Fox Tail Gluten Free Ale - Joseph James Brewing Inc.

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

2.89/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

The beer pours a crystal clear straw color with a white head that retains a ring and a Friar Tuck cap throughout most of the drink. The lacing is there, but widely spaced in columns. Hey, for a gluten free beer, it's lucky to have a head, let alone lacing so ROCK ON!

It smells like cider mostly. Estery green apples and some floral hops.

The first sip is a whallup of hops overtop light sweet grains that comes off very much like soap. I let it sit for a few minutes and came back to it and found that it mellowed in the pilsner glass. It's bitter from start to finish that transitions midway through with lightly sweet diluted apple cider and a fairly pronounced hop finish that leaves you a little dry. Not bad. There are notes of rice, yes. Not balance well.

Mouthfeel is slightly slimy with a very thin body. Carbonation is pretty lively.

Overall, for a gluten free beer, I will give it an average score. As an APA I'd have to score it low, but it's not an APA really, so I'm going to give it a 3 out of 5. I won't seek it out again as I think the hops overpower everything.

Serving type: can

03-14-2013 03:20:34 | More by WissBrauSean

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks again to woodychandler and his canquest for another canned beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a very pale yellow color with a small head. Smell is mild, some sweetness. Taste is a bit of hops up front, a touch of sweetness, lots of carbonation. Feels light in the mouth and overall is a mediocre beer.

Serving type: can

08-29-2012 21:16:58 | More by tone77

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev +11%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Poured an -extremely- pale diluted color of yellow with a flash head and a distinctly sake-like scent (not surprising given the rice content) along with a healthy dose of green apples and floral hopping. Flavor is an extremely stripped-down and basic engine of green and yellow apples with a thin garnish of dry white vinous and sake notes rising up on the stubby finish. Body is thin and somewhat undercarbonated but not to the point of being watery. I have to agree with other BA members : This one plays out a lot more like a gentle cider than a beer. Still, it's tasty, just....very different from the usual fare.

Serving type: can

07-08-2012 02:15:09 | More by WastingFreetime

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another score from my most recent foray to Media, PA and Pinocchio's in support of The CANQuest (TM). I love those guys!

The Crack revealed a beer that was anxious to get out of its surroundings as I had some foam instantly coming out of the opening. I let it settle back down, revealing yet another craft CAN filled to the brim. The Glug was successful, but the head that formed was as fizzy as soda pop and quickly dissipated to nothingness. Color was a pale lemon-yellow with NE-quality clarity. Nose had an odd sweetish quality along with a definite hop presence. Mouthfeel was quite effervescent and the taste had a sharpness that was hard to quantify. It was slightly bitter but offset with a sweet flavor that was unlike anything that I could identify. Finish was very dry and refreshing. I liked it, but I have to admit to feeling guilty about drinking it, since I am not sensitive to foods at this point in my life and I hate to think that I took one from someone who would not have my wealth of choices. I would recommend it to anyone whose diet renders them gluten-free, but I am going to keep my fingers off of it unless nothing else is available.

Serving type: can

07-05-2012 00:53:29 | More by woodychandler

Murrhey

Montana

3.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz can into a pint glass. Reviewed live.

A- Finger width white head. Pretty loosely packed and the retention rate is fairly low. Well carbonated and strange soapy lacing. Almost no color to it, but is there is a very pale gold. Almost water colored.

S- Floral hops, apples, sugar, cooked rice. Light and inviting smell, but honestly smells more like a cider than a beer. Strange.

T- That's much better tasting than I expected. That being said, I expected very little. Some of the light hoppiness and sweetness that accompanies an APA, with a distinct fleshy fruit flavor. Like apples or peaches or something light. Sharp taste.

M- Heavily carbonated which makes for a bit of a sharp feel. Very wet and light bodied.

Serving type: can

04-15-2012 06:33:19 | More by Murrhey

Scotchboy

Idaho

2.75/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Can from Brewforia Beer Market. Poured into Sam Smith nonic.

A: Pours uber-clear pale straw with a huge, quickly-receding foamy & soapy white head. No lace.

S: American Pale huh? Well there is a faint earthy, floral hop presence, but its mostly a sweet, estery yeast presence, fruity, apples, faint grain.

T: Sweet, crisp flavors, hard cider meets Bud Light. Again, faint apples and grain. A touch of earthiness. Relatively clean finish, with a touch of a bitterness.

MF: Carbonation dissipates rapidly, leaving behind a very water-like smooth mouthfeel. Light body.

O: Someone really needs to try harder at this Gluten Free Beer thing. Not recommended.

Serving type: can

03-01-2012 00:57:38 | More by Scotchboy

flagmantho

Washington

3.55/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz can into a pint glass.

Appearance: light golden hue with a tiny, tiny bit of haze and a nice effervescence. Head poured a finger of fizzy white foam but head retention is poor and lacing is nil.

Smell: pleasing aroma of light, citrusy hops and something sweet. I think it is relatively successful.

Taste: nice citrusy hop flavor with a light sweetness and a bit of a zippy tang at the end. A pretty refreshing beer.

Mouthfeel: light body with a good carbonation. Not exactly creamy, but prickly and interesting.

Overall: this is without a doubt the best gluten-free beer I've tasted. The website says this is brewed without any sorghum, so maybe that's the secret. It's not a perfect beer, but on a hot day, this stuff could go down like water.

Serving type: can

02-06-2012 18:02:29 | More by flagmantho

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

America's first canned gluten-free beer.

POUR: very pale straw color with about a half inch of loose foam that quickly fades to a thin white film on top. Clean and clear with nice looking carbonation. Very much like a light lager in appearance.

AROMA: honey, floral hops, white pepper, grape juice, lemon zest. Very unique aroma that really has you searching for descriptors.

TASTE: the first thing we notice is the effervescence, this has an almost seltzer like carbonation that dances on the tongue. Plenty of bitterness from the hops right up front with a tangy but not overly sweet finish. Unlike many other beers it has none of the malt characteristics so familiar to many beer drinkers - instead it showcases quite a bit of hop flavor and aroma with only a subtly sweet background. Some citrus notes come along with a peppery flavor that stay on the palate.

OVERALL: Fox Tail is a new type of beer drinking experience for me, yet one that is vaguely familiar at the same time. It certainly has some of the qualities of a light-bodied yet hoppy brew - just without the malt profile to which one might be accustomed. For those of you who've gone without a beer due to Celiac disease, and most folks know at least one person who falls into this category, this is certainly a beer worth seeking out.

Serving type: can

12-28-2011 02:07:37 | More by indiapaleale