Ridge Trail
Wolf's Ridge Brewing

 

 

 

 

I picked this one off the single shelf at Giant Eagle just down the street. It poured a clear copper with white head that is not leaving a any lace. The scent had faint tropical hop. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with caramel malt at the front and bitter citrus hop finish. The mouthfeel is lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer.

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 10/27/2017. Pours slightly hazy medium orange/amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper/pine, caramel, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity hops and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, lemon zest, orange peel, light pepper, pine, caramel, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine, citrus peel, herbal, grass, spicy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, lemon/orange peel, citrus rind, pepper, pine, caramel, toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.4%. Overall this is an excellent American pale ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink, with the modestly bitter/drying finish. Great balanced juicy/dank hop complexity; with a nice dark/bready malt backbone. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. Tastes very similar to Alpha King in malt/hop profile.

Bottled on 10-27-17. Nonic pint.

A: pours a slightly hazy dark copper/bronze, with one finger off-white head that fades to a thin cap with lots of bubbles. A few streams of bubbling carbonation flow up.

S: smells just like Alpha King! Very sweet, floral, with a deep citrus. Not a "bright" citrus; think candied orange peels, dried papaya (not citrus, but you get it). Bass notes.

T: drier and brighter on the tongue than expected from that nose. Not as bitter as alpha king, and with more "pop." Dry and bready, malty arrival. Moderately thick breadiness mid palate, with hints of citrus and floral woodsiness. Lingering earthy, floral hop. That is a five or damn near it as an English pale or early 90s style American pale.

M: thicker end of midweight, with slightly more slickness than I like for the style, and perfect carbonation. It's not highly carved, but it might be more than some appreciate. It helps lift the otherwise slightly hefty body.

O: when I read the description of this beer, I thought "that sounds right up my alley." And it did not disappoint. For those who are looking for the next big thing or to be amazed by the lychee, dragonfruit and Lo Han notes of the latest APA, or blown away by the tongue scraping pain of the latest 3000 IBU monster, look elsewhere. For those looking for a balanced, floral, albeit slightly slick take on the classic American pale, you have found your beer. Move over Burning River, Ohio has a new classic. If you're reading this WRB, PLEASE keep bottling it.

A good beer. This is a malty IPA without a strong hop profile. It's a good summer beer likely because you can pick up the citrus and a little grapefruit.

 

 

 

 

On the edge of hopiness, but very, very smooth. Bold taste, but light on the pallette. A nice surprise. Malty and hoppy all at once.