Touch of Sunshine
MiddleCoast Brewing Company

 

Poured into a mason jar: color is deep copper near amber slightly hazy, head is light tan and frothy with rocky like head and fine to medium bubbles, head presents 1 inch thick and lingers really well with 1/2 inch solid top and lacing.

Smell is malt and hop balanced: light caramel, touch of nuttiness, not overly sweet, then citrus and grassy hops meld together, some floral/herbal hop notes as well.

Taste is a meld of citrus hops and slight fruitiness from the malt and fermentation; not overly sweet but enough caramel malt to provide sweetness, hops are notable but lean to the clean, earthy side with citric notes emanating.

Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated, moderate sweetness, low/moderate bitterness with a lingering drying/biting character.

Overall a nice pale ale - strangely something I can't find variations of these days - malt forward with pleasant hop backing.

 

16 ounce can poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

L---Rich amber color. Chunky head with good retention and excellent lacing.

S---Brown sugar and molasses. Citrus fruit follows.

T---Fruity. Citrusy. Grapefruit, lemon & orange. Strong malt backbone with flavors of caramel and molasses.

F---Medium full mouthfeel. Almost coating. Well carbonated.

O---A fine effort and an interesting take on an American Pale Ale.

A thanks to the incredible woodychandler for this beer. Poured from a 16 oz, can. Has a muddy brown color with a 1 inch head and plenty of thick lacing. Smell is of citrus, mango, peaches. Taste is tangerine, grapefruit, light peaches and malts, bitter for the style. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall is a quality beer.

 

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 6/28/2019. Pours slightly hazy deep golden amber/light orange color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, blackcurrant, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, honey, toasted biscuit, light caramel/nutty, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, blackcurrant, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, honey, toasted biscuit, light caramel/nutty, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, blackcurrant, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, honey, toasted biscuit, light caramel/nutty, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and dark/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp finishing. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready, and sticky/resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 5.8%. Overall this is an awesome American Pale Ale. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and fairly crisp to drink with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish. Nicely soft and not overly aggressive. Awesome MI Brewers Gold, Chinook profile. Very juicy, vibrant, dank, and earthy hops; with a nice sized bready malt backbone. Light residual sweetness with crisp resin drying. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive style example.