English Pale Mild Ale
Wallenpaupack Brewing Company

 

DATE: August 14, 2022... OCCASION: a fun weekend visiting Gil at Point Pleasant ends with an easy drinker--which is apparently NOT retired, despite where BA has it residing.... GLASSWARE: Wychwood Hobgoblin pint... pours a mostly opaque, orange-brown body with its effervescence illuminated nicely by what light can break through... its head is a roiling collection of off-white bubbles that fold over themselves, keeping an island of bubbles dancing in its center--lively! toffee and caramel, metal, mown hay, light citrus, and nutty hints are enough to represent the style... buttery, soft, and easy-drinking... light on the teeth, refreshing on the tongue--with little in the way of nuance--and a soft, lathery finish... a beer one could easily pace oneself at the pub or during a sporting event with... the toffee is the strongest element, but it is checked... its caramel, woodiness, berry and tea are pleasing, though the ABV keeps the profile from taking more control of the palate... in fact, the beer is actually fruitier the longer the glass tilts... this dances on the edge of friendly and forgettable, but in the beer world, that's a win--and if I didn't visit the area only in the summer, I might seek this out as an all-day go-to...

 

 

16oz tallboy can received courtesy of JayO'Rear. Canned on February 18, 2021 per the stamp on the bottom of the can, which also says "Second is the best." I have no idea what that means. Incidentally, this is not only my first beer from Wallenpaupack, but is also my first Pale Mild Ale (I've had a few Dark Milds).

Poured into a mug, this was a clear dark golden amber,which took on a slightly rubyesque hue when held up to light. Decent sized off-white head. Modest lace.

VERY malty nose. I don't get any aroma that reminds me of toffee, as the label boasts. Instead, it's a mildly sweet, grainy and biscuity maltiness. Very slight, herbal hop aroma in the background.

Taste is like the nose. Pleasantly malty, in a slightly, bready, biscuity way, with just the tiniest of hop tangs along the way.

Fairly clean mouthfeel for an ale. Almost lager like, but not as crisp. Body seems a tad too heavy for a beer so low in alcohol, so I'm not sure how it would feel to session this like I'd otherwise want to, given it's low alcohol content.

I was never able to try a Mild Ale, dark or otherwise, when I spent a month in the UK nearly 20yrs ago (in fact, I'm pretty sure I was ignorant of the styles existence), so I can't say if I've yet had a truly authentic one yet. I enjoyed drinking this can, and can see the advantages of seasoning a 3.5% beer. But I don't find this as distinctive as a dark version, and I feel like the body is just a tad too flabby to really want to drink this steadily. Without another pale Mild to compare it to, I'm not sure if this is a criticism of this particular beer or the sub-style in general. Guess I'll just have to drink more of them to find out.