"Real" American Pale Ale Advice

To have a winner we'd have to have guesses .

I would have lost in any event and bet the 'under'

 

Wide distro: Deschutes Mirror Pond

Homer pick: Listermann Don't Talk Sh*t About Norwood http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3474/179945/ - such a nice balance of hops and malt and very complementary of each other.

I thought Cigar City Invasion was very good too.

Also love Daisy Cutter, Lizard King, and Zombie Dust, but I'd argue these lack balance which I thought OP was asking for.

 

Maine Beer Company's Peeper Ale is a nice APA worth checking out.

 

@ctrudebusch stated in the original post: "The problem: too many of the "Best APAs" out there are really just IPAs and DIPAs in disguise!"

He is looking for recommendations for APAs which are not high in ABV (or overly hoppy) such that in reality they are closer to being IPAs/DIPAs vs. APAs. Do you have any APAs that you could recommend?

Cheers!

 

Brickstone has a great APA, then all the other suggested! but easy to get, any good bottle shop should have it beer would be mirror pond, or Two Hearted. I consider two hearted an APA, even though it is called an american IPA.

 

Yep, I am aware of what the original post said. I was simply offering additional options that may fit the flavor profile he is looking for, as @Ranbot mentioned after reading my explanation. He also offers up ambers and even an IPA in Harpoon as other styles that may be favorable to the OP.

Off the top of my head, I do not have any American Pale Ales that I can recommend that have not already been mentioned (and there's been many great ones!).

Personally, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale always does the trick for me.

 

Down here we have Reef Donkey APA it's really good.

 

Striped Bass from Devil's Backbone is pretty good IMO. Also, although it's actually an American Pale Lager...... Gridlock, a collab between DC Brau and DuClaw is pretty good and can almost bridge Prima and SNPA.

My thoughts exactly. Ten Hills is very well made.

 

Yeah, not sure why the OP considers SNPA the ceiling for bitterness in a style that it pretty much defined.

 

Though it never gets mentioned, I was really surprised by Boulevard Pale Ale. Just simple really, and unoffending. Also, Fist City is an absolute must for anybody to try.

 

Wormtown Bottle Rocket is a great pale ale IMHO.

 

I think mostly to avoid people suggesting APAs that are basically IPAs, the stuff like Zombie Dust, Born Yesterday, Dale's, Grunion, etc.

 

To me, these both fall in that IPA in disguise category. But to each their own...

 

SN is the epitome of a pale ale, imo, though I understand the OP thinks SN is pushing the hop boundaries for the style.

GL Burning River is another good example. Hops are borderline IPA to my taste compared to SN, but there is more malt backbone behind it.

Though not classified a pale ale, Bell's Smitten is a pale ale with a touch of rye, and whatever you want to call it - it's a fantastic beer.

 

Another vote that Dale's is a misclassified IPA.

 

Sierra Nevada is a classic and I always make room in my beer fridge for that one.

Dog Town is tasty for sure.

 

Odell 5 Barrell

 

@Ranbot sorry, unlike you I don't like shitty APAs like the ones you mentioned above. And wasn't aware you are God on what is a "real APA" and what isn't.

Keep drinking those terds, more of the good stuff for me.

 

Of all of the above (nods to the solid choices), I miss Daisy Cutter the most. Light enough to have more than one, hoppy enough to not taste too light. Perfect carbonation (for me). Hey HA, I'll see you in mid-April.

 

LOL.... OK, buddy. To be clear, the beers I mentioned aren't necessarily favorites that I drink regularly, but they are similar what the OP actually asked for.

The reason @TongoRad made his joke in the first place is because there's always someone who jumps into these discussions who doesn't bother to read the OP and rattles off the usual suspects of popular beers... this time you're the winner!