Tallgrass 8-Bit Pale Ale - Tallgrass Brewing Company

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.26/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

16 oz can poured into a Tallgrass tulip.
5.2% ABV, Drink By 08/21/13 on can.

A - 8-Bit pours with a touch of haziness clouding the goldenrod beer. It's firm cap of rocky foam doesn't ever seem to vanish as massive chunks of sticky lace remain caked to the glass.

S - The smooth hop aroma of this "hop rocketed pale ale" offers a blend of earthy and citrus aromas that suggest a recently cut lawn and a twist of lemon rind in water - deluded but fresh. Earthy, skunky marijuana notes peek out around the pale and trace caramel malt base.

T - Hoppiness advances to the next level with the flavor of this beer as a bold punch of sturdy earthy flavor brings the yard work to the forefront; mulch and cut grass with a zesty lemongrass note. Despite forward hop flavor 8-Bit is smooth and well balanced by pale malt with light caramel drizzled biscuit.

M - Plenty of carbonation really livens the medium body feel of this pale. Smooth flavor and feel are incorporated well with it's moderately bitter finish and lingering dryness that quickly brings you back for another sip.

O - 1UP for Tallgrass! From 8-Bit's awesome retro design to it's hop-forward aroma and flavor, this brew is nicely balanced for an easy drinking pale that packs a punch of flavor.

Serving type: can

05-22-2013 02:34:08 | More by BeerFMAndy

deepseacatfish

Iowa

2.93/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A basic Pale Ale with a light body, average hoppiness, and nice carbonation. The 8-bit has a decent malt character to it, but beyond that a pretty limited flavor profile. The hops here are pretty subdued, a little citrusy, but generally came across as pretty flat to me with little immediate bite or depth of flavor. Not a bad beer, but an average American style Pale Ale with a can that's more intriguing than the contents.

Serving type: can

05-14-2013 20:10:07 | More by deepseacatfish

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.73/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

A: Poured a hazy pale orange color with good carbonation leaving a huge white frothy head, loads of lacing, great head retention and a nice white collar and bubbles. Seriously great looking.

S: Grainy, some citrus notes, stale. Pretty underwhelming.

T: Initial sordove bitterness upfront with a graininess blended with fruity hop flavor. The finish is rather long, bland, bitter and again underwhelming

M: Light-medium body, well carbonated. Stale, some fruits are really subdued.

O: I'm glad I dont have to drink this as my local APA everyday.

Serving type: can

04-02-2013 02:40:29 | More by barleywinefiend

mtstatebeer

West Virginia

3.66/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16 oz. can. Pours a mainly clear, golden-orange color with a good, frothy off-white head, good lacing. Aroma is pale malts, a hint of biscuit, lemon, a bit of pine, and a hint of esters. Flavor is similar, a hint of bread, mainly lemon/citrus hops, and a bit of earthiness. Light-to-medium mouthfeel, dry, crisp, and a moderately bitter finish. Very good pale ale, quite drinkable.

Serving type: can

03-21-2013 03:09:56 | More by mtstatebeer

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.29/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

A - Deep gold, white cap has good retention and lace.

S/T - Big caramel sweet malts, finishes with a leafy pine bitterness. Not getting too much depth here.

M - Solid medium body, medium carbonation. Stays smooth across the palate, a little oily.

O - Finishes a bit sweet for my liking with the hops not really getting much depth of flavor or aroma. Finish is kind of an ambiguous bitterness without much flavor other than pine.

Serving type: can

03-05-2013 22:03:29 | More by garuda

zhanson88

Montana

3.76/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Pours a clear burnt golden color. About 1.5" of egg shell white head forms, which has very good retention, aided by moderate to high carbonation. Overall, nice looking pale ale.

Smell: Caramel malt backbone comes through first, followed by a nice citrus hop punch. Nice melon and mango notes.

Taste: Nice caramel malt backbone to this pale ale. The Galaxy hops in this really shine on the back end, with mango and melon and citrus. Not much bitterness, just a lot of citrus.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Light to medium mouthfeel with ample carbonation. Pretty easy drinking and quite sessionable. Overall, I liked this pale ale quite a bit. Definitely one of the top Tallgrass brews, and one I will definitely drink again in the future.

Serving type: can

03-03-2013 03:09:05 | More by zhanson88

PierreCharra

2.25/5  rDev -40.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I was offered a 16oz can at a friends house, and when I saw the artwork on the can I was excited and thought "hey, this has to be good, it's from Tallgrass!" Tallgrass makes great stuff, like Buffalo Sweat, which I like a lot.

Didn't get to see the color, as I had nothing to pour into, but I'm assuming it was some kind of golden or off yellow color like most other APA's.

Right from the start it had a really bad funk to it's smell that told me this was going to be another write off or one that smells bad and turns out amazing, usually it's the first.
Maybe because I grew up in the French countryside on a farm I pick up the harsher scents easier or something, my friend insisted it had no funk smell to it, but it really smelled pungent to me.

The taste was about as bad as the smell, I didn't enjoy it at all and it made me cringe.
In the taste I detected hints of some tropical hops and some decent carbonation followed by a small hint of what I think was grapefruit, if these tastes had been more empowering over the funk I would have liked this more.

The mouthfeel was medium and slightly dense with a watery twinge, but not much there for me.

Overall I don't think I would try this again, other people seem to enjoy it but it's just not for me.
I do like the artwork, though, but other than that, I just can't get into this one.

Serving type: can

02-20-2013 04:25:04 | More by PierreCharra

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.16/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from perhaps the coolest looking can of all time... Says 13 061.... I have no idea what this means...

Looks very appetizing in the glass, Golden Orangish color with a nice finger and a half of head, rather hazy

Smell is pale and caramel malts, grapefruit and a little pine

Taste starts with some caramel malt flavors then really opens up in the back with a huge burst of grapefruit and bitter lemon hops, almost reminds me of the taste of biting into a Orange or grapefruit peel right before you peel it, but in a good way.

Mouthfeel is starts a little thin but opens up with a good burst of carbonation that gives it a good medium feel. Finished really nice with a bitter drying bite that keeps you coming back for more.

Well this is certainly a good pale, not my favorite but it is up there. I love that it is in cans, I beleive it helps keep the beer stay a lot fresher for longer. This one with definitaley be in my rotation of APA's/IPAs!

Serving type: can

02-18-2013 22:35:23 | More by nickapalooza86

Tone

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, golden/copper color. One and one half inch head of a white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of strong floral hops, slight citrus hops, sweet malt, hint of pale malt, slight citrus, and a hint of grass. Fits the style of an American Pale Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, caramel malt, floral hops, citrus hops, hint of earthy malt, and a hint of grass. Overall, great appearance, blend, good body, and aroma.

Serving type: can

02-14-2013 13:45:31 | More by Tone

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

4.16/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours, from the tap, a dark yellow color with a modest cap of foam. The aroma is floral and citrus hops. There is a distinct character here, which may be due to the heavy dose of Galaxy Hops. I don't quite know how to describe it other than bitter fruit, more melon than orchard fruit. This character continues onto the palate. A slight caramel aspect provides some balance, but again the unique hops character dominates. I don't know if I have ever had a beer that tastes quite like this. A pleasant offering from the folks at Tallgrass.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2013 19:11:06 | More by BeardedBoffin

hoppytobehere

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

16 oz. tallboy can. Great design. Best by early April (too lazy to grab the can to get exact date), so it's fresh.

A: Very hazy, dull orange body. Excellent retention and lacing. Looks amazing, especially for a pale ale.

S: More malt and less hops than I expected, but nice.

T: I know it's a Pale Ale, but I was hoping for more hop flavor. The malt completely takes over.

M: Pretty standard for the style and ABV. I could enjoy a few of these in a row without a problem.

O: Could have something nice here, add more hops!

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 21:35:44 | More by hoppytobehere

1fastz28

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

One of the few micro-brews i have had in a can, first in a long time. To be honest it was the artwork of the can that made me buy this beer, reminded me of my childhood playing 8 bit video games. Smell is appearance are great, has a nice hop fragrance and a decent golden color. However the taste is very metallic, and the mouthfeel is watery, this beer is a let down to be honest. It has a very solid aroma and it looks appetizing, but it certainly falls short.

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 03:52:36 | More by 1fastz28

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pint can into a 25cl Duvel tulip. Thanks, Tony!

A: Slightly hazy pale amber body under a fine white head. Ok retention, spotty lace. All right.

S: Floral hops and bready malt. A nice touch of tropical fruit. Simple and pleasant.

T: Lightly fruity up front with some tasty hops, but rather boring pale malt dominates the middle with dull breadiness and grain husk. Bitter, vanilla-tinged aftertaste. Pretty forgettable.

M: Soft, delicately carbonated light-to-medium body. Quite nice.

O: Drinkable, but the flavor was rather disappointing after the inviting aroma.

Cheers!

Serving type: can

01-03-2013 02:54:40 | More by woosterbill

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

2.7/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

pint can into NYG pint glass. drink before 04/04/13.

A: very hazed. pale orange body. head is bubbly and a shade darker than white. head retention is great. thick lacing.

S: fruit juice. apple? sweet sugar. lots of malt. cheerios. banana bread.

T: the bitterness is serious here. fruity hop flavor. oranges. plenty of grain. cereal finish makes it a bit chewy. fruity twang.

M: average/slightly mild carb. light/medium body.

D: good, not great. too much hop bitterness distracts from some of the pleasant hop flavor. plenty of malt also distracts in a way that i find unpleasant. stylistically to me this drinks more like an english bitter than an APA.

Serving type: can

12-30-2012 20:55:24 | More by Jimmys

mdaschaf

Washington

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes. Had been wanting to try this one ever since I saw the can design.

A: Pours a hazy golden color with a small white head on top which actually stuck around for a little bit. Thin lacing forms down the sides.

S: Nice fruit aromas, lots of orange, orange rind, pale/grainy malt and a bit of grass.

T: Pretty fruity for a pale ale, nice grass, pineapple, and orange rind. Just a touch of pine and a little caramel leading to a slightly bitter finish.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Easy drinking.

O: A solid pale ale. Would have no problem drinking this one often if I could.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2012 23:59:27 | More by mdaschaf

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Skuter for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, and some earthy and herbal hop aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors.

Serving type: can

12-15-2012 07:32:40 | More by UCLABrewN84

Dope

Massachusetts

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

A: Pours a hazy golden-orange. Good sized fluffy white head. Fades at a decent pace, leaving nice tufts of lacing everywhere.

S: A little bit of tropical fruit and a fairly potent caramel malt backing it up. It's no IPA for sure, this is a malty and balanced aroma.

T: Hmm maybe I was wrong on the tropical fruit. It's mostly grapefruit and pine here. Pretty mild, mixes well with a biscuity malt (again, I was wrong from the aroma). Small wave of bitterness into the finish with a piney aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, smooth.

O: An excellent APA for sure. Very balanced and drinkable. Hoppiness is a nice addition and bitterness isn't weak either. Just mild enough to be an APA. Tasty and enjoyable.

Serving type: can

12-11-2012 05:34:29 | More by Dope

acelin

Kansas

4.23/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the can into a small pint glass ( I split the can with my SO).

Appearance is great for a PA. Far darker than most, with a great color profile that reflects the light. The carbonation makes it almost sparkle.

The smell is very citrusy, with caramel malts punching through the mix. Really entices you to drink it!

The taste is superb for a Pale Ale. This will be my go to Pale Ale from now on. The hops are perfectly balanced, and the malt is clear, light, yet has a rich flavor. Hints of caramel too.

Mouthfeel is great, drinkability is superb.

Serving type: can

12-06-2012 19:35:14 | More by acelin

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From: Hyvee, Council Bluffs, IA
Date: "20417A3BR" stamped below UPC
Glass: Tulip

Pours a 2cm head of modestly dense foam composed of medium-sized bubbles. Head retention is solid, slowly decreasing to a persistent cap atop the body with excellent lacing. Body is golden colored with a slight orange tint, and rather hazy, though not totaly opaque. Light brings out bright golden yellow hues to the beer, and make the carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass easily visible.

Aroma is mildly citrus-like, with orange and grapefruit rind scents that are atop a base of slightly cracker-like malts. While I like the overall impression, I find that it could be stronger, particularly from a canned beer.

Flavor is brightly fruity and of mild grapefruit-meets-orange citrus, with more mild cracker-like malts and substantial bitterness. Front of palate detects pale malt sweetness and fruit-like esters, including some modest passion fruit, perhaps from the galaxy hops. Mid-palate is very bright and fruity, with plenty of citrus-like esters, particularly navel orange and grapefruit. Back of palate intensifies the citrus-like flavors, with a strong bitterness that lasts well into the aftertaste.

Beer is medium-bodied with medium-level carbonation, creating a crisp and modestly soft mouthfeel. Closes dryly, as one would expect with the substantial hop bitterness in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 07:28:39 | More by falloutsnow

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks HomeBrewed. Been wanting this one for a while!

Appearance. Okay, first off, best can ever!! The main reason I wanted this beer, but it actually looks really nice. Hazy gold amber with over a finger of thick and creamy looking white head that leaves some great lacing. Extra half point for the best can I've ever seen.

Smell. Some nice citrusy, slightly herbal hops with toasty light grains and some light yeast.

Taste. Lightly bitter citrusy hops, some great toasty grains and a little tropical fruits. Nice.

Mouthfeel. Medium body, medium+ carbonation.

Overall. Easy drinking pale with some great hops. Did I mention the kick ass can???? (Ya, I am a total geek...).

Serving type: can

10-29-2012 00:45:09 | More by Rutager

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.18/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16oz can poured into an imperial pint glass.

A - Golden with an orange tinge. Medium sized white cap of tight foam. The beer has a slight haze to it.

S - Really nice mellow piney hops, lemony citrus. Very fresh smell to the hops. Faint base malt underneath.

T - Malt holds up better here. Still very light base malt character but distinctly grainy/husky flavor with a touch of sweetness before the hops. Nice piney/citrus hop flavor, very pleasant. Finishes pretty dry with a refreshing piney hop aftertaste.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation, dry to semi-dry.

O - Very nice hop forward beer. Malt strikes a touch of balance but showcases hops very well. Beautiful looking beer as well.

Serving type: can

10-25-2012 00:10:55 | More by Jparker37

Living816

3.7/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

More of IPA than APA, but it's kind of of the low end of IPA and high end of APA in terms of bitterness. More IPA than anything really though.

But anyway, smell is amazing. Soft, round melony. Cloying. Very tropical.

Taste is sweet. You don't expect a beer of this color to have so much sweetness in the first blush taste. The bitterness really kicks you in the balls at the finish. A little too much bitterness to really be enjoyable. It kind of craps all over my malts.

Heavy mouthfeel.

A very solid beer. Wonderful hop aroma, nice malty sweetness. Tone down the IBUS from 40 to maybe 30 and it's a more balance and soft pale ale that you could tear through all evening. I'm liking it, but this is totally a one beer an evening drink for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 02:39:54 | More by Living816

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Riding the wave of tropical and citrus blends, Tallgrass brings a pep of complexity that's usually reserved for imperial IPAs and applies them in standard American pale ale form.

But the beer's confidence begins in its appearance. A bright a modestly hazed gold and amber coloration releases a frothy white head that's both airy and fluffed. It's cottony persistence laces the glass evenly and impressively.

Ripe red grapefruit and orange zest lead off the aromas. But shortly afterwards, the more rounded notes of pineapple, apricot, and lemons enter the equation. Without the malts making a specticle, they rather give a sweetness to implied fruit notes that makes them seem ripe and honey-dipped.

Those malty flavors coat the front of the tongue with a thin caramel sweetness that seems more honey-like at times than caramel. These more rounded flavors wrap around the hops and develop into a graham cracker-like dryness to finish. But first, a middle palate of hop flavor starts sharply and citrusy with those grapefruit and orange flavors. But as the beer traverses across the tongue, they develop savory sweet fruit flavors that are better found in tropical fruits: apricot, mango, pineapple, lemons, and even white grape and a mild winey taste to finish alongside the crackery malts.

Up 'til now I feel like I have told the story of an IPA or an imperial version. But the body is super light and refreshing. Even to start, the beer's creamy malts and carbonation play lightly on the palate. Even as it strives toward dryness, the bready textures turn cracker-like and balance the hops at every step. The bone-dry closure allows the hops to linger a bit longer in aftertaste, but mostly in its fruity taste and lesser so in bitterness.

8-Bit is a genuine and gracefull pale ale that is characterful enough to appease the most demanding hop heads, but also smooth enough to capture the taste buds of novices alike. I'd be happy to keep a six pack of these in my stable anytime.

Serving type: can

10-20-2012 00:53:28 | More by BEERchitect

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy sunset orange ale with a stark white fluffy head. Strong fruity hop nose. West coast styled at its heart, grapefruit included, but there's something a bit different about it.

A little research at the Tallgrass website reveals that hop rocketed Galaxy hops from Australia serve as the base for the aroma with Magnum, Centennial and Cascade in support. Taste has a pretty harsh bitterness alongside a more subdued fruitiness. Sweet, full bodied malt base for the hoppiness to float above.

I seem to be a fan of Galaxy hops and 8-Bit has become a fridge favorite over the summer. A pale ale with big hops and flavor, neither of which are subtle, so these tallboys are great to feed that pesky hop demon that often growls for more.

Serving type: can

10-11-2012 02:12:43 | More by FightingEntropy

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Mostly translucent golden color. Small frothy white head. Decent lacing.

Aroma: Grainy (in that pale ale way) with just a hint of melon from the hops.

Taste: Crisp bitterness up front with a very solid malt presence. There is caramel, a slight burnt taste, and other malts that make up most of the palate. However, there is a nice watermelon rind flavor from the hops that lingers nicely. Decently bitter given the style but a slightly unbalanced grain and hop bill. There is an interesting English influence in this beer. Drinks more like an Extra Pale Ale. Would love to try it on Nitro-tap to smooth out some of the imbalance.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent and medium bodied. Just above average drinkability. Wish it was a little smoother because it would make a great session ale.

Final Thoughts: Given how robust it is, I'll have to give this one a thumbs up. On sale at $7.99 a four pack of 16 ounce cans, it's a good deal. If they focus in the hop character a little more and balance the flavors it'll be a real winner. Would I drink it again? Maybe.

Serving type: can

09-30-2012 05:38:42 | More by JamesMN