Balls To The Wall
Oliver Brewing Company

 

 

Finally, a pale ale with great mouth feel, just the right amount of hops, and a good head that stays. Alcohol content just right, at 5%. So, drinkable. This one is a keeper, and we will have to see if we can order it from Stateline liquors, Elkton.

Heavily hopped. Very strong and bitter. Burns to taste it's so heavily carbonated. Cup full of head. Strong of pine and wheat. Seems out of style.

Welcome to New Oliver, The Belz Are Ringing Beer Sunday (Week 710) brought to you by Peter Belz of Shangy's Distributing in Emmaus, Steve Jones of Oliver Brewing Co. in Baltimore, MD & The CANQuest (tm)! Today is going to be a great one for drinking & reviewing a horizontal of Oliver BC CANs.

From the CAN: "Push It to the Limit."; "This CAN contains Balls To The Wall, an easy drinking American Pale Ale with a gratifying hop punch. Oliver Brewing Co. has been proudly brewing craft beer in Baltimore, MD since 1993."

Speaking of gratifying, there is nothing like the Crack! upon opening the vent of a CAN after Pop!ping off so many bottle caps. I celebrated with an inverted Glug until the subsequent foaming action forced me to back down & stop. The onrush of head was a joyous sight, forming two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with good retention, leaving nice lacing in its wake. Color was a beautiful Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4- 5) with NE-quality clarity, causing The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus to awaken from their slumber & come rushing in for a taste. Good to see yinz! Nose smelled closer to an AIPA than an APA with notes of pine, citrus & dank & my hophead mouth set to watering. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste, although not as pronounced as on the nose, was very much of pine, citrus & dank plus blueberry & a light cattiness. May a take a flier & wager that Mosaic & Simcoe the kitty were involved? Mmm. This really bodes well for the rest of the day. It was not as intense as the name suggested, but in terms of the style, it was right up there with some of the best. I would not put it I the same realm as the standard bearer for the style, SNPA, but it certainly holds its own. Finish was semi-dry to dry, very pleasant, very easy-drinking & definitely a cooler CANdidate.

 

 

 

 

Extremely hoppy. Almost stings to take a drink from the bubbles has a pleasant after taste

 

 

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours orange yellow with a fluffy white head. Smells of piney and slight citrus hops. Tastes of sweet grain with slight piney hop notes. Beer is a tad heavily carbonated but still light bodied and easy drinking. Overall, an above average beer.