Pandion Pale Ale
Cismontane Brewing Company

 

 

 

On cask at Boards & Brew in Rancho Santa Margarita, on to the beer:

A creamy inch of head rests on top this tanned orange beer. The retention of the head is not only great, but the lacing it gives is spectacular as well. Not to be outshined, the complex aroma with pine, mangoes, and melons attempts to make your nose as excited as your eyes. Perhaps it's no surprise that it is tasty as well. It leans towards the sweeter side, although still pleasantly hopped. Think of the malt coating the outside of the hops. With the relaxed way of cask ale, it's no wonder that the beer is very creamy, very low in carbonation, with a lighter medium body.

The character of this pale ale is relaxed. Not too intense is any aspect and easy to quaff.

 

 

On tap at The Glendale Tap in Glendale, CA.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy bone head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a citrus zest flavor on the finish. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but it has a better smell in my opinion.

 

 

 

Poured from a tap into a pint glass at Slater’s 50/50 on Aug. 16, 2012, in Point Loma, Calif. (San Diego). About one finger of cloudy, gray head when I got it. Beer color was golden pale. Average retention all around.

Smelled wheat grass, grain, cereal, hay and some caramel. Also light pale malts and some spices, which I couldn’t recognize.

Tasted grain, earth, pale notes and light lemon wheat grass. Also honey. Nothing too spectacular overall though.

Light body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Smooth, abrupt finish.

Nothing really stood out here. Maybe I need a second get at it.

 

 

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a medium gold with a soft white head, good lace.

S: Various citrus, nice smelling hop character.

T: Lemon and orange peel, the hop flavour is domianted by citrus zest. Good apricot secondary flavour as well. Light malt character. Very much CA.

M: Medium-bodied, smooth, crisp, nice aftertaste.

D: Very good pale ale, full-flavoured. Cismontane has been impressive in the two beers I've had from them.

Poured from a growler into a tulip pint glass.

A: Slightly hazy, medium golden color with one finger of persistent white foam head. Heavy lacing remains on the glass.

S: Bright citrus fruit, fresh grass, restrained tropical fruit, and lightly toasted grain. The tropical fruit appears tart while the grass gains intensity over time. Overall the smell is very clean, mostly influenced by the hops.

T: Begins barely off-dry, with floral and herbaceous/spicy hop aromatics. Acidity is kept mild, allowing aromatics to persist into the middle where they are joined by juicy Meyer lemon and wheaty pilsner-focused grain. Some bitterness is present in the finish which includes the taste of grapefruit peel. Faint astringency lingers on the palate, overshadowing the bitterness.

M: Thin viscosity, wet on the palate, with low carbonation.

D: This newest addition to Cismontane's evolving line of production beers features a new-found emphasis on West Coast hop qualities that are delicate on the palate and complemented by a feather-light malt backbone. With the looks more fitting a pale wheat beer, it presents flavors that are in-line with other recent session ales from Southern California breweries. Pandion may demonstrate the most adept application of hops yet by Cismontane, but it simultaneously carries on that touch of rusticity that is their signature.