Stegmaier Pale Ale - Lion Brewery, Inc.

DmanGTR

New York

2.3/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Review from notes on 6/4/10

Poured pale yellow/golden with a short lived white head, leaving the beer looking quite still, nearly dead. The smell isn't too impressive either: normal everyday pale malt biscuit, touch of bitters, grass, maybe a touch of light fruits too. Unfortunately, there's not much going on palatewise either. Rather bland, a soft hint of citrus maybe? A decently carbonated keg here, helped the light body out somewhat. It makes a good lawnmower beer for sure, but I won't be buying this anytime soon.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2010 13:55:13 | More by DmanGTR

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is actually a nice pale ale, bright copper hue with a fine bubbled off white head flows nicely with carbonation. Lacing sticks evenly throughout each sip. Aroma has a nice pale malt sweetness with a mild citrus character going on. Flavor is a nice semi bitter well balanced pale ale with semi sweet bready malts and earthy/citrus/piney hop tones. Mouthfeel light bodied even carbonation nice brisk bitterness lingers with each sip. Overall a decent quality drinking pale ale, that I will opt to buy if I see it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 23:07:54 | More by WVbeergeek

tchenery

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Beer pours with a bubbly white head and high carbonation from the looks of it. It's a straw yellow color and very bright. It looks like it's an unfiltered though, so don't pour it all.

It smells a bit hoppier than I would have guessed. They're nice citrus aroma hops in it that dominate the smell. Very orange-y.

Taste is pretty straighforward and a continuation of the smell. It has a bit of a lingering aftertaste that's strange but it's not bad.

Mouthfeel is a little slick and chewy. Very full flavored.

Overall, excellent price point beer. This is probably the best beer for it's price you'll find in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 21:31:47 | More by tchenery

muletrane

Pennsylvania

2.42/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear very light brown colour. 1.5 fingers of white head. Head dissapates quickly but never fully leaves. Little to no lacing.

S: Very mild floral hops at first and then the smell kinda fades. Not impressed with the nose.

T: Mild hop bitterness. Mild citrus with a slightly bitter finish.

M: Light body, moderate/high carbonation

Overall this is a very mild pale ale all around. Good session beer but thats about it. Not Stegmaier's best.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 16:23:03 | More by muletrane

Buggies

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Smells like real delicate floral hops and citrus. Tastes good enough. Carbonation makes it nice and crisp. Perhaps a little too much so that the carbonation takes a little away from other flavors. After the carbonation is done messing around, you get a nice little citrus twang followed by a slight bitter finish.

Not a bad beer. Nothing amazing, but I don't mind supporting the local economy when all I want is a beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 00:53:18 | More by Buggies

biggred1

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pale copper with a big foamy eggshell cap that leaves scraps of lace on the glass. Citrusy hop notes and untoasted grain in the aroma. Mild and hoppy with a pale malty backbone, not a bad session APA at all. Light bodied with sharp carbonation. An easy drinker and not a bad beer to have on hand for marathon drinking sessions.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 00:58:51 | More by biggred1

keeganfrank

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Frosty, tea-colored ale topped with about one finger of head that fades fast. The odor is reminiscent of sweet citrus and grapefruit rind. The flavor is a little mild- it's sweetened citrus rind and a bit of spice. This isn't one of Stegmaier's more noteworthy offerings, but it's still a decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 19:12:29 | More by keeganfrank

Tilley4

Tennessee

3/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This brew reminded me more of a adjunct lager than a pale ale... While there was a hint of hop presence in the aromas and an even smaller hint in the flavors, it simply wasn't balanced enough to be considered a really good pale ale... Lots of grainy maltiness present really overshadowed everything else and I sort of lost interest in it after 4-5 sips... It just felt average in every way really.. Not bad but nothing to make me choose it over several other offerings...

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 22:43:19 | More by Tilley4

kellyst

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pale yellow - light gold with a white head that faces quickly. Aroma is light of citrusy hops and sweet grainy malts. Flavor is ok, but not exactly pale ale like. More of a mixture between a pale ale and helles lager. Sweet graininess dominates the flavor more than citrusy american hops. Overall, though, this is still an enjoyable, easy drining beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 16:15:55 | More by kellyst

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.6/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Golden sunshine yellow with several steady streams of bubbles racing up to almost two fingers of eggshell colored foam that looks decent enough. Lace is acceptable, which solidifies a (slightly) above-average appearance score.

It's odd that some skunkiness was appreciated on crown cracking... and equally odd that it's completely gone by the time nostrils are placed over pint glass. The American hop trio (Centennial, Amarillo, Ahtanum) provides a whiff of citrus peel on a pale malt base, but doesn't otherwise impress.

Stegmaier Pale Ale tastes like 75% APA and 25% American all-malt lager. In other words, the untoasted grain-like quality of the latter is easily appreciated beneath a hop load that is less than aggressive. Then again, there aren't too many 4.3% pale ales (ABV source: Lion Brewery website) that are hop monsters.

The sweet-bitter balance is good and the hop flavor is reasonably bright, so this bottle is most likely still within the brewery's suggested drinking range. Along with citrusy, the hop flavor is musky-herbal, which must be due to Ahtanum. All in all, this is a pretty good little drinker that would be dynamite for sessioning.

The mouthfeel is a fraction light (no surprise there) and the bubbles are slightly too harsh and stinging. Nothing to get bent out of shape over, but some improvement here would be a good thing.

Strangly enough, the Lion Brewery beers that I've enjoyed the most (Brewhouse Bock and Oktoberfest) have been from two of my least favorite styles. For whatever that's worth. Stegmaier Pale Ale is a somewhat crude (grainy) APA, but it has enough of the good stuff to be considered above average.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 12:53:40 | More by BuckeyeNation

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

4/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle -

Poured light golden with one finger head that formed a thin lacing , great carbonation.

Smell - Light malts and hops

Taste - Hints of Belgian malts light hops .

Drinkability - Decent pale Ale with a good balance of flavors between the malts and hops , crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 01:38:22 | More by InebriatedJoker

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Missing the maltiness of a British pale ale and the complex hop profile of an American pale ale, this beer has a nice bitter finish but is not sufficently balanced to be a decent session ale. Glad to have tried it and would buy one again, but not (yet) the best Pennsylvania has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 03:14:10 | More by hopsolutely

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a nice golden color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice pale malt scent along with a floral hop nose. It's light and refreshing with a light to mild bitterness. The taste is good as well. It's light and easy drinking with a mild hop character and a solid pale malt base. It's simple, yet delicious. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good APA. Is it the best on the market? No, but it's a beer I'll drink again.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 20:03:02 | More by WesWes

oberon

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a dull orange infused lighter golden with a thinner white head that left broken globs of lace as it settled into a frothy mass.Mild floral and citric hops in the nose,a sweetish caramel biscuit element comes thru as well,both are quite light.Flavors are light citric hops mixed with a sweeter biscuit dough malt base,there is a nice crispness in the finish.Not a bad pale ale,its a bit subdued but its got decent flavors.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 23:41:00 | More by oberon

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear golden copper, with a finger of frothy bright-white head. This sticks around with a ¼ finger of rich foam, which leaves some good looking robust lacing behind. The aroma is hoppy with grassy accents, bright citric flavors, and some peppery smelling spice. Some grainy malt sweetness pulls up the back of the nose.

The taste is bitter up front across the tongue with fruit and citrus rind. Some lightly toasted malts splash the back of the palate with a decent balancing sweetness. This finishes dry and earthy feeling, with some lingering notes of rind and spice. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with some carbonation that is a little soft and bubblier up front before getting more sharp and assertive feeling as you near the swallow. This is maybe a little light feeling but it retains enough a presence to stay mostly crisp in the mouth.

While maybe a step down from their solid IPA offering, this was still a decent take on an APA. Maybe not the most hop forward one I've ever had, but what was there was fresh and well balanced and this retained a smooth and easy drinkbility about it. I'd have another.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2010 19:31:20 | More by Kegatron

hdofu

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A drinkable APA, has an overall good flavor, noticeable hops and malts, a bit of a piney finish. If you are looking for a nice bitter pale ale this will fill the bill. I can drink it no complaints, but its not a taste that will have me hopping in the car to go pick up more.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 01:40:49 | More by hdofu

brentk56

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear golden/honey color with a nice head that retains and laces

Smell: More malt than hops in the aroma; toffee and toast with just a hint of pine

Taste: Opens with the toasted malt and a touch of toffee but moves in a slightly piney direction by mid-palate; heavy taste of bitters as well; after the swallow, the medicinal bitters flavor dominates the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low to moderate carbonation

Drinkability: This beer packs a lot of flavor but it is way too medicinal for my palate and the carbonation levels need to be brought up, too

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 19:53:11 | More by brentk56

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought as part of the Stegmaier variety pack.. pours and smells like the typical pale ale, some good hop notes in the nose, little bit of citrus. Taste is medium bodied, smooth, decent malt backbone.. nothing too special here. Just the run of the mill pale ale, but then again, what's wrong with just being that? Tastes pretty good, drinkable... just nothing you haven't seen..er... drank before.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 22:09:50 | More by marlinsfan4

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mostly of hops, a touch of citrus. Taste is also a bit on the hoppy side, some malts and citrus. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and has average drinkability. Overall this is a good quality beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 13:55:39 | More by tone77

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Picked up a Stegmaier variety case while in the Scranton area. This clear amber beer had a short white head. This is sort of an old-school craft pale ale. It's very drinkable and has a smoothed over hop character, there's nothing crisp or sharply biting. There's a moderate grapefruit character with a bit dry, bready grains. It's nothing too special, but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 00:38:13 | More by tempest

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

part of the new steg variety pack..

poured from the bottle a bright translucent gold with nice thick head that dissipates quickly but clings the glass.

smell is a mild biscuity malt with feint dry hop undertone.

taste is toasted biscuity malt with a hint of caramely sweetness, followed by a nice clean crisp dry hop, with hints of citrus and pine, though very feint.

mouthfeel is just right, nothing hitting the mouth too strongly, nicely carbonated.

quite drinkable, though i think i favor the ipa and lager a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 00:49:13 | More by mvanaskie13

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Really surprised their isn't more reviews for this since it's readily available in a variety case.

A - Poured a basic yellow with an inch of fluffy white head. Not too impressive but still good.

S - Mostly grains and malts. Maybe a little bread and maybe a little citrus

T - Not off putting at all. Taste of mild grain and bread is pretty solid pale ale

M - Light and bitter but refreshing. Solid brew.

D - I seemed to like this one the least out of all the beers in the variety pack. It's a pretty solid brew. Decent

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 19:51:49 | More by DrDemento456

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Perfect Pint glass. Wow...a huge, 3 fingers of foam gushed out of the bottle and settled on top of the clear, golden honey colored body. The massive head slowly dissipated down to a thin layer of white bubbles, leaving behind tons of lace.

The nose has a ton of grains and malts up front. You can pick up a little hop character, but it hides in the background.

The flavor follows the nose perfectly. You get lots of barley and malts up front and they last throughout the drink. Some sweet flavors sneak in toward the middle and the finish finds a little bitterness the helps balance out the drink.

The mouth feel is on the lighter side and well carbonated.

Yeah, this is drinkable. Another decent offering by Lion Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2010 04:52:50 | More by mgbickel

DerekP

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This Pale Ale pours a golden, lager-looking body, albeit coupled with an extremely fluffy-white head. It smells of tangerine zest, with a floral element, and a hint of a soapy/chalky character.

The taste is, of course, hoppy, with the hops tasting pretty dry, and sort of to the point. The orange zest in the smell does come out a little in the taste, striking with a hint of citrusy flavors from the hops. The taste is ultimately mildly dry with a moderate astringency, so balanced for the purpose of imbibing several sessions.

If you are a fan of pale ale's that offer a somewhat dry, less pretentious or showy version of the style, this one might be for you.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2010 00:59:31 | More by DerekP

number1bum

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The new Stegmaier Pale Ale, from a variety case that cost about $26. Love the price point; let's see about the beer...

Pours a very light amber color, almost more like a rich gold, with two fingers of soft off-white head. Keeps a pretty full lace and leaves some good webbing on the sides too.

Smells of sweet bready malts, some caramel, slightly toasty too, with some earthy, pine and soft citrus hops. Bit of a buttery quality as well. The hops are maybe a bit too subtle even for a pale ale, as it's a pretty malt forward nose, but it's not bad.

Taste also has a bready, toasty, lightly sweet caramel malt base, but has a a good deal more hop character than the nose. More pine than the nose, plus a touch of citrus and an earthy quality. A good bunch of bitterness in the finish too. Tasty stuff.

Mouthfeel is a light-medium body with a nice creaminess to it. Pretty crisp and smooth, finishes quite clean.

This is not a beer that beer geeks will get all geeked up over but they achieved what they set out to do, ie produce a very sessionable pale ale. That it is, and a pretty darn tasty one too. I don't buy a lot of pale ales, but this is one that I will definitely consider because the price:quality ratio is very good (assuming that straight cases will be about the same as the variety case). This rivals many pale ales that cost a good 25%+ more. A very approachable, very reasonably priced, solid pale ale that's a welcome addition to the Stegmaier line.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2010 21:06:26 | More by number1bum