Lamar St. Pale Ale
Goose Island Beer Co.

Lamar St. Pale AleLamar St. Pale Ale
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From:
Goose Island Beer Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
78
Avg:
3.34 | pDev: 11.08%
Reviews:
58
Ratings:
59
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 25, 2014
Added:
Sep 05, 2001
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Craft-brewed for a perfect balance of flavor and refreshment, Lamar Street Pale Ale is a full-bodied brew with a crisp, clean finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by athensbeermaster:
Photo of athensbeermaster
Reviewed by athensbeermaster from Georgia

3.32/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
The head on this is fairly small with little head retention. The nose gives off a leafy,floral, wet-earth tone. The taste has a decent malt backbone with a good citrus and floral midpalate. The mouthfeel is a little weak. But the finish is good and clean and the alcohol level seem to be on the low side which is good for this style. This is a mellow pale ale great for people just getting into pale ale's. I don't understand why Georgia can get this beer and not other Goose beers.
May 21, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by Noelito76 from New York

Jan 25, 2014
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
golden amber with about two inches of white head on top. A nice slow fade gave way to copious side glass lace and a nice film across the top. You could tell it was nice due to ample carbonation consistently replenishing it. Great fresh aroma, with lots of floral hops and a good bit of grain in the back. The taste followed through pretty much the same. Great floral hop flavor hit you right away, but it was very light and refreshing, nothing overbearing about it at all. Nice underlying grain base had a touch of sweetness to it which gave it some good depth. Smooth, crisp finish with a nice lingering bitterness.
Nov 23, 2011
Photo of Onenote81
Reviewed by Onenote81 from North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle picked up from my local Whole Foods. "Brewed and bottled by Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago." printed on the side of the bottle. Best by date: 7/15/10. Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a cloudy, rusty orange with a thin off-white head on top. Retention is lacking. No lace left behind. Plenty of carbonation rising through. The nose is pretty underwhelming. Some mild grains, light syrupy-sweetness, and some floral tones.

Good crisp, clean body. Moderate carbonation on the tongue. This beer starts out a bit sweet with some honey notes. There's some mild bitterness, but pretty much lacking there. My favorite part is the finish. There's a nice bready taste that is very pleasant. All-in-all, this is a pretty tame, average APA. I've had better, but I wouldn't turn this one down.
May 25, 2010
Photo of Spineypanda
Reviewed by Spineypanda from Texas

2.91/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Has a cloudy dark straw color with a nice head that laces well.
Smells of oak and malts, a weird combination to me.
Tastes nothing like a Pale Ale from the USA that I have had. The bitterness does not seem to exist much at all, and I taste much more maltiness. Strange but it is easy to drink.

Style-wise, not a very good Pale Ale. As a beer all around, it tastes a bit amateur but not horrible.
Mar 31, 2010
Photo of thegodfather2701
Reviewed by thegodfather2701 from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
A-Pours a nice gold color with a decently thick white head that hangs around for a little while.

S-Malty with some citrus hop notes.

T-First of all this beer is more malty than hoppy. There is not much hop presence but what is there provides a nice citrus component. It has a yeasty flavor that makes it somewhat complex and at times even reminded me of Belgian Pale Ales, but that flavor failed to really come to the forefront. The malts also provide a slight biscuity flavor. While the flavor was somewhat complex it tasted more like an English Pale Ale than American to me.

M-Carbonated and slightly thin.

D-Very drinkable, it would make a nice session beer.
Mar 20, 2010
Photo of JTahoe
Reviewed by JTahoe from Oregon

3.11/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A - Clear brassy gold with some orangey tones. Off-white head, nearly one finger, then receding to nice cap with moderate lace. Nice effervescent swirling carbonation. A good start.

S - Not very inciting, but with some biscuit and caramel malt, though barely a whiff of hops. There is a touch of graham cracker hiding in there.

T - Malty with grainy character, but rather one dimensional. The hops are present, but weak. The flavor is average, but just nothing special.

M - Smooth and nearly creamy, medium body. Carbonation is medium-low with a nice presence.

D - This one is just OK for me. Not bad, but not really that good either. The new labeling makes prominent the fact that this is brewed by Goose Island, but it really doesn't live up to that brewer's reputation. I would prefer more character from an APA. I do like that its organic... but it the experience is the bottom line.
Feb 20, 2010
Photo of callmescraps
Reviewed by callmescraps from Massachusetts

2.96/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Another one from the Whole Foods mixed pack. So far it's been a pretty big dud. Not exactly stoked about this one. Often I find organic beers to be more interested in the marketing than in the product. We shall see.

Appearance- Starts nicely. A very light copper, almost dirty hay color. Over an inch of off white, creamy head. It dissipates into a thin cap. Laces nicely.

Smell- Not as nice. No real pop. Instead a sort of sad mustiness. Smells a little like an old barn. Slightest hop presence. Grainy.

Taste- Starts off pretty sweet. Almost cherry-like. It mellows for a moment, into a breadiness. A nice yeast. Then it finishes very sweet again. It's a really sweet beer, overbearing.

Mouthfeel- Fine. Could use a touch more carbonation.

Drinkability- Too sweet, although otherwise inoffensive. Goes down easy enough.

Another disappointment from organic land. There's no reason organic beers can't be good, many are. But too many are basically BMC replacements with a higher price and a fancy organic tag. My first homebrew was pretty similar. And while that was hardly terrible, I wouldn't exactly mass-market it.
Jan 17, 2010
Photo of neenerzig
Reviewed by neenerzig from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Review being written from notes as I had this one a long time ago now. Poured into a pint glass. This beer is a clear medium golden color with a white head that settles to a decent surface coating without much lacing. Aromas of some caramel malt and a little bit of hops and not much else. The taste is the same, some caramel malty sweetness, hops, and citrus. Wish this had more hops. Has a very crisp, medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate to heavy carbonation. Okay to drink, but not something I feel the need to go out of my way to acquire or have again though.

Eric
Jul 26, 2009
Photo of dudecandle
Reviewed by dudecandle from New York

3.61/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle into pint glass:

A: Pours a nice, though transparent, golden-brown with a good, sizable head with decent retention, a good cap, and lacing.

S/T: A very toasty butter, a bit of a skunky malt background with a lot of sweet spice.

M: Rather full.

D: This is extremely sweet. It's not complemented very well with any sort of hop bitterness, just a lot of monotony. Drinkable, not great.
Jun 24, 2009
Photo of prototypic
Reviewed by prototypic from Ohio

3.43/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
An organic APA, eh? Interesting. Let's give this one a whirl. Lamar Street is mostly clear and gold in color. There's a strong orange tint to it. It's topped with a foamy vanilla head that's about two fingers deep. Retention was impressive though lacing was spotty and light. Not too shabby.

The nose isn't exactly exciting. It's a little weak and could use more muscle. Smells biscuity and yeasty initially. Pale and caramel malts are prevalent. It definitely smells on the sweet side. Very light citrus pineapple and orange scents are present. Grains and earthy tones resonate throughout. Hops are noted, but do not smell strong. Not strong enough at any rate. To the extent they're here, they smell a little citric and earthy. Lamar Street isn't a terrible smelling beer. But, it's a little weak and doesn't display much of hop presence. Not a good thing for an APA.

It sort of gets back on track here. Definitely an improvement over the nose. The flavor profile is sweet and malty up front. Nice mix of caramel and pale malts. Light citrus pineapple, grapefruit, and orange flavors are noted. Those are attributable to the hops, which are too weak. They provide a little bitterness and some earthy flavors, but clearly lack the punch they need. Graininess is present throughout, in addition to a strong biscuity, yeasty flavor is prevalent. Finishes sweet and a little dry. Ultimately, it doesn't have a bad flavor, but it tastes a little off. More aggressive hop bitterness would do a great deal to improve it. It's above average, but a far cry from the elite of the APA crowd.

It features a medium body that's nice and smooth. Carbonation is dialed down to just the right level. Drinkability is good. It's an easy drinking APA, that's for sure. I like a little more hop flavor in APAs, so I'd probably move on to something better after a while. It just doesn't have enough good flavor to entertain for an extended period of time.

I was pulling for Lamar Street. I was hopeful that Goose Island could succeed with an organic APA. To be fair, it's alright, but isn't an overwhelming success. The nose is too weak and it's crying out for more hops. The hops are the biggest problem. Any great APA needs a healthy amount to succeed. At least that's my view of the world. A generous infusion would be a big improvement here. All in all, it's not terrible. If you're into organic beer, check it out. Otherwise, there's too many great APAs out there to explore. Check those out.
Apr 20, 2009
Photo of illidurit
Reviewed by illidurit from California

2.34/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Golden orange with a moderate white head. Aroma is sweet malty with maybe some diacetyl. No hoppiness in the nose. Flavor is, again, sweet and malty. Zero hops. Budweiser American Ale is hoppier than this. High carbonation, light body. Blah.
Apr 03, 2009
Photo of jasonjlewis
Reviewed by jasonjlewis from Texas

4.3/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Best by just a couple of days ago. I think it will be ok.

Cracked open this organic brew and poured into my Sam Adams pint glass.

Pours a nice 1 finger head with excellent retention and a thick orange color. I can't see through it.

Smell is hoppy, but I can't identify the hop. Sort of a sweet nectar hop smell. Slightly perfumy I can't really define this.

Taste has some nice pale and caramel malts with some underlying grapefruit and orange. Adequate hop bit to simple balance. This is one hell of a sessionable pale ale.

This beer maintains adequate crispness. This is soo well balanced. It's just a great sessionable beer.
Oct 11, 2008
Photo of Atlas1
Reviewed by Atlas1 from Texas

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Here in San Antonio, I can get Lamar Street Pale Ale, which is brewed and bottled by Goose Island in Chicago, but I can't get any other Goose Island beers. Sometimes, life is not fair.

Pours a pretty opaque apricot color with a sturdy eggshell-colored head that thins out after it sits a while. Leaves behind some lace, but not much. The nose is malty. My wife said it smelled like whisky. I wouldn't exactly say that, but it is a dense, malty sweet aroma with some light fruits and a few spices. Nothing fancy, but nice enough. Taste follow suit. Light and fruity, with a distant hop character (very distant). Citrus and apple. Some pepper too. But for the most part this is a pretty plain-jane pale ale. Mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing, but again nothing extraordinary.

A good, if run-of-the-mill pale ale. I'd grab this before some, but after many others. An average beer at best, but totally sessionable. Not bad, but nothing special.
Aug 05, 2008
Photo of largadeer
Reviewed by largadeer from California

3.06/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: A hazy amber body with an inch of eggshell-colored head.

Smell: Sweet and estery with subtle notes of citrus. Not bad but not as clean as I'd like for the style.

Taste & mouthfeel: Yeasty, estery, bready, medium-bodied - a bit too sweet and lacking the crisp clean flavor that I like in American pale ales. The citrusy finish has a pleasant hop bitterness, but it's not enough to save this mediocre brew.
Jun 24, 2008
Photo of BradLikesBrew
Reviewed by BradLikesBrew from Missouri

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
a: hazy orange amber body, fluffy cream colored head. Spider web lacing, good retention. All pretty average for the style.

s: caramel malt, grassy, herbal hops.

t: biscuity caramel malt, grassy, herbal, floral hops.

m: crisp and lively body, active carbonation dances on the tongue, clean finish.

d: a solid pale ale. nothing special, but a pretty decent session beer. At $6.99 a six-pack, its a steal for organic beer.
May 24, 2008
Photo of allengarvin
Reviewed by allengarvin from Texas

3.6/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This pours a somewhat hazy amber color with a thin head on top. Nose is faint, a light maltiness with some grassy hops. Pleasant flavor, though nothing exceptional. Hop flavor is grassy and herbal, with a moderate bitterness. Maltiness is light but present. Dry finish.

Fairly drinkable PA.
Apr 04, 2008
Photo of daliandragon
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland

3.31/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This was picked up at Whole Foods here in Cary today. I believe it is contract brewed by them by the Goose Island folks.

Color is bright orange and quite inviting. Head doesn't last too long but does leave respectable lace. Nose however is disappointing: yeasty but bland with some boring, base , malts and zero hops. I thought this was an APA, where's the beef?

Like the Annoat System in the Empire Strikes Back, there's just not much there. Again, some lame malt flavors, with minute caramel and a little more hop action than in the smell but not much more. Sweet, cloying finish. Texture is creamy but too weak and watery.

I certainly don't hate this beer but it's a bit boring. It's a decent value option but I'd have to be pretty broke to look for this.
Mar 03, 2008
Photo of JDV
Reviewed by JDV from Texas

2.88/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Slightly cloudy orange color with a good white head and lacing. Smell is a nice mild hop aroma with a hit of sweet caramel thrown in too. Taste is pretty balanced between the malt and hops, but the alcohol is noticeable on the finish, which shouldn't be there on a 4.7% beer. If not for that, a pretty decent pale, but still ok even though.
Feb 13, 2008
Photo of Georgiabeer
Reviewed by Georgiabeer from Georgia

3.77/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
picked this up at whole foods in Berkeley, CA. Pours a dark golden with little head or lacing. The smell is quite grainy, with a whiff of earthy hops at the end. The taste is pretty well balanced. Slightly grainy up front, followed by a slight hit of sweet malt and then orange and black tea. There is a nice floral bitterness on the finish, maybe even hints of bubblegum at the end. Mouthfeel is a little light but it works. Very easy to drink, could definitely suck these down.
Aug 05, 2007
Lamar St. Pale Ale from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 59 ratings