with the addition of a bit of dried fruit and some grapefruit. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick and smooth. Not a bad brew at all, bought a single bottle at Weiland's. If I'm ever in the area I'll have to stop in and try this fresh. I'll have to try some of their other brews if I ever come across them.
Sep 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Cynic-ale from Texas

Aug 04, 2013
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.51/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
This medium amber beer comes top with a fine head that leaves plenty of splotchy lacing. Very good clarity. Adequately hopped, with more pine than earthy/herbal hops. Not my favorite hop profile but certainly a very well crafted beer. Mildly bitter with a slightly higher level at the finish. and, unlike their flagship pilsner, not lacking in hops. Medium body with very good, medium carbonation. Smooth.

O: Very good for style.
Aug 02, 2013
Photo of CFHMagnet
Reviewed by CFHMagnet from Ohio

3.24/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
My brother went to Cincy and all I got was a 6 pack. Kidding. Thanks to him for picking up some brews from small brewers in the south of our state.

The bottle does not reveal a date or an ABV.

I poured a big two fingers of beige colored head over a burnt looking body with orange notes. Rays of light come through this nicely, and it retains head well.

Initial smells are light caramelized malt, fruit and flowers with a little sugar. Hunting a bit reveals gardeny notes with a little citrus.

The taste opens up gardeny with grapefruit. The malt is like crusty bread/wheat, but as noted by a previous user, this beer seems to have a strong English note for something billed as APA. Even as it warms and the hops become stronger, it still seems English.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied. It does not coat the mouth but it does leave it quite dry.
Jul 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by mikepcarney from Ohio

Jul 03, 2013
Photo of Groomsy
Reviewed by Groomsy from Kentucky

3.42/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Who knew that there was a brewery within 20 minutes of my hometown, and only an hour from my current location. I picked up a six pack of this while back in my hometown for the weekend. 12 oz. bottle poured into a nonic.

Peerless Pale Ale, named after an old nickname for Portsmouth, OH ("Peerless City") pours out a nice amber color and is topped by a frothy head of one-finger that sticks around and leaves nice lacing down the glass. There's some active carbonation from the bottom of the glass, and the head has some staying power to it. A pretty nice looking pale ale.

I'm kinda stuck on the aroma for this one, however. The package claims that the brewers used Cascade and Perle hops for a classic APA profile, but I'm picking up a lot of fruity esters from the yeast - not a bad thing, just not what I'm used to in this style. As the beer warms, I do pick up the grapefruit and citrus expected for the style, as well as some floral notes. The malt profile is toasty/biscuity and provides some balance to the overwhelming fruitiness of this beer. While it does smell nice, it's definitely not what I expect out of an American pale ale - it reminds me more of an English-style pale or a bitter.

Peerless opens up with a one-two punch of earthy herbal flavors and citrus bitterness in the form of grapefruit. A bready malt profile balances the bitterness before drying out with tons of fruity esters from the yeast on the finish. Fairly balanced and enjoyable, but the wording on the package leads me to believe that I would be drinking a modern-style APA. This is more traditional and "old school" for the style - again, as I said, I'm reminded of an English pale ale rather than the American version. For what it is, though, it's enjoyable. I only wish the yeast flavors weren't as prevalent in the final product.

PPA has a medium body with a balanced carbonation and dry, fruity finish with a tad of lingering bitterness. Some of the pine and citrus from the taste hangs out slightly.

Not a bad beer, and for an area that is a virtual desert as far as good beer availability, PBC might just be the beacon in the night. The taste is pretty heavy on the yeast esters and a little too bready to make me think that it's "really" an American Pale Ale, but even so, this is a solid beer.
Apr 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by 440kk from Ohio

Jan 29, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by Kahmal from Ohio

Jan 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Irish7r

May 19, 2012
Peerless Pale Ale from Portsmouth Brewing Co. / Mault's Brewpub
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 24 ratings