Devil's Ale - SanTan Brewing Co.

drabmuh

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Part of my Arizona trip, not really a fan of this beer...at all. Beer served in a shaker pint, beer is amber and mostly clear with an off white head.

Aroma is malt with hints of hops.

Beer sort of tastes like a wet blanket, has that malt...old feel to it. Maybe this is an older bottle. I'd give this beer a second chance on draft sometime but as it stands now this is not a repeat. Mediocre at best.

Serving type: can

12-31-2012 00:48:26 | More by drabmuh

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Sampled at 1702; March 2010
This arrives topped by a pale tan colored head that is just about half a finger in height. The beer is an amber color that shows a clear'ish copper hue to it when held up to the light. The aroma is somewhat hoppy smelling with a mix of grapefruit, light menthol, grassy pine and herbal notes. The finish of the nose has a touch of soap to it. If you really dig around you can find some notes of toasted grain and a hint of caramel maltiness.

The beer is nicely bitter, with pine like hop flavors from the beginning to the end of each sip. Actually, both of these become more prominent towards the finish. Some soap-like flavors and a body that is not quite big enough to stand up to the hop character are the most noticeable flaws in this brew. I find myself enjoying this less and less as I take each sip; thin, herbal, grassy and a way to subtle malt character that doesn't manage to play even the needed supporting role to the hops all sort of kill this for me. This isn't horrible, just way unbalanced.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2010 22:57:34 | More by Gueuzedude

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a tall, white head over an orange body. I'm reminded of Dale's Pale Ale, but this is a bit more drinkable—not as thick. The aroma has a subtle floral touch and then there's still a big rich grapefruit citrus flavor with a grassy edge. The hops don't have a super sharp dry-hop edge, the the flavor rolls nicely through the bitter fruit character with a mild dry, bready toffee malt note in the finish. This is a great pale ale for a hot day, check it out.

Serving type: can

02-08-2012 23:43:24 | More by tempest

Jason

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can with no freshness date.

Brassy color has a good clarity, three fingers of head leaves behind a trail of lacing. Soft citric nose with a bigger caramel note. Snappy crispness with a creamy medium body. Citric hops and caramel malt battle it out but realize they are great together and meld for a bittersweet finish. Hint of toasted bread and pear-like fruitiness. The orange peel and piney hop flavor does seem to take the lead though as the dryness pulls towards the end.

Tasty, the hops surprise in the end with a broader stroke. A bit of a session ale as well.

Serving type: can

11-10-2010 03:30:47 | More by Jason

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Here's one of the better beers at Canfest 2010. . . Pours yellow and orange, good head. Aroma was mildly hoppy and that was about it.

Taste, a light bodied pale with adequate hops in the cascade and chinook or columbus vein I would guess. Bitterness subdued, I'd venture the ibu's to not be over 50. Lacks complexity in a good way, this one is straight forward, prolly carapils/crystal malt, c hops and done.

Very sessionable and desireable come warmer weather, this is a winner from SanTan in my book.

Serving type: can

05-24-2011 23:37:22 | More by Beerandraiderfan

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Big ups and major props to my fellow CANquistador, indiapaleale, for sending me this and one other in support of my version of The CANQuest (TM)! I love where it hails from (Chandler, AZ) and I look forward to trying it out.

From the CAN: "Craft Beer For Beer Drinking".

It came in a RexAm CAN with a wide-mouth opening, which is always good for an interesting Crack & Glug. It poured with a nice Glugging sound which resulted in a finger-and-a-half of light-tan head with good retention. Color was a slightly hazy orangish-amber. Nose was big with pine hops. Man, this used to be what I would consider an IPA, not an APA. My mouth began to water. Mouthfeel was medium with a nice mix of caramel malt sweetness and moderate, not overwhelming, hops on the tongue. Hot dang, but this was just what I was looking for! Finish was slightly thin, with the hops barely winning out, but I found myself wishing for some more Ooomph. I would most definitely put this in my cooler if I had access to it on a routine basis.

Serving type: can

02-21-2011 22:21:07 | More by woodychandler

mactrail

California

3.18/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Big, rich, and woody tasting. Nice copper color in the pint glass. Expansive nose of flowery hops is the best feature. Sharp and resiny taste. Hoppy bitterness is powerful. More of an IPA to my mind, but maybe there is some distinction that evades me. Rather astringent with that earthy and woody flavor joining up with some kind of acidity.

Not very drinkable, but the hop flavor is pleasing for a brief moment.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2011 21:59:17 | More by mactrail

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Devil's Ale
SanTan Brewing Co.

Pours an unfiltered copper color, soapy off white head with a yellow tint. Aroma of herbal, citrusy hops and caramel malts. In the taste, a nice hop bite with suggestions of orange, grapefruit and light pine. Bright citrus flavor, solid malt foundation with caramel and bread notes. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, crisp with a medium level of carbonation, chalky finish. Overall, a pretty impressive pale ale, good hop character and always has a place in my fridge.

Serving type: can

01-03-2012 05:52:27 | More by Stinkypuss

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy orange-ish to yellow color with an off white head. In the aroma, citrus like hops. In the taste, orange citrus hops, yet lacking an ending flavor. A small hop bite and medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry pine like hop in the aftertaste. Big nose and start of the beer, but lacking an end.

Serving type: can

12-12-2011 19:16:24 | More by OWSLEY069

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My fav of the SanTan brews so far.Pours with a nice, medium sized, thick, off white head that lasts, and good lacing. Color is a clear medium amber. Aroma is hop, floral, perfume, citrus, malt. Flavor is like nose, plus a real nice play between bitter and sweet which leads to the desire for another sip. Great body and carbonation. Finish is like flavor and as I said, a session brew.

Serving type: can

12-06-2010 03:43:00 | More by drpimento

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can served in a standard pint glass.

L - clear orange/amber color with a khaki head that thinned out but still left waves of lacing.

S - sweet pine and citrus hop aroma.

T - good balance of solid malt backbone with piney and citrus hop hitting midway and on the finish.

F - medium bodied with good carbonation.

O - a good pale ale that I would have again.

Serving type: can

05-24-2011 23:27:03 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served a bland sort of amber with a tan head - medium sized bubbles that don't stick much. Brew salts are notable in the aroma, with enough grassy hops to maybe suffice. Fairly herbal as well, with a touch of toasted grain and caramel sweetness. Not much to behold just yet - although we are at an establishment with no draft menu, where the waiter says "I have everything, so many taps..." and then can't even pull an IPA out of his ass. I ask for something hoppy, and get this...

Not the beer's fault. Fairly piney and menthol-like deep into the flavor. Pretty watery after all, as the malts just can't rise to the occasion. Too thin to handle the hops, which become unpleasantly acidic. Balance is way off and the brew salt/metallic note must be dealt with. I may give this a shot canned sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2011 04:14:48 | More by BretSikkink

Phelps

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Fun fact: this beer was formerly known as Sun Devil Ale, but the fascists at my alma mater, Arizona State University, decided to crack down on SanTan and claimed the brewery was infringing on their copyright. Now known simply as Devil's Ale, this one was poured into a chilled glass from a can emblazoned with the saying "Craft beer for beer drinking."

The look is a perfectly clear pale orange-tinged dandelion. A 1.5 finger head of fluffy yellowish white sits atop, receding slowly to a hefty top layer of soapy film that grips the glass in jagged-edged sheets.

Smells dank. It's pretty hoppy for a simple pale ale. Notes of tangerine, orange blossom, honey and fresh fresh-cut grass are noticeable amidst a candy sweetness.

There's far more bitterness in the flavor than in the nose. Lots of orange peel, grass and pale malt. The substantial bitterness rolls in after the swallow, coating the mouth. Pretty standard.

A prickly medium carbonation makes the beer moderately fizzy as it moves about. Medium light body, just a bit watery. Clean, crisp.

An above-average pale ale and one of the better offerings from SanTan. I enjoyed it, though admittedly the experience was enhanced by watching the Sun Devils upset the University of Arizona in their own house. Victory never tasted so sweet.

Serving type: can

12-06-2010 23:17:58 | More by Phelps

arizcards

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a sixer new year's eve from Total Wine for $7.49.

Beer poured amber with a white head that dissapated quickly.

Nose is strong floral hops which is very inviting.

Taste is well balanced between the caramel malts and the grapefruit hops.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and somewhat smooth.

Overall this is a solid beer, well balanced pale with enough hopping to make us hop heads happy. Definitely worthy of a shot!

Serving type: can

04-08-2011 01:09:12 | More by arizcards

yemenmocha

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Copper color to me, not really amber. From the can it pours with a nice head of white creamy goodness. Nose had some pleasant candied aromas along with sweet pine. On the palate the malt comes through with a somewhat candied sweetness, grapefruit, and again the pine. Light bodied though, almost watery. Finishes with a piney aftertaste. In a way this is an IPA-light - some similar desirable flavors and aromas, but less bitterness, less alcohol, and lighter bodied.

Serving type: can

11-07-2010 05:01:27 | More by yemenmocha

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour - dark golden or amber in appearance with a half inch of dense white head on top. Nice overall pour that's clean and clear.

Aroma - citrus, bread dough, burnt sugar, candied orange peel and some hints of caramel and malt balls. Aroma reflects a mort malty side of the pale ale family so let's see how if the taste matches up.

Taste - first thing that comes to mind is balance. At first I'm confronted by a bitter, hoppy, citrusy mouthful of flavor that is almost immediately backed up by a wave of brown bread and biscuity malt flavors.The hoppiness of Devil's Ale certainly lifts it into the ranks of a very good American Pale Ale and each sip will remind you of that. This leaves the palate dry in the finish, just enough to stick your head back in the glass and take another sip. Very well done!

Overall - like malt kissed hops...or is it...hop kissed malt? Whichever you look at this is a solid American Pale Ale with a very nice malty backbone and some great citrusy hop notes as well as a crisp and bitter finish. Very tasty and certainly worth stuffing into your cooler, your backpack or your suitcase!

Serving type: can

01-09-2012 01:47:16 | More by indiapaleale

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I think this is my first Arizona beer. Thanks stephenhawking for the nice local extra in a can!

Pours a clear orange almost amber with a 2.5 finger head.

Smells of caramel malt and a bit of citrus. A bit more malt than I expected from an APA.

A little bit of citrus followed by caramel and biscuit malt. Finishes with just a light bitterness. Nothing complex about this, but no off flavors either

Mouthfeel is a touch thin and carbonation level is medium.

Good beer. Lacks a tick in flavor, but it's a good drinkable beer. I could definitely see grabbing some of these for the golf course if they were readily available.

Serving type: can

10-25-2011 23:34:06 | More by jmarsh123

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured into a snifter. Amber colored with a half inch of white head and quickly faded to the edges.

S - First rye bread, then lighter wet malt smell.

T - Hoppy, very nice. malt backup that balances the bitterness well.

M - Bubbly, moderate carbonation with a medium and crisp body.

D - Not super great looking or amazing smell, but the taste makes up nicely. At 5.5% this is a great session beer with flavor.

Serving type: can

03-22-2011 00:46:03 | More by Fatehunter

beagle75

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft service into a shaker pint glass at Rendezvous in Cottonwood, Arizona.

A: Clear, medium amber color with a heavy residue of white bubbles. Moderate lacing remains on the glass and a few streams of bubbles rise in the column from the bottom and sides.

S: Toasted bread and mild cooked fruit fit together amicably. Compared to the flavor, hops are difficult to pick out here. A certain level of complexity present leaves open the possibility of their nuanced collaboration.

T: Begins dry, with potent hop aromatics that are floral and earthy. Bready malt also stands out into the middle where yeast esters are detected. The finish is mildly bitter; floral and herbaceous flavors linger.

M: Thin to medium viscosity, slightly resinous on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: A mature and metered pale ale, this beer appears to be a hybrid of some American flair on a solid English foundation. As is, it would seem to be more at home in the English pale ale style. Either way, it ably marks its territory as a full-blown pale ale, rather than a small IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 22:45:39 | More by beagle75

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

hazy amber pour with a finger of head which quickly disappeared. smells of caramel, bread, spanish rice, and a citrusy orange/lemon scent. tastes slightly metallic with a nice grassy flavor, slight hint of bitterness builds a solid backbone, while subtle maltyness distracts your tastebuds - banana, smoked, dirt. light bodied leaning towards medium - fizzy carbonation but a bit syrupy to be light bodied.

overall, this is a bit bitter for an apa, but i do like 'em bitter, so i can't complain too much! a bit heavy on the malt and not so much hop profile. no sign of a best before date on the can, so i can't tell if it just wasn't fresh or if this is just how their style is. personally, i like my apa's / ipa's to be refreshing, and they usually are. this is just more of a gut filler.

Serving type: can

05-10-2012 05:59:31 | More by facundoCNB

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap with breakfast/lunch the other day.

The beer pours an amber/brown color, very clear, nice white head that doesn't last but laces the glass a bit.

Aroma is malty, caramelly, and a little citrusy.

Flavor is confusing because it seems to be stuck half way between a dry bitter not so flavorful ESB and a lightly hopped (fruity) amber ale. There is some flavor to be found but its all subtle and nothing too special.

The body is medium, carbonation was ample, and over all a pretty drinkable beer. This is one of those beers that a non beer enthusiast would describe as having that beery flavor. Pretty generic.

I went with the amber classification because of the appearance. As mentioned above the flavor could go either way.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2009 05:15:09 | More by t0rin0

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.84/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

After a harrowing few days on my trip out here to Arizona, I settled down with one of these last night at Steve's Greenhouse Grill in PHoenix. This was what the bartender there recommended and it wasn't a bad choice at all. It's good to have a choice of local beers available and while this wouldn't stand up well against the higher-rated beers in this category, this was nicely brewed and went down pretty easily!

The pour to this was a deep copper, which was fitting for the Grand Canyon State. There was a good head to be seen and the top of the lacing stuck to the pint glass it was served in for quite a while. A good nose existed here as well with citrus, wet hops, and a bit of oil to be detected. No burn or excessive alcohol here and this faded out very nicely in the back. Just a bit of caramel gave some body to this and the balance was as good as could be for a beer that wasn't terribly strong.

I didn't even feel the alcohol in this and had I not needed to drive back to my hotel after my serving, I would have easily had another. While the oil and resin weren't that present and the heavier Pale Ale flavors like pine and lemon weren't to be found here, this reminded me of a good American Amber like those of the Troegs beers. Everything worked together well here and Arizona can be proud to have such a drinkable beer of this type brewed in its backyard!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 10:45:31 | More by JerzDevl2000

joecast

Australia

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Pancho Mcguillicuddys.

Light amber appwarance. Not much head, low carbonation.

Nice hoppy aroma. Was thinking it would be classed as an IPA, but this is a well placed in APA territory. Good stuff.

Great balance in the taste. Enough hop flavor but not so bitter that it makes it less drinkable.

Nice full mouthfeel and full flavored. Drinks like an easy drinking bigger beer. Really well made. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2011 05:22:34 | More by joecast

Gatch

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a thick, fluffy, off-white head that slowly settles into some sticky lace. Amber in color with shades of copper.

S - Malt and hops. Something nasty that I can't detect.

T - Great balance of sweet malt and bitter hops. Neither overpowers. Fairly hoppy for a Pale Ale. A bit of alcohol. Some piney, bitter notes from the hops. Fruity sweetness.

M - Refreshing at first but it becomes cloying. The taste of old hops hangs around too long.

I'm sure it's much better from the tap.

Serving type: can

09-01-2011 08:58:56 | More by Gatch

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.94/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big light tan head slow settles into a nice lacing above a clear golden amber colored beer.

Big floral, citrus, piney, spring grass aroma with a slight soapy lacing to it.

Citrus and piney dry hops taste with just an ever so slight soapiness on the edges.

A drying aftertaste that brings a bit of the hops tastes with it on this medium bodied beer.

A pretty decent tasting pale ale with a very inviting aroma, the only draw back I can relate is a light to very light soapiness or something that I can only describe as that that comes along with the drinking of this Devil's Ale.

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 22:16:18 | More by LXIXME