Poleeko Gold Pale Ale - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

A good American style pale. Golden body,white foam, with pleasant citrus aroma. Taste is some citrus and a good bitterness, good malting for drinkability. Bit above average mouthfeel. A hint of acid in the aftertaste, but that is tolerable.Nice balance.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 01:42:00 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.18/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Out of focus saffron topped by a sticky ivory head that is some kind of impressive. The foam is pitting and pocking all over the place, is both sturdy and persistent, and ends up leaving blurred, interconnected rings of lace cemented to the glass. Lovely, citrus fruity nose bursting with candied grapefruit and orange peel.

Poleeko possesses a sweet, sugar cookie-like pale maltiness that allows the significant hop load to shine. The citrus zest zing is kept in check by the civilizing influence of the malt, thereby taking the edge off of the bitterness (and, to some extent, the flavor as well). Make no mistake though, this beer is as well-hopped as many pale ales and more than most.

In addition to the grapefruit and bitter orange that are present throughout, there are spruce-like notes that increase with warming. The body is supremely smooth and almost chewy with a well-hidden amount of carbonation. Because of the substantial body/mouthfeel and the extroverted hop flavor, the finish is a long and lingering affair with echoes that last until the next sip.

Anderson Valley brews great beer. I didn't really need more proof to convince myself of that assertion, but Poleeko Gold provided it anyway. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2004 22:44:19 | More by BuckeyeNation

womencantsail

California

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

A: The pour is a slightly hazed orange color with a thin white head on top which leaves some nice sticky lacing.

S: There is a fair bit of sweetness to the nose of this beer. The hops are sweet and fruity (primarily oranges), but a bit grassy at the same time. There is quite a bit of caramel malt as well.

T: The flavor follows along much of the same line as the nose. The beer is quite sweet and malty, especially for an American pale ale. The finish has a touch of lemon, orange and bitter hops, but not much.

M: The body is medium with moderate carbonation.

D: I was expecting more from this beer to say the least. Anderson Valley usually does some nice beers, especially Hop Ottin and the oatmeal stout. This one is a beer not quite on the same level.

Serving type: can

01-31-2010 00:54:39 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a light gold color with a white head. Nose brings forward some citrus and floral his along with some bready malt. Taste brigs on some bitterness at a pretty high rate for the style. Feel is nice with good bitterness and carbonation. Drinks quite well and is one of my favorites from them.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2010 22:47:10 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with an impressive head that leaves strands of lacing behind

Smell: Piney hops aroma with a fair bit of biscuity malt underneath

Taste: Starts out with a sweet, soft biscuity malt flavor which manages to linger throughout despite an assault from the hops that occurs mid-palate; the sweet malt adds a really nice touch to the citrusy/piney hops flavor that persists into the finish in a well-balanced fashion; a bit of the yeast comes through as well and adds a nice flavor, too

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a nice amount of carbonation

Drinkability: A very nice west coast APA; would find a place in my regular rotation if I ever created one

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2005 20:22:43 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a hazy deep yellow color ale with a huge bubbly white head with better then average retention. Aroma of grassy floral hops is clearly detectable and really enjoyable. Taste is incredibly grassy with nice floral undertone and a medium bitter finish. I thought this was a well balance mix between the grassy, sweet malt and light bitter finish. Definitely something I would track down again.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2006 15:13:12 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.33/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Second drinking at USBTC Tasting at Jungle Jim's, Cincinnati. This beer was described as a winner of the Golden ale / Kolsch catagory, although labled as a Pale Ale. It does fall short of Pale Ale in the body and malt character/sweetness. But it cleans up nicely in the body and finish. Very drinkable and extra pale. Quite dry and lightly grainy. Hops remain lightly citrusy. Good beer.

A very solid brew for any occation at any time. A basic copper color, white head that faded and laced well. Smells hoppy: other tones of floral and citrus. Moderately sweet malt extends from the nose to the flavor. Obvious flavors from late addition of chico hops and other American variety. Flavors of grapefruit, oranges, pears and a mild cider flavor decorate the lightly malt body. A tad spicy from complex hopping adds to the complexity and bittering into the aftertaste. Lingers bitter and slightly sweet. Might finish a bit water, metalic, and harsh from hops and grain. A crisp and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2005 19:29:15 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow what a nice subtle,soft beer.Nive golden color,with decent head retention.Soft hop flavor makes this beer very easy to drink.Impressive beer.Going to try many in the Anderson Valley line.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2002 08:45:26 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice golden color with deep amber highlights and a dense 1/4" head that falls quickly to 1/8", then to 1/16" but holds! The aroma is quite floral (Goldings?), citrusy (Cascade?) with a light malt backing. The body is medium with a good mouthfeel.
The flavor starts with a touch of light sweet malt on the tip of the tongue - somewhat fruity - followed by hops supported upon a clean, basic maltiness with a touch of biscuit-like width, and then finishing with more hops - a long, dry, bitter and herbal finish. But extremely well balanced! Clean, crisp and surprisingly smooth in the mouth. I'm guessing there may be some Fuggles in here as well, as there's a touch of a "mettallic" note at the end. A really amazing beer considering how light it actually is... where not talking I.P.A. here! Extremely complex yet simple. Clean and continually enjoyable. Not so much a solid punch to the gut, more of a swift hit to the face. And here's the best part, probably not their best beer!

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2002 08:46:51 | More by NeroFiddled

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is hazy light yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that has good retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface and some bits of lacing down the edges of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of floral hops in the nose along with some hints of citrus.
T: Like the smell, the taste is dominated by flavors of floral hops and has some hints of honey and citrus. It has a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and slightly, clean crisp and dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a very unique beer that seems like a hybrid between an APA and a blonde ale, but in a good way. It is extremely drinkable and packed with an interesting blend of hops.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 01:13:55 | More by metter98

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bubbly white head, fresh, and sparkling. Pale gold to orange in color. Aroma is fresh and sea-foaming, with loads of fruit, citrus. peach, apricot. Nice hops, adequate bitterness. Easily quaffable, a tasty and fully satisfactory session beer. Long finish, full of life and spark. I'll gladly turn to this one again and again!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2003 21:08:25 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a very pale gold color with a thin white head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a wonderful pale malt scent with floral hops hanging in the balance; very nice. The taste is good. It has a very light, pale malt flavor with a very bitter hop quality. It goes down easy and finishes dry and bitter. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a good Golden Ale. It has excellent hop characteristics, but I think the malt bill could be changed for the better.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2004 02:00:51 | More by WesWes

zeff80

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, orange/amber color with a foamy, tan, three-finger head. Even the second pour brought a big head. It left sticky patches of lace.

S - It smelled of pine, grasses and floral notes. There was a slight burnt toast aroma, too.

T - It tasted very grassy with a sharp hop bitterness. It had a crisp roasted malt flavor.

M - It was crisp and very sharp. A light to medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a very solid APA. pretty easy drinking and flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2008 01:22:03 | More by zeff80

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer poured out as a golden orange color, the head was decent and left some scattered lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer had some pilsner like aromas going on, kind of made me a disappointed. The flavor is slightly hoppy, some grassy flavors in there too. The mouthfeel was pretty light and drinakble. Overall I can see others enjoying this beer quite a bit but for me it just wasn't my thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 01:30:30 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle,

A: Gold to amber with a thick white head.

S: Piney and citric American hops, some malt, pretty robust for an American Pale Ale.

T: Subdued somewhat from what I'm used to in an APA, but still tasty amounts of citric hops, does have a good malt backbone.

M: Smooth, would like a little more creaminess, somewhat resiny.

D: A good American Pale Ale, not going to blow you away, but a good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2007 03:17:51 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle. Apparently, 'Poleeko', in Boontling, just refers to the town of Philo, California. Meh.

This beer pours a clear, medium golden amber hue, with three fingers of aggressively foamy, puffy, and somewhat rocky eggshell white head, which leaves some decent broken spider web lace around the glass as it slowly ebbs out of existence.

It smells of biscuity, grainy pale malt, lemon, orange and sweet Texas grapefruit, a slight field honey sweetness, some mild leafy herbs, and a strong grassy hoppiness. The taste is bready, almost pastry-like grainy malt, orange cream, lemon/honey dressing, and a complex grassy, herbal, and leafy hop bitterness.

The carbonation swirls about to a certain extent, but is generally unobtrusive, the body a sugary medium weight, and fairly smooth by the same measure. It finishes well off-dry, the honey, pale malt, and fruitiness blending splendidly with the biscuit and latent hop edginess.

Now this, this is an APA - hoppy, you bet your ass - but incredibly well complemented by a robust maltiness. Lots going on, and it all works - boy could I go for another one of these at the moment.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 00:45:11 | More by biboergosum

Gavage

New Jersey

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

Poured a hazy orange color with some yellow tones. 1/2" head didn't last too long. Few pieces of sediment at the bottom of the glass. The aroma is average, as some citrus and sweet tones are detectable but not powerful enough. The flavor is sweet with some citrus tones rounding it out. The bitterness is light, and it seems to fit this just fine. The mouthfeel is smooth and has a clean finish. Medium bodied and nicely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2004 13:27:33 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy golden with a thin bubbly head that becomes patchy.

The smell is citric with biscuity maltiness. Robust.

The taste follows the nose very well. It is citric with some resiny pine that is appropriately balanced by biscuity, sweet malt flavors. A balanced, bittersweet flavor lasts well into the finish.

Medium bodied with medium carbonation, this one is a very "sessionable" pale ale. Certainly American/West Coast in style, this one stands out in its style category!

Thanks to Wasatch for including this one in our trade!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2007 14:56:53 | More by jwc215

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

What a treat I have overlooked this beer so many times please don't make the same mistake. Pours a slightly hazed copper orange with a nice bubbly foaming off-white head very nice appearance and the lacing is lies even around my pint. The aroma is a bouquet of floral west coast hops with a load of malt buttery notes of sweetness just amazing beer a benchmark for the style. The taste has traces of honey sweetness that run through it with honey glazed west coast hops and enough malt sweetness to balance it out just a great refreshing beer. The mouthfeel is medium bodied slightly syrupy very nice fluffiness to the texture, this beer is truly amazing. Drinkability is like whoa, I could go out in buy a case to have as my go to beer right now it's that good.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2003 11:40:34 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours orange/amber/brown with a good amount of off white head. Nose is orange piney hops. Flavor is a kind of odd mix of bitter, orange-ish citrus, and hops. I can't say it seems really balanced. Full bodied, sure. But balanced? No. Too much bite. Feel is kind of thick and doughy. Nice enough carbonation. Overall, the odd flavor profile here kind of drops the drinkability in my opinion. I mean, hey, there's no balance here where there should be. Ya know? Just seems to be lacking.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 17:50:26 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a orange-gold color with a nice whitehead. Smelled of some nice malt, hops and some citrus. The taste was floral, citrus and slightly hoppy, not bitter but very dry and smooth. Finishes great!! Good Pale and I would drink again for sure. ANother solid beer from Anderson Valley.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2008 00:28:46 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy, dark gold color. Modest head but it leaves some ring lace after each sip.

Golden pale ale malt aroma--slightly raw. Delicate hop in the background. Reminds me of the Czech pilseners I had in Prague.

Nice hop up front; it sticks around but never overpowers. The malt base is excellent--very natural roundness without any flaws. The mouthfeel is of skim milk with just the perfect amount of carbonation.

This may be one of the easiest beers to drink--it's full of flavor without being extreme.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2009 22:25:15 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy yellow/golden color, nice carbonation, small head, there is some nice lacing going on as well. Scents of hops, malts, maybe citrus. Very nice taste with a little bite at the end, very hoppy/malty. Light-Medium body. Very drinkable at 5.5% ABV, another excellent brew from Anderson Valley, would recommend for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2005 22:46:53 | More by Wasatch

Jason

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz brown long-neck bottle with no freshness date. Blurb about the beer on the back label.

Appearance: Pale honey golden in colour with a well textured lace that tells me the beer is going to be smooth.

Smell: Fresh hop aroma, flowery and bitter. Mildy fruity.

Taste: Exceptionally smooth with a bitter sweet hop burst. Malt and lends a light biscuit grain flavour yet is laidback otherwise. More fruit character from the hop than the yeast but both are certainly noticeable. Hop flavour is long and drawn out but not alone, its paired up with a little grain to make for a dryish clean finish.

Notes: Prime example of what a West Coast American Pale Ale is. Head retention is close to perfection, hops are to die for and the malt and body are placed perfectly to keep everything in balance. Wow what a beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2002 19:07:52 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

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

Sampled a 12 ouncer, pours a mildly hazy light amber/straw. White head, tiny bubbles, expansive fine lacing and sheeting. Hoppy, grainy APA, nose is mildly hoppy with a hint of butter. Medium bodied, not much of a mouthfeel, abit prickly on the tongue, could use some more of a malt undercarraige . Grainy hops carry the weight here. Grapefruit and peppery. Bitter and dry in the finish. Workable ale, respectable sessioner.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2004 20:24:39 | More by Billolick