Oat Cream Pale Ale
Irrational Brewing Company

A- This comes hopping out of the can with almost too much carbonation.....I had to fast pour this into my tulip otherwise I would have had a bit of a mess! What I do see is a cloudy yellow brew, that reminds me of a NEIPA style beer, and a thick, super white head that is frothy, big bubbled and shows excellent retention, starting at three fingers and settling to two and it doesn't receed any further. It also leaves behind a nice cap of lacing around the inside of my glass, and as that gives way, there is a film of proteins left clinging too.

S- Well one can sure smell the blend of hops used in this one, particularly the citra and cryo experimental hop used.....very citrusy and some stronger bitter aromas. I also sense some heavier yeasty tones, bread dough, crystal and perhaps some caramel malts. The finish is of zesty rind of grapefruit, lemon/lime, and pomelo fruits....a little oily if you will. A nice overall aroma!

T- This is quite yummy, with plenty of creamy oat flakes noticed right away....its almost porridge like! Along with cream, yeasty/bready notes, there is quite a bit of grainyness, sweeter caramel and/or toffee notes, brown sugar highlights and muted fruitiness. The finish is not what I expected.....it is mellow in terms of bitterness, which is only on my palate right at the end, and there is more of a lingering creaminess about it.....this is nice!

M/O- I would put the mouthfeel at a medium, leaning into heavy territory, with the carbonation being quite velvety smooth. This is a nice drinkable cream ale and I would have thought going into this one that the bitterness/citrus would be heavy, but the oats have made this quite the contrasting brew! It would pair nicely with a cheese & cracker tray, especially some of the nuttier/creamy cheese varieties out there. Glad I got a chance to enjoy this one!