Yellowtail Pale Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.7/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This beer was served on tap at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY. It arrived in a Blue Point pint glass, glowing a golden straw coloring. It held a one finger head of white bubbles, showing moderate retention, and foamy, patterned lacing down the sides of the glass. No haze or sediment was noted, and carbonation appeared higher end. The aroma gave big mustiness, paler malts, light lemon, light plastics, warm nuttiness, wheat, orange flesh, clove, and grassy hops to cut. With warmth the hops came to a sweeter end, with barnyard funkiness, mineral, and freshly-cut-grass cleanliness. Our first impression was that the flavoring gave a nice blend of pale malts and citric sourness. As we sipped, sour wheat and pale malts, lemon flesh, citric rind, huge metallics, and the dryness of straw and all of its bitterness mixed for the start. The middle peaked with dirty copper, big adjuncty bite, lemon rind bitterness, hoppy grassiness, and chalky bitterness. The finish came with white flour, baker’s yeast, bright melted plastic warmth, continued grassy hop, and citric rind to the final puckering drop. The aftertaste breathed of massive coin, straw, barnyard yeastiness, chalk, grassy hops, mineral and mud, floury adjuncts, and light fusel air. The body was medium, and the carbonation high, with prickle across the hard palate. There was big foam on the swirl around the mouth, with an otherwise decent slurp, sip, and smack. Froth and cream were lesser. There was an initially wet coating that turned into a strong pucker and eventual dryness. The abv was fine, and the beer drank decently.

Overall, our favorite thing about this beer was its crisp freshness and robust flavoring for the style. Many beers in the style go too far with the drying flour bite and the adjuncts, with big puckering grassiness, and further drying elements of straw. While this guy teeters on the edge, it doesn’t go overboard in these aspects, making for a decently drinking, crisp beverage.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 01:02:15 | More by TheBrewo

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.29/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Well, until I started typing this I had no idea this was considered a kolsch. I mean, why would they call it a pale ale if it was another style altogether? It does explain things, though... It pours a clear brass topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises sweet biscuit, flowers, and a hint of candied orange peel in the background. The taste brings in more of the same, but with more of the orange peel and some mild grass for good measure. Overall, a decent little kolsch, and a sad excuse for a pale ale, depending on how you wanna look at it.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:35:07 | More by TMoney2591

piratebryan

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

05-16-2013 22:50:20 | More by piratebryan

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Well, I bought this thinking it would be a citrusy and medium hoppy APA since it says Pale Ale on the bottle and Ballast Point brewed it.

Come to find out, this is a Kolsch made with Euro hops. OK?

I suppose it tastes pretty good for a Kolsch, but I feel as if I have been duped.

False advertising!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 22:46:17 | More by GuzzLah

hilgart1

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -22.3%

05-16-2013 03:16:39 | More by hilgart1

Zbeetleman

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

05-15-2013 06:06:25 | More by Zbeetleman

muddyh2oblues

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

05-12-2013 01:40:03 | More by muddyh2oblues

bacher468

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

05-11-2013 15:44:44 | More by bacher468

eulerthegrape

California

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%

05-10-2013 15:42:15 | More by eulerthegrape

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4/5  rDev +13%

05-10-2013 00:12:56 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

largadeer

California

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

05-09-2013 19:05:33 | More by largadeer

TheDoak

Florida

3/5  rDev -15.3%

05-09-2013 02:45:20 | More by TheDoak

sunny289

California

4/5  rDev +13%

05-02-2013 17:31:00 | More by sunny289

brycevolk

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-30-2013 13:07:30 | More by brycevolk

Maillard

California

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-30-2013 07:31:48 | More by Maillard

dwagner003

California

3/5  rDev -15.3%

04-29-2013 17:47:51 | More by dwagner003

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.63/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Pours to a nice but thinnish white head with minimal lacing and pale gold color. Aroma is sweet grainy pale malt and grassy, floral hops. Flavor starts slightly sweet with a dry wine and noble hops finish to balance it out. Mouthfeel is a bit rough for the style. Overall a great beer that is pale and an ale but is nothing like a "pale ale". I ordered it not knowing it was a kolsch. But I was pleasantly surprised.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2013 18:29:53 | More by EagleTalon

LSx

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

04-25-2013 04:37:47 | More by LSx

mbw314

California

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-25-2013 04:12:53 | More by mbw314

kp29

Arizona

3/5  rDev -15.3%

04-21-2013 21:56:46 | More by kp29

natedirka

Arizona

1.15/5  rDev -67.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This was not good... At all. Had this on tap and thought it was a pilsner. My girlfriend ordered a pilsner and thought the glasses were switched in front of us.

It had almost no nose and tasted like dishsoap.

I enjoy IPA's more than Pale Ales and can still enjoy less hoppy ales but this was just plain bad.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2013 02:33:41 | More by natedirka

Cardmarauder

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -43.5%

04-13-2013 02:08:19 | More by Cardmarauder

LoFiDave

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

04-12-2013 01:03:42 | More by LoFiDave

crob3888

California

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%

04-06-2013 05:56:43 | More by crob3888

chippo33

Vermont

2.5/5  rDev -29.4%

04-06-2013 05:50:28 | More by chippo33