River Pig Pale Ale - Angry Minnow Brewpub

patrick16o

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a nice light amber / copper hue with a less than moderate crown. Head retention is good, few streams of bubbles rising, somewhat opaque.

Aroma has a fairly good dose of hops with a nice mix of some malty tones.

Taste has a nice smooth hop flavor with citrus notes, good caramel malt background. Finishes a nice hoppy bitterness. Nicely balanced.

Mouthfeel is ok, could have a tad more carbonation, but it's smooth and drinkability is good.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2006 18:05:20 | More by patrick16o

emerge077

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tallboy can poured into a tumbler glass. No freshness dating.

Nice saturated orange color, it glistens in the light jewel-tone amber. A halo of delicate lace decorates the glass, along with some spotty foam around the edges.

Smells like grainy wet barley, sweet and a little funky. Not getting much in the way of hops.

Slightly astringent feel, light malt sweetness, lightly toasted bread, vague citrus. Medium bodied and fairly smooth. Lacking in the hop department but otherwise drinkable. Would like to try a fresher sample someday, Redrover i'm looking at you ;)

Serving type: can

06-05-2013 01:18:50 | More by emerge077

Kunstman

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

05-20-2013 02:39:44 | More by Kunstman

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%

04-15-2013 22:47:59 | More by AmandaSchaefer

Hopstout

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%

03-24-2013 04:44:35 | More by Hopstout

tgraven

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

10-28-2012 15:53:10 | More by tgraven

DarthGuitarHero

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +17.1%

08-27-2012 15:24:54 | More by DarthGuitarHero

KingStephenR

Arizona

3.25/5  rDev -10.5%

07-11-2012 20:47:41 | More by KingStephenR

HoistinBrews

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-17-2012 20:13:13 | More by HoistinBrews

Garlicjosh

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +10.2%

06-17-2012 05:25:12 | More by Garlicjosh

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy copper body. Frothy beige head leaves a good amount of droopy lace. Solid aroma. Nice caramel malt tones and grassy, leafy hops. Nicely balanced flavor, and that's not to say there are some nice hop attributes going on. Hops are grassy, resiny, pine sappy, leafy... all on top of a nice base of caramel/crystal malts. Medium full body with a nice amount of carbonation. Easy, flavorful drinker. Got a 4 pak of cans when I was staying in Wassau for the Packer/Bucs game...made for a nice poolside beer.

Serving type: can

12-03-2011 04:03:26 | More by Bighuge

Buebie

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 ounce can poured into a pug glass. Producing about 2 inches of off white head. Leaving a thin cap and generous collar. Color is gorgeous, pale copper amber with redish hues.
Lace leaves behind lace lines as the beer recedes.
Aroma of malty maple syrup drenched rolls on butter. Malty to say the least, with mild hop spice, floral hop leaf and very faint citrus.
Flavors are pretty malty with a good amount of sweetness and caramelized sugars. Faint grain flavors too, as well as a light hop profile, mild bitters and leafy flavors with also mild citrus.
Lingering with some hops and sweet grain flavors.
Mouthfeel is pretty creamy, with carbonation balance
This is a remarkable sessioner for sure, that I gladly would seek out again.

Recommend

Serving type: can

08-11-2011 21:53:14 | More by Buebie

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a can into a tulip.

A: Amber rusty brown. About a half finger of beige head. Soapy lace remains.

S: Loads of caramel malt. The hops are barely detectable. Just a hint of bitterness.

T: More caramel malt. Mild hop profile in the finish.

M: Medium to light body. Mild carbonation.

O: Easy to drink straight from the can. Which I managed several of while chilling in the water up north.

Serving type: can

08-10-2011 02:00:31 | More by beerwolf77

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

16 oz can courteously provided by JP. Have a mentioned how glad I am that he found his way home? Have I also mentioned my unabashed love for canned quality, and in particular, hopped canned quality?

Pours a rusty trombone amber with little staying power and a minimal amount of surface spotting - on the darker side of a pale. As much as I try to conjure the demons from within, there is a reluctance to heed my wishes.

Nose is very malt driven with candy apple front and center. Floral and pineapple lurk underneath, but the caramel puts a firm heel down on the proceedings.

Taste follows the lead set by the nose: faint bitterness, caramel drizzled orange, and a fairly clean finish. Could stand a hops infusion and a maltectomy...stat.

Mouthfeel is light, thin, and low-moderately carbonated.

Overall, I’m happy for the opportunity to try this. I really enjoy being surprised when a friend says they brought something back from a trip. Geeky? No doubt. But I dig it none the less. A decent, easy drinking pale, that could stand a bit more brightness and a bit less on the malt-o-meter.

Serving type: can

07-14-2011 01:09:39 | More by BarrytheBear

samie85

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A-Pours a dark amber/orange with a two finger white head, that leaves thick lacing.

S-Smells of pretty sweet butterscotch with some pine and grapefruit.

T-The butterscotch comes through a little in the taste with some light bitter pine and grapefruit.

M-Really slick mouthfeel with medium body and light carbonation. The combination of the slickness and the butterscotch lead me to believe there's some diacetyl present.

D-This has the potential to be a pretty solid beer but the diacetyl is pretty distracting.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 01:48:20 | More by samie85

darklordlager

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a couple at Stella Blues in Eau Claire recently.

Pours a medium copper with very little head.

Smell was nothing too special--pale malt, a little caramel malt and sweet citrus hops.

Taste was very good--Somewhat similar to SNPA, though a little darker and with a bigger malt backbone. Hops had a resiny quality that reminded me of a wet-hopped beer, which was enjoyable.

Very sessionable pale ale from a brewery that is new to me. If I see this again, chances are I'll give it a whirl.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2009 05:08:13 | More by darklordlager

nsmartell

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I enjoyed this beer from the comfort of my own living room. From the 12oz bottle to a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a nice golden color with a 1/4 inch off-white billowy head.

Smell: I can't place the fruit, but I want to say there is a hint of blueberry. Floral hops and some caramel malts.

Taste: Just as the smell suggests. Nice hop balance.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth and dry.

Drinkability: Not a bad brew. Would definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2009 02:37:31 | More by nsmartell

supercolter

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Not a lot going on in the look department. Does look a little oily which is kind of intriguing but no notable head or lacing.
Smell is better, some floral hops and a slight hint of sweet malt.
Taste is very similar to the smell, but a pinch of spice comes through (maybe anise?). The taste is much weaker however and by half way through- the hops seem to have disappeared.
Mouthfeel is good, light to medium body and a bit of carbonation. Does feel a bit oily.
Drinkability is very good and refreshing, light but satisfactory.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2009 03:16:26 | More by supercolter

joe1510

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

64oz Growler
Angry Minnow

River Pig Pale Ale fills the glass a mildly hazy tarnished copper with a few highlights hinting toward amber. When backlit the body takes on more of an orange hue and shows more haze. An ample two-plus finger dirty white sudsy head formed on the pour and left patchy spotted lacing as it settled to a thick cap. There is zero carbonation noticeable throughout the body.

A combo of candied grapefruit and candied orange rinds lead the hop profile and are met with a floral quality that almost matches the fruitiness but falls just short. There's an earthy maltiness like can be found in some English-styled IPAs but are quickly pushed aside by a healthy dose of caramel. The hops come across as very candy like and beg me to take a drink.

The flavor seems to follow the aroma fairly closely. The earthy malts come through more then the nose suggested but the candied fruitiness quickly pushes them aside before a quick zip of lime flashes through mid palate. The caramel maltiness shows up toward the backend and makes a strong showing. The fresh citric hoppiness finishes things off with a nice showing of some of those floral qualities. Overall it's a very well balanced APA.

River Pig's body leans toward moderate with a thinner feel on the swallow as the carbonation picks up. The bitterness never grows like I was hoping but the body does have a sneaky velvetiness that comes around on the finish.

Each glass I pour goes down easier and easier. This is a very well balanced pale ale with a solid caramel drizzled citric quality that keeps things flowing easily.

River Pig is a solid, enjoyable APA. I've drank this the last couple years while on vacation and thoroughly enjoy such a fresh, quality beer in such a beautiful setting. Stop by the pub if you get a chance, the food is hard to beat.

Serving type: growler

09-21-2008 04:29:12 | More by joe1510

slyke

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found the Angry Minnow's River Pig Pale Ale in bottles at the Marketplace Food's liquor room in Hayward. I had enjoyed the beer on tap at the brewpub and thought I'd bring some home.

Appearance is a clear amber color with half an inch of white head that fades to a thin ring pretty quickly.

The nose is dominated by sweet caramel malt notes with a bit of a meaty aroma as well.

The taste is sweet with those caramel-like notes again. Slightly more malt than hops in this one. It reminds me of Fuller's London Pride. A fairly crisp finish.

Mouthfeel is good. Slightly coating in the mouth, but finishes clean.

Drinkability is solid. If you like the style (and I do) this one is definitely worth a try, especially if you enjoy London Pride. It is an American Pale Ale that calls to pale ale's roots in England. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2007 16:21:32 | More by slyke

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.33/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Originally reviewed on September 17, 2005, on tap at the Big Lake Brewfest. Cloudy burnt orange pour. Cascade hint on the flavor, but not overwhelmed. Again, a nice example of a properly balanced beer. Dingy dry hop finish. These guys can brew and are good to talk to.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2006 22:48:30 | More by CharlesDarwin

Redrover

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served an Imperial Pint Glass. The Beer is bronze with off-white head. Nice lacing.

Cascade and centennial hops show in the nose. Nice pine & citrus smell.

Nice bitterness balanced by slightly toasted malts. Lots of citrus pine goodness. Maybe a SNPA clone. Nicely nuanced beer.

Midlevel carbonation balanced by silky mouth. Session beer to the max.

Very enjoyable beer that was fresh and well made.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2005 18:45:45 | More by Redrover

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Gitchee Gumee Brewfest - Chill haze rusted gold color with a sturdy medium sized creamy cap of lively ivory foam. Thin sheets of lacing sticks.

Aroma is a intreguing display of orange and pineapple fruit, light caramel malt backing, overall mildly pungent with a raspy fresh floral tone to its hop presence.

Taste mirrors the aroma quite nicely here, solid hop tones bringing in a briskly good orange and pineapple fruit, crisp, fresh, tame yet eagarly filling with a decent bite and bitterness. The fruits tend to come through more than the floral notes due to its sweeter caramel backing.

Feel is about medium; crisp, smooth, tamingly good citrusy fruits, the grab of hop bite is about right for an APA. This was one of the nicest of the drinkers at the fest. Growler and session worthy.

On another note: Between these guys and the people at Rock Bottom I could say where I could've hung out the most. They were a blast to talk to and super friendly. I will be making an effort to try and stop in when ever close to the area of Hayward.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2005 23:05:31 | More by tavernjef