Signs Of Life
River Roost Brewery

 

Best pale ale I've had in a long time.

Appearance: Clear light gold. Head is bright-white and creamy to start with a soft loose structure. Drops to a few wisps of cap with a small bubbly collar. Moderate lacing leaves a few notches here and there. Moderate carbonation on the pour.

Smell: Biscuits and crackers from the malt almost immediately. Some cooked malt sweetness. Hops run mostly floral with a solid earthy backing. A bright tropical push underneath adds touches of peach and nectarine. A slight hint of green tree sap.

Taste: Light without losing too much in the process. Sligthly toasted malt base offers a touch of sweetness coupled with an earthy hit from the hops. Some flower petal and grass as well. Crackers for days with a bit of flaky biscuit. Touches of caramel ghost through the back. Ever so slightly tropical on the back of each sip. The tropical element is a bit more pronounced as the beer warms. Bitterness sits on the initial sip but doesn't linger for too long. Relatively clean. Even if the brewer hadn't mentioned the Mosaic in here, it would have registered, Finishes like green tree branches.

Mouthfeel: Hyper crisp. Mediumish body with a moderate carbonation. Minimal astringency.

Overall: An easy drinking no frills pale ale.

It's nice when beer like this exists. It's under 5% and has enough flavor to be interesting but no so much as to numb your tongue. A growler went down no problem. Even though I'm no Mosaic fan, I thought this was a nice use of it as a background note.