Kite Tail Summer Ale
O'Fallon Brewery

Pours a lemon yellow color with a foamy head that lasts quite a while. No discernable aroma. A light, clean taste. Good mouth feel. Pleasant, not over powering. One of my favorite "working outside" summer beers.

DATE: May 14, 2017.... OCCASION: Home after Mother's Day shopping with Shan... GLASSWARE: Rare Vos shaker... pours a pale, soft golden body that splurges its effervescence with cascading bubbles... head is another story, a swift fizz of off-white that rings to clumpy bogs of marshiness... weak lemon and hay meld with light hops to produce a flowery, aromatic sensation akin to lavender... airy, elements of honey and vanilla as well... from that auspicious beginning comes the first sip: dishwasher safe, thin, oily... on a warmer day, this could be considered an asset, but on an average May afternoon, it's just a shade away from water with extra calories... not much creaminess to its mouthfeel, although it holds at its finish... honey, ginger, light pepper, subtly spiced malts, and an elusive something creates a light, almost puckering profile with a beefy fallout by its end...a beer that might beat a raddler on a given day but has little replay value on its own... could do worse at a backyard barbecue, but not a rewarding gem in the mystery 12 mix I bought...

 

I love to support small breweries. I've had some O'Fallons other products and they are pretty good. Kite Tale, unfortunately, tastes like Budweiser sprayed down with Lemon Pledge. I had one, and then poured the remaining 5 out. Such a waste. I hate writing negative reviews.

This beer doesn't get the credit it deserves. It is an extremely drinkable and tasty summer beer that is far superior to the macro lagers out there, and in my opinion is probably the best commercial cream ale I can find. No, it's not as clean/tasteless as a Genesse, but is that really the benchmark? It has a different taste in the bottle than on tap at the brewery, but it is still very good. Speaking of the new brewery... What a great place to get good food and beer!

Poured from a 12oz bottle, no date code on bottle. Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a good 3 finger fluffy white head. The head recedes to almost nothing as I drink it. It leaves behind a decent amount of lacing in my pilsner glass.

Smells slightly malty, bright, slight citrusy hop aroma.

Very quaffable with a light, thin body. Starts clean, slightly sweet, finishes slightly tart and dry. There's a faint flavor that I can't place. Not so much sweet as fruity, almost like strawberries. Not sure if that's an ester from the yeast or from the hops or what. I like it and don't really think it's a fault.

Overall this is a great summertime beer that I think any BMC drinker would enjoy and beer snobs would too even if they don't care to admit it. Very drinkable, reasonably priced and decent availability near me (but I live close to the brewery) so I'm not sure about outside of my area. If you see it on the shelf and you want an easy drinking beer while you're grilling or mowing the lawn, grab it!

 

 

 

 

 

Very pale yellow, and completely clear. The beer has a thin, soon fading, head. The smell is of grain, a hint of pale malt, and some herbal hops. Muted aroma. The flavor is balanced, but subtle. Grainy and somewhat vegetal. Not really offensive, but not anything that I'd look to try again.