Traverse Brewing Old Mission Lighthouse Ale
Traverse Brewing Company

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this one yet. Pours out to a lightly hazy orange-golden, forming a rocky white head with average retention and light lacing. Carbonation is moderate. The aroma is pleasant with nice caramel and cookie (residual sugars) balanced by bright floral hops. Apple, pineapple and toffee esters are mixed in as well. It's English style, but not buttery, rancid or oxidized. Mouthfeel is full with a medium body. The taste begins with floral citrusy hops, but not pungent or overwhelming, followed by a nice cookie sweetness, grainy pale malts in the middle, hints of vanilla and biscuit. Bitterness is moderate and has a slight grassiness. Some slight adjunct grassiness towards the finish. Aftertaste of green hops and grass. Minimal perceptable off-flavors, no fusels.

Despite the lower ABV, this is packed with flavor. I really enjoy the residual sugars in this one. It reminds me in ways of Dead Guy Ale or Boston Ale with a touch less "ooomph". Very enjoyable. I'll definitely buy this one again.

Sampled on draught @ Traverse Brewing Company in Williamsburg, Michigan. Clear light yellow color. Subtle aroma, with light malt (grain, cookie), light cascade (citrus), along with a touch of leather and vanilla, though barely there. Not much in the flavor either, perhaps a bit of earthy hops, biscuit and skunk. Another beer from this brewery that I did not like.

Maybe I got a bad bottle of this stuff. I will re-review again. Poured out to a very appealing, slightly cloudy golden color with a nice head that came down to about 1/5 of an inch and remained consistant to the bottom of the glass. Odor was skunky, but from what other reviews have had to say, this is not uncommon. Some slight citrus odors were present as well. Flavor was acceptable, but nothing special. Some citrus flavors, along with malt and some watery hops. Finished slighly dry and sour. Decent mouthfeel was refreshing and quite vibrant. I'd go for this again if not for the poor aroma.

This pours straw/amber, ever so slightly hazy, leaving a foam ring which sticks to the glass a bit.

Smells skunky cold, but, at 'fridge temp you can't judge a beer. As it warms, citrius and lemon peel seem to come forth, with a slight bit of floral hop.

Tastes somewhat boring, but it does have a zip of lemon and hop which make this "average" rather than below. It is better than a macro brewed beer.

Mouthfeel is a bit bland and flat when warm. Cold it is more sparkely, but I can't drink a skunky beer, so we'll go with the warm mouthfeel.

Finish is wet, hoppy and flat.

This ain't a bad beer, and if you see it I'd say try it. I wouldn't drive out to Traverse City to get one, though. Thank you, Chuck, for bringing this one in for me to try, it was worth experiencing.

This beer is golden in color with a slight haze. The bouquet is fruity with a spicy/peppery aroma. This beer is light in body with a tangy, bitter flavor and a spicy/peppery aftertaste. It finishes watery and also has a slight diacetyl/buttery problem. I really hope that I just happened to get a bad bottle. I'll have to try this one again later.

Obtained and consumed in December, 2004. Poured a light gold straw color with a 2 finger pure white head. The head was fine and fluffy like marangue. The beer was cloudy, despite being poured to retain the small amount of sediment in the bottle. Smelled of mild citrus; orange, tangarine. Somewhat mild sweet. Tasted of faint bitter and mild sweet with a sour finish, somewhat of cherry. Not bitter like a pale should be. Carbonation was mild and mouthfeel was thin. That about somes this beer up...mild and thin. Don't bother.

On tap, presented in a shaker pint.

Golden in colour, with a slightly reddish hue to it. Chill hazed, but otherwise clear. Topped by a thin white head. Leaves some spotty lace behind.

Nose is slightly fruity with just a slight hint of citrus.

Tons of sweetness up front. Follows up with some grainy / biscuit flavours. Finishes off dry with just a hint of citrus. Medium bodied, rugged carbonation.

Another sample from our Northern Michigan excursion. Picked up a six-pack at the local Boyne City grocer.
Appearance is golden in color, no head, no lacing. Nose is a little bit of fruit but not much else there. The taste was pretty unspectacular for a micro brew although a bit refreshing. The hop finish was no more than a macro brew. Mouthfeel was a bit lively because of the excessive carbonation. Overall drinkability was nothing better than any of the macro guys offer.

This beer poured a copperish color with a small off-white head. Smell was floral and fruity but more of a bitterness than sweetness to it. Taste started out lightly fruity like a pear taste combined with a slight caramel characteristic. Grassy hoppiness came next and completely took over my palate. A grainy huskiness came at the end and stayed for the finish. A little unusual but still enjoyable. All in all this was simply an average pale ale, nothing more nothing less.

Poured an orang/copper color with not to much of a head but it did stick around for quite awhile.Smell was of fruity hops with some hint of grasiness.Taste was hoppy but it did have some sweet malt backbone to it,decent carbonation to it as well.Says gold medel award winner on the label,not sure about that but a pretty good pale ale.