American Pale Ale
Dark Star Brewing Company Limited

 

330 ml can, as Dark Star APA, from Ales by Mail. ABV is 4.7%. Overcarbonated, slightly gushing can, the glass fills completely by white foam. When the beer appears underneath, it is pale golden. The huge head lasts "forever". Strong and pleasant aroma of fruity and piney American hops. Distinctly hoppy flavour on a moderately sweet base, tropical fruits, grapefruit, pine needles and resin. Bitter finish.

500ml bottle. With the earliest review on this site dated 2004, this is an early example of an English brewery’s interpretation of the then nascent American craft beer phenomenon. To the modern palate, it’s a citrusy version of an English golden ale. Lots of sweet pale malt, honeysuckle, citrusy new world hops, moderate bitterness and a buttery mouthfeel. A good summer pint.

Bottled and presumably not bottle conditioned
Pours a fairly Clear light brown body With good white head
Aroma is pear soap
A bit of bitterness and some buttery biscuity malt

Bottle. Clear amber. Thick frothy head.
Fruity aroma mixed with caramel. Light citrus which continues into the flavour.
Bitter finish.
Mid range carbonation and feel.
Leaning towards an English Bitter despite the American yeast and hops.

Cask @ The Inglenook Hotel, Pagham - Pours cloudy golden with a small white foamy head. Nice lacing. Aroma - Light citrus notes - grapefruit/orange, grassy, floral notes. Taste - Medium sweet, citrus forefront - grapefruit/orange, malty biscuit middle, crisp bitter finish. Solid APA if a little underwhelming on the hop front.

 

On cask at the Harp. Pours not quite clear with a small (cask pour) head that leaves a creamy ring and good lace. Nose is disappointing here...really not much to smell at all except feint honeyed hops. Maybe it needs more carbonation or simply more dry hopping. Taste is surprisingly full and flavourful after the nose. Fruity malt with lots of fruity and floral hops fill your palette and finishes with a long drying bitterness that isn't apparent up front. Sad about the nose, but still a great beer.
Edit-I’ve has the chance to have this twice more, and I’ve got to say it isn’t quite as good as my first impression. There is a slight sour astringency in the taste that drags it down from my original scores.

 

Fantastic beer full of flavour but extremely drinkable

 

 

 

 

I had this on tap in the UK. It was a smooth and balanced pale ale. Indeed, in the US, most APAs would have a higher hop profile. I liked it, but it could have been hoppier to my tastes.

 

Tasted at the Jersey CAMARA beer festival. Pours a hazy golden colour with a white head that slowly disperses. Aromas of marmalade & citrus with some pine & caramel also present. Tastes of lemon, peach, grapefruit as well as marmalade, citrus and some sweet honey. Aftertaste is fairly dry with some bitterness from the hops. Overall my favourite of the 7 beers I tried.