Pilot Mountain Pale Ale - Foothills Brewing Company

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Barley's and Must say a very fine ale indeed. Poured a deep orange amber with a white frothy head with great retention and a sticky layer of lace to follow. The smell was huge, big hop profile. Lots of citrus hops with a deep resin vibrant aroma, Cascade are very evident here. The flavor is a huge hop bomb, and coming from Foothills you know its good. Very big dry bitter finish and damned if that sweet orange blossom flavor did not hang around forever. I could swear this was 8%abv or more, realy quite a strong brew I was feeling afterward. Overall hell yeah, this was awesome. I would drink this anyday, absolutly wonderful and a great addition to any bar!

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2007 23:32:11 | More by mikesgroove

Fitzy

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This brand new brewery in Winston-Salem is going to go far. Everything I tried, I loved. The food rocks too! Although they didn't have the Kind IPA on tap, I didn't mind. The Stout was nice and smoky and a bit higher in alcohol content than I'm used to. Try this place out and you'll be hoppy!

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2005 12:09:09 | More by Fitzy

caban

Georgia

4.45/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Happy to be drinking this Excelent Pale Ale. Found it on Tap at Liberty Tap House in Columbia SC.
Head:alittle light in the head,

Apperaence: good color and slightly hazy

Aroma: Fresh Fruit, nice touch of Green
Grass/hops

Taste: Flavors abound,from Malty to a lingering hop finish

Finish: Hops dominate, left me wanting another sip.

This is one of my favorties when at Southern Beer Fest: The guys have a great thing going.

Go Foothills!!!

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2009 21:22:11 | More by caban

Cindirene

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From the tap it poured nicely with a nice tight head which dissipated slightly - The nose is hoppy kinda citrusy as in maybe a northwestern hops - A little malt balance is detectable - The taste is excellent with some malt background but nice grassy piney hops in the foreground - Has a nice medium body that invites another - Altogether a very good session beer

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2007 02:05:15 | More by Cindirene

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A filtered clear amber bodied pale ale with plenty of strong cascade aroma in the nose. Some caramel malt hits first with a strong hop piney bitterness from the Cascade hops coming on quickly imparting grapefruit like qualities. Light mouthfeel with a crisp carbonation. A good sessionable hoppy pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2009 19:33:53 | More by rtratzlaff

Arborescence

Finland

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear amber, pours an airy head.

Aroma: Fresh citrus, but also malt, interesting and delicate combination.

Taste: Great combination of malt and hops! Very robust flavour, quite strong. Not as refreshing as you might think because of that, but very tasty!

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

Overall: Solid pale ale with some sweetness and bitterness, nicely balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 20:15:53 | More by Arborescence

beer2day

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy orange pour with 1/2-finger of head. No retention. Not much lacing, but nice carbonation and an attractive coloring bring the score up.

Where is the nose here? Maybe I'm losing my sense of smell, but the current crop of pales haven't done much for me (amarillo hopped beers not included).

Huge citrus hit. Estery. Citrus absolutely explodes on your tastebuds. Slightly slick and oily, but fits the style.

Great drinker for a hoppy pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2010 17:15:15 | More by beer2day

oberon

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear copper with a nice bead with a rather thin head,nice mingling of aromas of biscuit malt and a little caramel with some herbal/grassiness really showing thru as it warms a little.Extremely well balanced biscuit malt and a touch of caramel up front finishing with nice spruce,pine flavor rounding this one out nicely.A real sociable pint to be had if with friends this is the one to order I think.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2005 20:18:23 | More by oberon

rodrot

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a very pretty dark amber/orange color with a 1 finger head that stuck around. Aroma was quite hoppy at first whiff, and then a good bit of caramelly malts started showing up in the nose. Taste was a nice blend of citrusy hops and sweet, sugary malts. I could taste lots of citrus as well as ripe peach and apricot in each swallow. Very tasty! Mouthfeel was medium in the palate and very easy to drink. As a side note, I had this on tap at Canyons in Blowing Rock and the board above the bar stated this beer's ABV as 6.2-6.5 percent. Regardless, this is a very nice example of an APA and worth seeking out for the hopheads out there.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2007 16:19:11 | More by rodrot

atsprings

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a crisp amber with a thin diminishing head. The aroma is dominated by earthy hops. The taste is a wonderful balance of earthy pine hops and rich caramel malts. A smooth well balanced flavor lingers very well into the aftertaste. The beer is light and crisp with just a slight stickiness. This is an extremely enjoyable pale ale.

Serving type: growler

05-10-2007 00:56:36 | More by atsprings

blitz134

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice transparent orange/amber color with a single finger off white head which disappeared rather quickly to a thin layer. Nose was filled with floral and grassy hops with a good malt sweetness to tone it all down. Taste was slightly hoppy with a nice bitter finish. Hops were mainly grassy and pine. This was subsequently balanced well with a good dose of sweet malts, all reminicent of the aroma. A light flavor overall, but good nonetheless. Mouthfeel was the only downer for me as this was barely above feeling thin to me. Drinkability was amazing though due to the nice refreshing flavor and light feel on the stomach.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2005 02:10:45 | More by blitz134

blackie

Virginia

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: The beer is golden in color with a white head of which a small amount remains throughout the experience.

smell: Crisp, herbal American hop aromas with a light, balancing sweetness of pale malt. Nothing special, but easily "good."

mouthfeel: The carbonation is just over medium, and the body a lighter medium.

taste: Nice blend of fresh hop flavors and pale malts. The hops taste pretty green and give a great bitterness level that cleans up the finish.

drinkability: easy...great balance of character and drinkability

Sampled at Foothills on my way back from Linville

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2006 22:34:00 | More by blackie

avalon07

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a growler to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a mostly clear consistency. There was a quarter inch of fairly long-lasting, foamy head and excellent lacing.

S: A sharp hoppy smell, along with malt.

T: Tasted of malt and bitter hops. Neither overwhelms the other. A well-balanced flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a dry finish. Light-bodied.

D: A very easy to drink beer. Definitely one that wouldn't leave you with much of a hangover.

Serving type: growler

05-14-2009 14:01:07 | More by avalon07

VaterRoss

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ont tap at the brewery.

Pours and amber/orange with a small white head that rings. Smell is light grapefruit hops and the unmistakeable crystal malt. Lots of pale/crystal type malt in the taste, med-light body and med carb.

Very similar to the SN Pale Ale but fresher tasting . This isn't too surprising as SN pretty much invented the style.

From notes, March 19, 2012

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2012 16:15:47 | More by VaterRoss

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Standard Pale Ale. Little to fault, but tough to celebrate. Opens with a more amber-malt character, but still highly attenuated for clean malt aromas and flavors. Hopped for balance, but allowing the citrus, pine character to shine over the malts at times. Hops come across with a metalic bite and is noticed because of a body that is a bit lighter than prefered. Finishes quite clean are refreshing, but with a mild huskiness and bite in the end. A good standard Pale Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2007 21:26:07 | More by BEERchitect

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Foothills Brewing Company in Winston-Salem, NC.

A: Pours a crystal clear medium copper in color with some orange highlights and light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy beige head that slowly reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of citrus hops with a lighter amount of pine/resin and earthy hops.

T: Upfront there is a moderate amount of pale and caramel malts with very little sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of pine/resin and citrus/orange rind hops. Just a touch of some earthy hops in there are well. Light to moderate amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Pretty enjoyable and easy to drink - sessionable due to the moderate amounts of bitterness and low ABV. Definitely one to get again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2012 01:45:57 | More by dbrauneis

wcudwight

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light amber color with a nice 1 finger sticky head with good retention.
Smell is a good combination of sweet and piney hops.
The taste is a well balanced hoppy taste. The hops are more floral in nature.
Sticky and oily in the mouth but somewhat thin.
This is a very drinkable session brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2006 21:58:04 | More by wcudwight

Strix

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Surprisingly deep amber with minimal head.

Floral and grapefruit hoppy smell, but not strong. Something else in the mix too, dark bread I guess.

Taste is solid. Favors drinkability over a huge hop punch, but it's nice. A solid grapefruit hop base, and then a toasted bready flavor. Tends towards the English side of things, I get a bit of an ESB note, really.

A bit on the watery side for me, but all right.

Drinkability is good.

Overall, fairly basic, but I'd have this again. It wasn't particularly memorable, but went well with a dog and the game.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2008 03:23:06 | More by Strix

cvstrickland

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at Tyler's in Durham;

Clear, deep copper with a loose finger of foam with wimpy retention leaves wispy rings of lacing.

Smell is faintly malty.

Taste is dry, biscuity malt with a sting of bitter hops. Caramel flavors emerge as the drink warms.

Easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2008 00:45:25 | More by cvstrickland

AlexJ

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pale amber with a fluffy white head that quickly settles into a thin ring, no lace.

Aroma is quite mild, hints of soft caramel and honey with very grassy and floral hops.

Flavor is much the same, clean golden roasted malts accented by floral, herbal, and light notes of citrus hops.

Body is just above light, could use some more oomph. Slick mouthfeel with a light, airey texture. A decent APA.

Serving type: growler

02-02-2006 14:04:18 | More by AlexJ

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled today at the brewery after hiking all day in Pilot Mountain State Park so it seemed appropriate. Arrived at my bar stool with a bright orange/amber color and clear as a bell to peer through. Almost no head at all, just a few bubbles. The smell was just some light hop aromas, nothing strong or particularly interesting.

The taste is solid, with a nice round flavor, supported entirely by hops. Not aggressive or piney but more the gentle bitterness of an English pale or an ESB. Lasting bitterness in the aftertaste but also some undesirable astringency.

This is definitely a decent beer but I feel it's just a bit off. A little disappointing for Foothills but still above average.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2008 02:59:07 | More by daliandragon

Enola

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was darker than many of the style. The hops were well presented. There was a decent head. The smell was hoppy. The taste was fairly smooth. This beer had a sticky mouthfeel. I could drink this beer again, in fact probably could session it. A good effort from Foothills.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2006 07:07:59 | More by Enola

nickd717

California

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Draft at the brewpub.

A - Copper color with a nice lasting one-finger white head.

S - Caramel malt and citrusy hops with a little resin detectable.

T - Well-balanced and pretty good with caramel malt, bread, earth, and citrusy/piney C-hops. A good, but not great, example of the APA style.

M - Body medium for the style with medium carbonation.

D - Above average for a pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2009 18:41:11 | More by nickd717

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Foothills paired with my chicken sandwich. This is your classic American Pale ale, moderately hopped, medium body, go to beer for your everyday drinker, and it's a decent one.

Beer is orangish with a soft white head of small and tiny bubbles, lacing is a plus and carbonation is steady. Looks good.

Aroma is mildly piny but mostly earthy hops.

Beer is medium bodied and has a nice hop presence, not overly bitter, not at all. Beer is "well balanced" between the light malt backbone and the presence of the hop flavors and bitterness. This would be a good football beer to have around on the weekends. Although there is nothing too special about it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 15:47:33 | More by drabmuh

methtlcai

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice light amber color with above average head- although there was absolutely zero lacing to be seen. Faint hop aroma (cascade I believe) that was fresh and crisp but no "wow" factor. Herbal, almost grassy taste with medium/strong hop bitterness, but with enough malt presence to balance the beer, making a great candidate for top NC session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2005 00:16:22 | More by methtlcai