Denver Pale Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz served into a Great Divide Pint glass.

A - Hazy golden amber body with a massive cream colored head that creates rocky mounds. Giant chunks of swollen lacing left behind. The head never really goes away.

S - Dry nutty yeast, pecans, grassy and floral hops, sweet malts.

T - Woody and earthy barley first off. Some rustic toffee malt, yeasty, minty hop bitterness, pecan skins really come through and and dry out the palate.

M - Moderate carbonation, light bodied, slightly creamy

I don't know what it is bout this beer but I always love kicking this one back. It has a distinct flavor that seems to stand out from the rest.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 18:37:49 | More by StaveHooks

Swim424

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into great divide pint glass

A-Pours a nice pale orange color with a nice small head that fell into a full white layer on top. Plenty of rising bubbles as well.

S-Smells great! Has a sweet malty scent bursting with a spectacular floral hop scent. The smell is perfectly strong, not to weak, not to powerful, filling my nose nicely.

T-Sweet upfront with a tad of bitterness, as the sweetness begins to fade in the middle, the bitterness begins to grow, finishing with a nice hoppy kick at the finish. I would describe the sweetness as sort of a citrus, floral flavor.

MF-Actually feels a bit thinner than expected. Still a medium body though, just on the thinner end. Nice creamy feel to it on the aftertaste, along with a hint of citrus. Well balanced carbonation.

O-This is a pretty good beer. I enjoy the bitterness a lot. Would prefer a bit more of a caramel body but this is still a damn good beer at a pretty nice price.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 07:11:51 | More by Swim424

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.03/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass. The beer is a sort of faded light copper color. A thick creamy head sits on top and slowly dissipates to a chunky film? Lots of sticky lacing. The smell is a balance between hops and malts. The taste is also well-balanced. A fight between sweet caramel malts and sharp bitter hops takes hold. Also some toffee sweetness in there as well. It seems like the hops are tasted first. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a bitter hop finish.

Overall, this is a good pale ale. The balance between hops and malts is what I think of in a pale ale, and Great Divide gets this one right in that aspect.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 18:57:43 | More by JuicesFlowing

elNopalero

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to XicanoBeerRun for sharing this one.

This pours an amber golden color in the glass. I get a pleasing orange hop aroma followed by some toasted malt notes. The flavor has an upfront bittering with a light orange citrus and a pleasing finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 00:05:08 | More by elNopalero

BucannonXC5

California

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12-oz. bottle into a pint glass. About a 1 ½ fingers of head. Color was pale honey. Nice layer of white lacing with some tiny bubbles spread out on the top. Film was a bit wet and soggy on the sides, fairly even as well.

Liked the smell right from the get-go. Got a mixture of light citrus hops, caramel and sweet, sugary floral notes.

Decent taste of pale notes, but then got a metallic, watery finish. Got some light caramel sweet floral notes, but nowhere close to the nose.

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average-to-above average carbonation. Abrupt watery finish, slight bitterness.

Pretty average pale ale overall. The sight and smell were above average, but the taste and feel was fairly average overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 05:08:47 | More by BucannonXC5

yamar68

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a dark gold with a finger of white head, minimal beading. Definitely smells English. Malt forward - nutty/bready malt presence supported by a minimal amount of earthy hops. Little bit of wood if you really snort for it. The taste brings a lot of the same plus a bit of metallic malty afterburn. Perfectly drinkable but not too exciting. Don’t mind getting this one in a mixer but wouldn’t ever seek it out on its own.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 05:23:40 | More by yamar68

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a wonderful golden orange with a short bubbly white head. Pale malts, caramel, fresh hops, citrus and lemongrass; earthy and mildly floral aroma. First sip is very similar to the nose. Pale malt, fresh hops and citrus on the initial taste which rolls into a flattened, medium sized body. Dry, hoppy finish. Great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 21:16:40 | More by YouSkeete

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Reviewed alongside Ipswich Original Ale.

A: Clear amber with two-finger, white, foamy head that lasted a couple of minutes. Great lacing.

S: Bready malt and floral hops.

T: Light sweetness and light bitterness. Citrus hops and malt.

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Smooth and crisp.

O: Great session beer. Slightly hoppier than the Ipswitch. I liked the Ipswitch just a little bit more, but both are very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 23:39:19 | More by SolipsismalCat

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to pint glass the beer pours a clear amber color with a 3/4 finger white head, some retention, some lacing. The nose is a nice blend of hops and caramel malty sweetness. The flavor is very much the same with a an initial surge of earthy and citrus hops that gradually mellow and allow the caramel malt to emerge creating a balanced flavor. Mild to medium bitterness and medium bodied with good carbonation. The beer finishes with a lingering hop flavor and mild sweetness. Crisp and clean. Overall, a good pale ale, not one I would actively pursue but wouldn't pass on necessarily.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 13:21:08 | More by hopfacebrew

harrymel

Washington

2.95/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottled 01FEB12

Pours amber with a finger of whipped creamy foam. This falls to a quilt of the same. Some pine, citrus and a hint of body odor on the nose, nothing remarkable. Taste is malty with a dominant english and oxidized character. Medium body with moderate carb. Decent for drinking, nothing to send home about.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 05:11:42 | More by harrymel

Doughbodyboy

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

the head formed quickly and went with some moderate lacing. its smell was it's least interesting quality. it was bitter. the taste was decent. there wasn't the malt i was expecting. it reminded me of a weak IPA. the hops took this one over. all in all it was ok. worth a try but not a full six pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:43:30 | More by Doughbodyboy

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A very good pale ale. It is distinctly bitter without it taking away from the refreshingly smooth finish and after taste.

The taste is a nice mix of hops and malt, but neither is too much. Not the greatest pale ale I have had or the best from Great Divide, but certainly not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 18:26:31 | More by JohnnyMc

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

decent english style pale ale. pours a darker yellow color with a medium head. smells very english, tons and tons of malts, like a dense loaf of fresh bread. some more hops in the flavor, but only in there at the end. feels pretty good too in the mouth. lots of body here, and enough carbonation. easy drinking but not particularly thrilling. overall good beer in the great divide lineup

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 21:09:45 | More by StonedTrippin

denver10

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a copper/amber with a white head that quickly leaves. The aroma is a balance between the lemon zest and sweet but bready malt. Flavor wise is pretty much in line with the aroma as the first flavor that presents itself is that of some lemon, then comes the bready but sweet malt middle, and it closes out with a distinct dose of some hops. A nice medium body to this thing. A very solid EP that fans of pale ale's will surely like a lot more than me. For me, I can drink it happily but generally don't go out of my way for.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 01:16:14 | More by denver10

coombuyah26

Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard American pint.

At first glance, this isn't all that different than your standard APA. It's a nice amber color, but nothing overly glowing. Has a clean, white 1 finger head after the pour, but it doesn't stick around for very long. The appearance is the only thing that I find average on this beer. The smell holds little back: sweet, earthy hops right up front, but the malts get in there too. The same could be said for that first swig of it: more hops than it would lead you to believe right up front, but a really nice malty backbone that a lot of beers with this much hops seem to leave out. In fact, the balance on this one is really spot-on. The mouthfeel is a little thicker than your typical pale, with medium, foamy carbonation, but this beer is really very drinkable. I think the mouthfeel is really where it excels. Overall, this is my favorite standard pale ale. The 5.4% is hard to believe from a beer that packs this much hoppiness, but I don't think there's much that could get better about it. A staple in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 04:38:17 | More by coombuyah26

EmergingZymurgy

Kansas

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle into an Imperial pint glass. Had wispy, bubbly head three fingers tall that subsided fairly quickly into a small white coating that persisted. The beer is a clear, copper color. Lacing was moderate.

S: Smells of floral, earthy hops with slight fruitiness. Also smells a bit sweet.

T: Tastes sweet at the beginning with fruity notes at the end, my guess from the yeast.

M: Slick and light mouthfeel, with still some residual sweetness at the end. Wish it could be a bit drier.

O: I do enjoy this beer, but it is not one of my regulars. I drink it when I buy the variety pack. Still, it's above average and I look forward to drinking it when I do get it.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 03:04:18 | More by EmergingZymurgy

vandemonian

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Great Divide Denver Pale Ale is a boring, but not unpleasant pale ale. That is all.

A: Clear orange colour and a 5 mm head that lasts quite well. 4

S: Malty with some woodiness. 3.5

T: Malty with some earthy overtones. Crisp finish. Not much else happening. 3.5

M: 4

O: 3

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 02:38:38 | More by vandemonian

beergod1

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sparkly, clear copper pour with a light but foamy white head and a solid amount of lacing all the way down. Very pleasant floral hops in the aroma, with just the right amount of sweet caramel malt behind it. Light caramel backbone with the bitter English hop presence. Smooth and dry on the palate, with a crisp bitter finish. Quite tasty and refreshing!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 18:20:52 | More by beergod1

Vashtar

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

It's nice and clear. Light orange.

The taste is hoppy, but not medicine

It has a very clean, even smell. I can't place it, though.

This is the first IPA that I've ever liked. I can't believe

The mouthfeel is very creamy and even. I really like it.

Although I liked it, it's still slightly too bitter for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 04:21:52 | More by Vashtar

gkunkle

Oregon

4.65/5  rDev +25%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a orange/amber/tan color, the hues slightly remind me of the look of a marzen. The head is about 3/4 of an inch an has pretty good retention. Carbonation is visible. This is truly a visually appealing beer. Smell is of toffee, grainy malts, and citrus hops. The taste emphasizes the malts, but it still doesn't seem disproportionally flavored to me. The taste starts with a caramel sweetness them gets a mottled more toasty. A slight bitterness is imparted by the citric hops. Mouthfeel is good, feels satisfyingly thick, often other pale ales feel a little weak in this dept to me. I really enjoyed this, I'd love to get my hands on more of it to drink as an everyday sort of beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 06:34:12 | More by gkunkle

afdempse

Maryland

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Amber colored beer with thin wispy head. Lacing is average.

Aroma is rather fruity, with notes of apple, grape and honey. Slight

Flavor is malt-forward. Sweet syrupy malt flavors are prevalent, with hops providing some spiciness, and a lightly contrasting edge.

Mouthfeel is okay. The beer's body is rather heavy considering the relatively low alcohol present. Finish is semi-dry, but the whole thing seems a bit weighted down, detracting from drinkability.

Overall, a decently balanced beer. Slightly heavy on the palate for my preference; I could see this benefitting from higher attenuation, fewer crystal malts, or both.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 04:47:46 | More by afdempse

keanex

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated Oct 25, 2011 into a pint glass.

A: Pours a crisp clean amber color with some carbonation coming up. A very thin off white head quickly dissipates.

S: Very clean citrusy/fruity smell, reminds me almost a little of apple juice.

T: Very fruity up front, very reminiscent of apple juice into a light floral hops. Very easy to drink.

M: Medium bodied with low amounts of sharp carbonation.

O: This is a very drinkable beer, though nothing spectacular. A lot of my friends who are getting into beers love this though so I would definitely recommend it for someone getting into beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 04:16:04 | More by keanex

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A very clear, dark gold brew with a fast falling head. Not much lace to speak of.

Aroma is nicely malty, sweet and bready. Faint kiss of grassy hops on the nose.

Taste follows the nose; a classic English-style pale that’s very balanced and not particularly hop forward. Bready, toasty malt mingles with grassy European hop flavors; modest bitterness, lightly sweet and fruity.

Easy to drink with a medium body, good carbonation, and a clean, crisp finish. Not super exciting overall but very well made and tasty. Quite sessionable, I’d think.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 17:02:39 | More by tobelerone

ReelBigwigFish

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass

A: Translucent amber color with a minimal frothy white head. Good amount of lacing.

S: Very sweet malt, apples and pears, backed by a subtle grassy and floral hop aroma.

T: Toasted grain, sweet toffee, fruity, slight grassy hop bite. Very balanced, a lot more enjoyable than any other English pale ale I've had. Finishes dry and a little earthy.

M: Medium body, mild but good carbonation, smooth, very drinkable. The earthy/soil-like finish detracts a bit though.

O: Solid pale ale, not sure if I'd ever purchase this in a 6-pack considering Great Divide has so many incredible beers, but it was a welcomed addition in the variety pack.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 19:35:47 | More by ReelBigwigFish

blakelive784

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 fl oz bottle served in a pint glass:

A - Presents a burnt orange or copper color. It forms a 2 finger white head when poured. Lacing and retention are both good. Looks very nice for a pale.

S - Caramel, light floral notes, cherry, and bread. Pretty mild aroma but inviting for sure.

T - Sweet caramel malt on the open, fruity esters throughout, with a solid malt foundation. A nice bitterness rounds the beer out and balances it quite well. Simple, but effective.

M - Heavier than expected, but welcome. Smooth and dry on the finish. Works very well.

D - Another solid offering from GD. It's idealy built, and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 23:15:51 | More by blakelive784