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.394 San Diego Pale Ale
AleSmith Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- AleSmith Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #133 - ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #6,247 - Avg:
- 4.1 | pDev: 8.05%
- Reviews:
- 124
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 15, 2022
- Added:
- Jun 09, 2014
- Wants:
- 43
- Gots:
- 152
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding


Notes:
In early 2014, Tony Gwynn’s team approached AleSmith to create a distinctive beer for the baseball legend. A meeting was called at the Gwynn household, which included a sampling of AleSmith beers to identify Tony’s preferences. He wanted the beer to be “light with a kick” which he elaborated further to mean full of hop character and light in body and color. The result of the Gwynn family’s feedback on test batches rendered a golden pale ale full of American hop flavor and aroma, with a subdued bitterness and a malty sweet finish. AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 pays tribute to the city that Tony loved and the career high batting average that he achieved in ‘94. Discover what happens when a Hall of Fame perfectionist crafts a beer with a world-class brewery. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation (TAG).
26 IBU
26 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by AZgman from Arizona
4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A really good pale ale. I like it a bit better than my pale ale standard (Sierra Navada). A nice break from drinking IPAs, it has plenty of body and taste so it is much more robust than a lager (which might be your other non-IPA alternative). Recommended in the 16 oz six pack! Its also affordable!
Oct 31, 2022Reviewed by BuzzedNinthBeer from California
5/5 rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I met Tony Gwynn and asked him about Stephen Strasburg. Gwynn died a couple of years later and I’ve always regretted not telling him what a pleasure it was to watch him play. This beer does justice to the greatest whole-career-after-WWII hitter.
Sep 11, 2022Rated by Manta200 from Kentucky
4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Single 16oz can from Party Source
this is a really tasty pale ale!
Sep 06, 2022this is a really tasty pale ale!
Reviewed by GStone899 from Minnesota
4.19/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
It's a refreshing apa with a malty backbone that plays well with the hops. Best word I can find for it is balanced. Not gonna blow the doors off but it doesn't have to as it has bold piney undertones but at the same time the hops mellow it out.
Sep 04, 2022Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
4.35/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Love Tony Gwynn, but love this beer more. Pours an interesting color for a pale ale, darker than expected. Nose is slightly malty and piney aat same time. Taste is a hoppy pale ale, but not overly hoppy. Good flavor.
Aug 28, 2022Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Brewed in collaboration with baseball great, Tony Gwen, AleSmith is taking us all out to the ball game with a well balance, tried and true, classic American Pale Ale.
Light amber and slightly hazy, .394 San Diego Pale Ale builds a light tarnish froth and an evenly mixed scent of citrus, spruce, caramel and toast in a most granola kind of way. Similarly to taste, the culmination of granola touches on nuttiness, honey, caramel and bread crust with a starchy white bread fullness.
With a rise of hops on the middle palate, the flavors of grapefruit and orange provide an essence of citrus that joins the plush malts for an even keel blend of flavors. Even as the bitterness grows heading into the late palate, the hop resins never overtake the level of malt sweetness but rather meets them for a perfect balance where neither flavor grows past the other.
Medium bodied, medium flavored and finishing bitter-sweet, the beer's medium length aftertaste is decorated with hop spices, herbal grasses and citrus peels.
Aug 26, 2022Light amber and slightly hazy, .394 San Diego Pale Ale builds a light tarnish froth and an evenly mixed scent of citrus, spruce, caramel and toast in a most granola kind of way. Similarly to taste, the culmination of granola touches on nuttiness, honey, caramel and bread crust with a starchy white bread fullness.
With a rise of hops on the middle palate, the flavors of grapefruit and orange provide an essence of citrus that joins the plush malts for an even keel blend of flavors. Even as the bitterness grows heading into the late palate, the hop resins never overtake the level of malt sweetness but rather meets them for a perfect balance where neither flavor grows past the other.
Medium bodied, medium flavored and finishing bitter-sweet, the beer's medium length aftertaste is decorated with hop spices, herbal grasses and citrus peels.
Rated by TheWaySheGoes from Illinois
4.08/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.08/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Good example of a west coast style pale ale
Aug 08, 2022Reviewed by laketang from Arizona
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Great looking golden clear and good head.
Plenty of citrus on the nose, floral as well.
Oranges, smidgen of apricot and pine resin, good bitterness.
Great bitterness malt backbone balance.
Sixer of 16 oz for 12$ is basically 8 - 12 ozers , Great buy imo.
Jul 24, 2022Plenty of citrus on the nose, floral as well.
Oranges, smidgen of apricot and pine resin, good bitterness.
Great bitterness malt backbone balance.
Sixer of 16 oz for 12$ is basically 8 - 12 ozers , Great buy imo.
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden
4.49/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a clear amber with soft head.
Smell is fruity and a bit sweet with notes of citrus, caramel, pine and some floral and woody hints.
Taste is fruity, crisp and a bit sweet. Notes of grapefruit, caramel, lemonade and pine with a solid bitterness. Some herbal and earthy hints on the finish.
Mouthfeel is medium, soft and pillowy with good carbonation.
Overall, a terrific pale ale, drinkable but still flavorful.
Dec 15, 2021Smell is fruity and a bit sweet with notes of citrus, caramel, pine and some floral and woody hints.
Taste is fruity, crisp and a bit sweet. Notes of grapefruit, caramel, lemonade and pine with a solid bitterness. Some herbal and earthy hints on the finish.
Mouthfeel is medium, soft and pillowy with good carbonation.
Overall, a terrific pale ale, drinkable but still flavorful.
Rated by NeilSilber1 from California
4.42/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.42/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours golden yellow with nice white fluffy head. Beautiful craft pale done right.
Oct 30, 2021Reviewed by mikeg67 from New Jersey
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap in SD. Pours amber with white head. Aroma and taste is of bready malt, citrusy hops and rip fruit. Full crisp body. Finish is long and dry. Great brew.
Aug 23, 2021Reviewed by unlikelyspiderperson from California
4.56/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Wonderful beer, kind of a gen 2 SNPA vibe. So perfectly captures the 2010ish era west coast IPA flavors. Nice, citrus bitter with a touch of tropical sweets and a crisp and clean malt backbone
Pale golden beverage with a nice frothy white head.
Nose is candied tangerine peel and bright lemon and pine hints
Taste is clean bittersweet citrus like a tangerine or slightly underripe nectarine. Great stuff
Mar 21, 2021Pale golden beverage with a nice frothy white head.
Nose is candied tangerine peel and bright lemon and pine hints
Taste is clean bittersweet citrus like a tangerine or slightly underripe nectarine. Great stuff
Reviewed by Zorro from California
4.01/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Chill hazed orange with a tall snow white head. What a pale ale should look like.
Smells of C-Type hops. Strong scent of cedar wood. Lesser scents of pine board. Mildly sweet smelling.
Starts out Neutral and slightly bitter. Tastes like it smells. Cedar and pine. Fairly dry beer.
Mouthfeel is good.
Overall a good pale ale.
Dec 11, 2020Smells of C-Type hops. Strong scent of cedar wood. Lesser scents of pine board. Mildly sweet smelling.
Starts out Neutral and slightly bitter. Tastes like it smells. Cedar and pine. Fairly dry beer.
Mouthfeel is good.
Overall a good pale ale.
.394 San Diego Pale Ale from AleSmith Brewing Company
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
654 ratings
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