MoPop Festipale Ale
Griffin Claw Brewing Company

 

 

16 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 6/22/2017. Pours slightly hazy deep golden/amber color with a 2 finger fairly dense and rocky off white head with incredible retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper/pine, honey, toasted bread, light caramel/nuttiness, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity hops and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper/pine, honey, toasted bread, light caramel/nuttiness, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, pepper, pine, honey, toasted bread, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity hops and bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is a great American pale ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity hops and bready malt flavors; very smooth and refreshing to drink; even with the increasingly bitter/drying finish. Juicy, vibrant, and lightly dank on hops; with a perfectly balancing bready malt backing. No residual sweetness and never aggressive, but still plenty of hoppiness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.