Pine Belt Pale Ale - Southern Star Brewing Company

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

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

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

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

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

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a clean dark copper in color with 2 fingers of head and great lacing. tons of fresh hop smell. pine, caramel, grass. a nice mellow flavor of piney grapefruit bitterness, earth notes, sweet malt backbone. a nice refreshing ale, slightly bitter with a sweet finish. medium in body, moderate carbonation. a nice refreshing pale ale all around.

Serving type: can

01-31-2013 02:36:20 | More by facundoCNB

matjack85

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I found this single 16oz can at the Binnhy's store in Bloolmingdale, Illinois for $2.49. They usually come in 4 packs, but for whatever reason this one was sold separately, so I grabbed it. No freshness date; only a small blurb on the side of the can that says "clarity is over-rated".

The beer poured a cloudy copper color and made a full 3-finger white head that lasted quite awhile before settling down, and it left tons of lacing.

The beer smelled like a mix of baked bread, sugar, and pineapple juice. Very pleasant, but left me wondering where the pine was.

This is not the hop bomb that some pale ales try to be. At just 45 IBU's it's not that bitter. This one is well balanced with sweet malts, mild hops, and a generous dose of of pineapple juice. Bitterness is low and detectable alcohol is even lower.

Medium bodied with low carbonation. It's a little sticky on the tongue but still very enjoyable.

Not sure why they named it "Pine Belt" because the piny hops are barely noticeable. It would have been more correct to call it "Pineapple Belt". Still a good pale ale, but if you're a hop head, this one won't be for you.

Serving type: can

01-23-2013 12:20:08 | More by matjack85

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.35/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale has a very thick, foamy, creamy, cream-colored head, an opaque, brown-orange appearance, with lots of yeast chunks floating about, and a good amount of lacing left on the glass. The aroma is sweet, stinging, and bready. Flavor is of piney hops, bready malt, and sweetness. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy, and Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale finishes mostly dry, fairly refreshing, and decently drinkable. Overall, I really am enjoying this, and I consider it a most excellent beer.

RJT

Serving type: can

10-21-2012 21:00:56 | More by RonaldTheriot

acevenom

Louisiana

4.23/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours hazy amber with a tall, slowly dissipating eggshell colored head. I can't make out many bubbles rising in the beer. Plentiful sticky lacing is left behind on the glass as the head dissipates. The beer smells earthy and piney, but appropriately not intense for a 45 IBU beer. I can detect some of the malt aroma, which lends some sweetness to the smell. The taste follows the nose. It is hop forward. The piney and earthy flavors from the hops come through well with a nice bready and mildly sweet malt backbone. The hoppy aftertaste clings to the mouth. The body is medium with low carbonation. The finish clings to the mouth, but does clear up after a while. The drinkability is good. This is an excellent beer that hits the right notes. It's a well-balanced APA, so give this one a try.

Serving type: can

09-13-2012 22:29:20 | More by acevenom

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Medium sized light tan head sinks to a thin lacing and then that disappears above a hazy cloudy caramel honey colored beer.

The aroma is on the lighter side with piney hops and sweet malts balancing nicely.

Light piney hops taste that brings with some light bitterness.

Dryish aftertaste with a bit of sweetness on this medium bodied beer.

Decent tasting, just wish the hops were a little more prominent.

Serving type: can

09-11-2012 01:12:58 | More by LXIXME

genitempo

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours nicely from the can, leaving a sizable head, very lumpy but with not too much froth. Nice sappy color with a hint of clarity. The can is less impressive, Southern Star's artwork is lacking.

S- Mild, sugary smell.

T- Strong, hoppy burst with a clean finish. When the sip is over, the hops are steadfast, with minimal alcohol on the palate.

MF- The carbonation is a easily agitated with the sip.

O- Definitely deserves to be canned in groups of 4, but I'm not sure 16 ounces is the right choice for the Pine Belt. I found myself really enjoying the first portion of the drink, but the last few sips were a little too redundant. Still, a very solid beer.

Serving type: can

08-28-2012 00:24:24 | More by genitempo

ZethOfTheNorth

Louisiana

2.98/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

16 oz can bought at Stein's, New Orleans, for $2.39.

This late summer I'm on an APA quest to see if anything locally available competes with SNPA.

A: Dark copper. Nice creamy head. Quite inactive, which has been my experience of all Southern Star beers.

S: Very fragrant from afar, and really sweet-smelling, borderline cloying. No pine scent. Diluted pineapple, like the pineapple juice from cans with the small drinking holes.

M: Yerk. Too sticky on the back end. Doesn't invite more drinking.

T: Average APA taste. Front half follows the pineapple scent -- it's very sweet -- then the taste drops out and a slow bitterness takes over. Dull hop profile.

O: A disappointment. I've given Southern Star a few tries and it's just not working out between us. The Pine Belt has a blah hop profile and a taste that doesn't at all lend itself to sessionability.

Serving type: can

08-22-2012 14:36:44 | More by ZethOfTheNorth

nach0king

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

One of the best pale ales I've ever had. Perfectly balanced, really tasty but goes down easily.

A: Boasts of being unfiltered and unpasteurized but there's minimal lacing, no head after a few seconds, and it lacks shine generally.

S: Mainly maltiness and sweet cereals, a little bit of sea breeze.

T: Just brilliant. Pine-y, obviously, leading into hoppiness, but the malty sweetness cuts through it just enough. I see some other people say this isn't strong enough for their tastes - it's just right for me. A really well-balanced APA. If you want stronger hops look elsewhere but for a sippable but still sessionable ale this is just fantastic.

M: Reasonably thick, low carbonation, but will stay with you.

Loved it. Definitely getting it again.

Serving type: can

07-22-2012 01:02:33 | More by nach0king

elNopalero

Texas

3.03/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This pours a golden straw with a thin layer of foam. There’s not much of an aroma on it, although I can strain and get some light hoppiness. Lightly flavored, with some pine notes on the finish. An easy sipper in warm weather but not a hop forward pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2012 04:15:14 | More by elNopalero

NODAK

Tennessee

3.13/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Smell is certainly of pine tree hops predominately but it isn't all that strong...pretty tame but still unmistakeably Cascade in nature.

Taste, unsurprisingly starts out floral with some pine resin present....but it's kind of tame compared to what I thought it would be. The hops here are dialed back a bit compared to some other well known APA's in my opinion. A nice, small malty creaminess underlies this, and there is a little grain that shows up in the backend....and bitterness lingers a bit with an aspirin astringency after the swallow which is somewhat surprising given the tameless of the initial hoppiness.

All in all...pretty run of the mill APA that's pretty calm and subdued until the lingering bitterness. It won't give the classics a run for their money but it'll suffice as a quaffable option in a can.

Serving type: can

05-22-2012 02:02:17 | More by NODAK

scottfrie

California

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks for this one, Nate.

A: Pours a deep copper with a very huge, billowing, dense head that took forever to faded into a thick and fluffy film. Great sticky lacing.
S: I get clean and light notes of crystal malt and a hint of pine hops. Smells like a crisp pale ale.
T: Follows the nose with light notes of pale malts and lightly bitter hops. Pine and a hint of citrus rind come through, and the aftertaste is lightly biscuity.
M: Medium-light body, clean and smooth mouthfeel, even and surprisingly light carbonation. I guess most of it went into making the epic head.
O: A solid pale ale that is easy to drink. There may not be a lot of frills, but I could drink this all day.

Serving type: can

05-18-2012 01:35:19 | More by scottfrie

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.35/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to kevin123 for this can...

A: Pours a nice cloudy amber hue with about two full finger of off-white head. The foams takes awhile to settle, and leaves good lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is light malt, with a ton of pine and grapefruit notes. With a name like "Pine Belt Pale Ale" there better be some sticky pine in there. Mild vegetable in there as well.

T: A little vegetable and malt up front. Good sweetness, but it quickly transitions into more of a bitter hoppy brew. The hops are nice, but that damn vegetable flavor doesn't seem to fade.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's sticky right off the bat, and the bitters linger for a good time after the fact.

O: I not all that impressed. The vegetable qualities really ruin this beer. Maybe it's just an old can that's been sitting around for too long. I don't know. The hop finish is nice though. I'd love to try this beer again, if I knew it were a fresh can.

Serving type: can

05-16-2012 20:52:11 | More by trxxpaxxs

CTraft

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: frothy, four-fingered head, stays for a little bit

Aroma: sharp, hoppy

Taste: Sharp, hoppy, robust, hint of pine, oaky, with a bitter, piney, moderately persistent after taste..

Mouthfeel: low carbonathion, but rather thick and sharp

Pine Belt Pale Ale is not what I would consider a pale ale, but it does have the hoppiness of one. If you are looking for a robust, oaky, moderately heavy beer, then this is a great choice. Overall, I enjoy sipping on it and would buy it again and again.

Serving type: can

05-12-2012 16:47:32 | More by CTraft

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

16oz can with no canning date.

Pours murkey dark copper with an inch-plus head of white. Plenty of clingy lacing and a solid skim coat on the surface for the duration.

Aromatics feature a blend of crispish malt and a trace of piney hops. The hops are very subdued.

Medium bodied with a crisp mouthfeel.

Malt-forward on the palate with some balancing bitterness and a hint of pine.

Finishes with caramel-spiked malt, some husky grainyness, and a mildly rough bitterness.

Lacking freshness all around and the hops are weak.

Serving type: can

05-11-2012 00:15:29 | More by brewandbbq

beergoot

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copper body with excellent clarity. Decent head with moderate lacing.

Floral hop notes right off. Malt character shines through lightly. Hint of burnt bread.

First mouthful feels light yet deceptively robust. Clean and wet. Taste starts out with light malt notes but almost immediately brings out a fruit-like quality. Pear and kiwi come to mind. Subtle, but definitely there. Very slight bitterness in the finish.

This beer has enough pale ale qualities to fit the style with some added distinctiveness with the light fruit tones. Interestingly complex. No particular component over-dominates the tasting experience; nicely balanced and easy drinking. No hesitation to have another (although I'd probably prefer this for a hot-weather thirst quencher as opposed to a mid-winter libation).

Serving type: can

05-02-2012 03:23:41 | More by beergoot

Durge

Connecticut

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A light yellowish amber color with a solid white head and similar lacing. The aroma is a subtle pine hop and a touch of malty grain. The flavor is mild but nice with a stronger malt backbone and tasteful nuances of pine and peppery citrus. The hops do become more pronounced as it warms and you get used to it, but still mild. It actually growns on me quite a bit despite it’s relatively whimpy hop factor. It’s a nice, simple balanced ale that’s got a grassy finish over cracked wheat malt. Body is medium-light with ample carbonation for a refreshing yet smooth feel. A solid session brew.

Serving type: can

04-08-2012 02:50:01 | More by Durge

burnerfinger

Texas

4.48/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured from the 16 oz can to my new belgium goblet:
bought this becuase the distributor was giving samples at my local brewe-house: (yes it was THAT good)

a pours a dark unfiltered honey color - with a big 3 finger head that settles with great truly great clamshell lacing.

s citrus pine hops - makes me think of the mountains.
NICE!!

t kinda bready - malty along with the piney hopiness. no IPA but then they arent claiming that are they? it's a great pale ale.

m superb. this is just great -

d - you can truly consider this a session beer - recommended by the dozen.

Serving type: can

03-19-2012 02:50:45 | More by burnerfinger

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy caramel with a big off-white foamy head.

Smells of grass, pine with a bit of citrus and biscuit.

A touch of lemon at the start of the palate with a bit of caramel and biscuit malt providing some malt backbone. Finishes slightly piney and dry.

Medium mouthfeel and carbonation for the style.

A solid beer although nothing spectacular. Easy drinking with a standard profile and in cans.

Serving type: can

02-28-2012 01:34:08 | More by jmarsh123

chocosushi

Oklahoma

2.98/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

16oz->Imperial Pint
A ~ Pours an unfiltered amber with sediment on the bottom of the glass. Medium sized bead of carb with a perfect head.

S ~ Spicy hops, pale malt...hints of grass, pine, & toffee. Slightly sweet with a large whiffs of hops. Yeast is prevalent in the nose with notes of apple & anjou pears.

T ~ Biscuits with honey & butter followed by pine-needle, bitter orange peel & golden apples. Hints of orange marmalade & unripe peach. Wheaties on the finish.

M ~ Medium in body & slightly resinous on the palette. Carb is creamy but fades too quickly to carry things through. The type of bitterness achieved here is almost detrimental to the overall flavor of the beer.

D ~ Worthwhile purchase, as I have wanted to try this for awhile, but a tad pricey. Drinkable, yes, but not a beer to seek out as I had. Not everything really came together.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 00:16:39 | More by chocosushi

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks goes out to my boy caSSino for sharing this one while hanging out at NoDa Brewing. Served from can into a NoDa sampler shaker. Poured yellow-orange with a two finger off-white head that subsided to one finger slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, fruit, banana, citrus hop, and citrus. The flavor was of sweet malt, citrus, citrus hop, caramel, and caramel hop. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was an okay brew. I honestly went into this brew not really expecting much at all. However, this one really wasn’t too bad at all. It had a nice citrus aspect going on in this one, but I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the caramel aspects going on. Worth trying or ticking at least once.

Serving type: can

02-10-2012 00:54:02 | More by thagr81us