Pine Belt Pale Ale - Southern Star Brewing Company

DarthMalt

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

"Sometimes I wonder if beer brewers dabble in places that the law has yet to find." -- DarthMalt

Halfway through this one (first of the night) and I was on Cloud 9. There's a little shuck and jive at first (knowing that there might be a micro suckerpunch inside), but ohh-noo. This one just aims to please. And please it does.

Pours nice (fluffy and good). Smells contentious like your usual micro. But then, sip (mmm...). Taste (MMM...!). And, [Breastfeeders take note] Let the letdown begin. Mama Mia! Take me home micro road!

Finish is irrelevant after one like this.
So are hops.

This is just a good un'.

DM

PS - The tagline/slogan of this micro/brewey rules!:

"Clarity is overrated."

Serving type: can

04-07-2010 04:00:05 | More by DarthMalt

ChiefHopHead

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-19-2013 15:41:46 | More by ChiefHopHead

deadliest

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-14-2013 03:16:56 | More by deadliest

JReites

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-10-2013 21:21:05 | More by JReites

bhenryks

Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +23.1%

05-09-2013 18:02:20 | More by bhenryks

oberon

North Carolina

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

Poured from the can into an imperial pint glass a dull orange tinged lighter golden with sticky half finger white head atop,a nice broken sheet of lace was left behind as it settled pretty quickly.a nice smack ofcitric hops in the nose along with some biscuit malt.Flavors are citrucy with some light brown sugar and caramel/biscuit flavors making for a well rounded palate,the hops are fresh not very bitter.A solid APA,I can't find any flaws,Iam glad I finally tried this beer.

Serving type: can

05-07-2013 23:19:26 | More by oberon

klmcmachen

Texas

2.25/5  rDev -41.7%

05-06-2013 13:22:03 | More by klmcmachen

Pegasus

Texas

3.76/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Deep golden orange, with a massive, dense, off-white head, scattered lacing, profuse, fine, fast-rising carbonation.

Aroma: Lots of juicy hops, spicy and herbal, none of the typical pine-tar often found in this style. There is also a solid biscuit malt backbone.

Taste: Opens with a moderate , spicy hop presence, soon followed by solid biscuit malt. As the taste progresses, the hops are dominating, but the malt plays a solid supporting role. Finishes with a mil, lingering resiny hop note.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, pleasant, full.

Drinkability/notes: A plesing example of a style that I am not normally drawn to. Well done.

Presentation: Packaged in a sixteen ounce (0.473 liter) aluminum can, served in a Samuel Adams Boston lager glass.

Serving type: can

04-25-2013 02:12:22 | More by Pegasus

tbryan5

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

04-24-2013 00:29:05 | More by tbryan5

JimKal

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

04-18-2013 00:11:56 | More by JimKal

MaddDogg84

Texas

5/5  rDev +29.5%

04-13-2013 05:07:04 | More by MaddDogg84

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.41/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Consumed 4/13/12

Word to Goblinmunkey7's mother for sending some cans of this and other Texas locals

Appearance: Lightly hazy, medium amber/copper, with some orange and gold - small, white head, fades quickly to a small ring and a few wisps of a cap - leaves a few spots of lacing

Smell: Mildly bready with some mild citrus - white bread, with some bread dough - pale and caramel malts, with some crystal malt sweetness - some hoppy citrus, in a somewhat gentle way - orange and grapefruit zest - light pine and some herbal notes

Taste: Nicely malty with some orange - like the smell suggests, this is decidedly bready - a nice mix of pale and caramel malts - some grainy earthiness - lightly caramelized, lightly sweet - mildly bitter with mildly interesting malts - some orange and grapefruit zest, works for balance

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, maybe a little watery

Overall: Not everything is bigger in Texas, apparently

This is not a bad American Pale Ale, but it's not particularly interesting. I would drink it again, but I don't think I will be compelled to trade for it.

Serving type: can

04-13-2013 04:36:54 | More by angrybabboon

BJasny

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-06-2013 02:18:15 | More by BJasny

WritersBlock

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

04-05-2013 01:06:20 | More by WritersBlock

garyford

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-04-2013 20:43:14 | More by garyford

csparace

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance – From a 16oz can to a standard pint glass. Pours a light hazy orange with a colossal pure white head of large bubbles. Small amounts of carbonation rising. Head fades fast and an attractive lacing is left. Lacing is quite nice as I drink.

Smell – Hello hops.

Taste – I'm not left wondering why they call it the Pine Belt Ale. The initial taste is full of piny hops with a slight hint of grapefruit. The finish stays hoppy but also includes some floral notes. The overall taste is slightly darker than one would expect.

Mouthfeel – good carbonation levels. Not quite as refreshing as I was hoping.

Overall – pretty good beer. Not outstanding. The taste is mostly a slightly dark hop and doesn't have a ton going on. I think it should be a bit more refreshing on the mouth feel as well.

Serving type: can

04-02-2013 00:42:27 | More by csparace

GaryFields

Indiana

4/5  rDev +3.6%

03-26-2013 01:45:23 | More by GaryFields

Pesci

Texas

2/5  rDev -48.2%

03-21-2013 20:02:32 | More by Pesci

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4.75/5  rDev +23.1%

03-19-2013 13:17:10 | More by grahamboudreaux

drinkAK

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

03-17-2013 20:38:15 | More by drinkAK

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

2.94/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Appearance: Light copper/amber. Nice bright oranges at the edges. Head is white, creamy, and loose. Large bubbles. Head drops to a spotty cap and bubbly collar. Small notches of lacing. Slight haze. Definitely unfiltered.

Smell: Uncooked biscuit dough. Big caramel malt sweetness. Bready. Hops are herbal in the back. Big hits of citrus with some underlying sweetness. Pine bitterness rounds out the profile. Nicely balanced, if a bit sweet. Caramelized malts and sugars. A bit of apple, pineapple, and grass.

Taste: Malts. Lots of them. Bready and caramelized. Sweet without being overly so. Some pale and amber malts. Grassy with an underlying herbal note. Some pine bitterness lingers in the back. Solid hit of citrus, mainly grapefruit rind, on the front. Good balance. Pretty mellow with a building straight bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Body runs right down the middle with a slightly above average carbonation. A bit dry on the finish.

Overall: No need to put another notch in your belt.

A decent APA and bonus points for the format. Bitterness is a bit harsh given the sweeter malt base. Not bad, but there are other options.

Serving type: can

03-14-2013 19:22:58 | More by Goblinmunkey7

JeffSuttonTX

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

03-10-2013 21:31:04 | More by JeffSuttonTX

shawnohall

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.6%

03-05-2013 14:50:51 | More by shawnohall

ShameAndFailure

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

02-17-2013 00:40:49 | More by ShameAndFailure

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

02-14-2013 16:01:22 | More by ShanePB