Yellowtail Pale Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

Foxman

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It pours an absolutely clear macro-esque golden yellow. A finger of white head sinks to sparse circlets of froth. Slips of lacing slide along the inside of the glass.

In the aroma, pale malt, with a light, sugary fruitiness, is joined by distant doughy yeast. Biscuit and a vague but spicy hope presence fade away soon.

Upon tasting, the malt is light in every way, with light grain, light fruit, and light sweetness. A crisp hop note dries things promptly and opens the way to a very low-key spiciness. Soft baked biscuit and bready yeast speak up toward the close. The finish moves from a crusty earth tone to a thin, dry bitterness that falls off clean. Notice how much I used the word "light?"

Light bodied (there's that word again), carbonation bests a fast-flowing body and gives it a little push, but not enough.

Yes, it's light of nature and character and sometimes that makes for a fine session beer, but in this case it makes for more of a boring beer. There's just not enough there to make it notable or especially desirable in any real way. It does drink easily enough, but there's not a lot of reward for the effort, as minimal as it may be. And the downside to a bomber is I just might doze off before I finish it.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2008 18:35:05 | More by Foxman

zeff80

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a fizzy, somewhat cloudy, golden yellow color with a foamy, soapy, white, two-figer head. There were some rings of lace.

S - It smelled of citrus and was quite floral.

T - This was pretty sweet with a nice barley and grain taste. It also had some spicy hop presence.

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

D - This is one of the best Kolsch-style ales that I've ever had. I liked the hop kick that it had.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2008 16:08:53 | More by zeff80

Blakaeris

Iowa

3.03/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours cloudy golden yellow with a modest white head that quickly becomes a thin soapy sheen. Slight carbonation and no lacing.

Aroma is pale malt, grassy, with mild citrus hop character.

Taste is similiar to the nose. Dry pale malt up front. Slight metallic bite. Lemon grass and light hops bring a crisp finish.

Mouthfeel is light bodied.

A crisp light beer. Flavor is very mild and subdued. Overall, nothing extraordinary though.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 22:29:14 | More by Blakaeris

bashiba

Iowa

2.63/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured a golden orange color with a light off white head. Decent lacing.

Smell was light and grainy with a bit of corn.

Flavor was light with touches of light grainy malts and a hint of lemony hops, but they were all overshadowed by a tin like metallic taste that seemed to dominate the flavor.

Mouthfeel was light and a bit dry with some mild carbonation.

Drinkability is ruined by the persistent metallic taste.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 22:23:08 | More by bashiba

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear gold with a white-ish head that wastes no time in falling. Flavor is a bit sweet and smooth. Noticeable grain attributes. But that sweet aftertaste sticks with you for quite some time. Feel has a biting carbonation. This is pretty easy to drink. I have to say this kölsch style is growing on me lately.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 07:28:40 | More by RblWthACoz

brentk56

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear pale golden color with a marshmallow cap; decent retention and a touch of lace

Smell: Bready, with lemon floral tones

Taste: Opens with sweet malty elements that have a considerable lemon character; after the swallow, the contrasting flavors persist and are joined by a hint of wheat and a dollop of husky grain

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A little maltier than would be expected for the Kölsch style; when I reviewed this on tap I was overly critical as I thought it was a pale ale

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2008 22:13:56 | More by brentk56

jmz62565

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear yellow/straw with a large white head that leaves good lacing. The smell is somewhat pungent with bread yeast and floral scents. The taste is light,crisp,and clean with bread yeast,hops,and floral flavors. The m/f is light with all the flavors mixing well. A nice light summer beer with alot of taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2008 21:13:47 | More by jmz62565

GClarkage

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

05/24/08- Purchased at City Beer in San Fancisco, CA.

Presentation- 12oz bottle with no freshness info. Poured into a random pint glass.

Appearance- Pale yellow-golden pour with a 1/2 inch seltzery head. Leaves behind decent lace sheets.

Smell- Light scented sweet toasted malt and a handfull of hops.

Taste- Sweet malt with a lemony flavor. Hops are present and are lemon-grapefruit in flavor. A bit grainy as well.

Mouthfeel- Mid to high range carbonation level.

Drinkability- Haven't had many of this style, but it went down easy enough. Decent enough to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2008 03:45:13 | More by GClarkage

ibbjamin

California

2.38/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Paid $3.69 for a bomber from BevMo in Willow Glen, CA. Poured into a pint glass with 2 pours.

A 1 finger off white head that disappears to nothing quickly. Medium carbonation. Transparent light yellow color. Lacing is almost non existent.

Mild aroma of hops with hints of toasty nutty malts.

A sweet dry malty taste with grassy hints.

Light body, watery finish, lightly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2008 02:22:24 | More by ibbjamin

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Light amber color with a slight haze. Good lace. Modest head, but lasts.

Slightly stinky, but not skunky. Dry malt and slightly grainy. Very low hop.

Astringent is the first word that comes to mind. Flavorful, but dry. Smooth mouthfeel but not overly rich. Nice hoppy finish with good aftertaste.

This wouldn't be the first beer I'd reach for, but it is innocent enough to enjoy. No flaws but no curiosities either.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2008 22:28:21 | More by smcolw

edchicma

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, rich yellow with minimal head. Smell is sweet, malty, inviting. taste is a rich blend of sweet malt on the front with a decent, slightly bitter hop finish. Mouthfeel is almost creamy, slighly chewy. Drinkability is enhanced by the creaminess and light hop finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2008 23:44:25 | More by edchicma

Floydster

California

3.23/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle purchased from Cooke's in El Segundo for about four dollars, split with my friend last night, poured into a pint glass

A-Golden yellow color, can see right through this bad boy, one inch foamy white head, did not stick around for long, not much retention or lacing

S-A bit skunky surprisingly, grassy accents, straw and hay, dry hoppiness, some slightly bready malt, all aromas are weak and barely distinguishable

T-This beer was incredibly light and it was hard not to drink really fast, started off with some faint hops, some malt in the middle but not a very noticeable amount, more hops in the finish, scary how easy this stuff went down, especially as it warmed, taste faded mostly by the end but still not bad, would have liked to have more of an aroma and flavor to make this beer stand out, although it never did taste bad, just not too complex

M-Crisp, slightly dry, and slick mouthfeel, thirst quenching, thin body, large amount of carbonation, taste did not last long

D-Could drink a lot of this stuff mainly because it is so light and the ABV is below five, of course there is no booze, would make a nice session, smooth and crisp at the same time

Surprisingly had never tasted this one until yesterday, not one of Ballast Point's best by any means but not bad for its style, might drink again, especially in the summer time, worth trying

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2008 16:43:07 | More by Floydster

brewgetter

Kansas

2.98/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Very clear pale gold in color, very thin head but has some lacing. Smell is reminds me of the BMC crowd. Taste is better than the smell, but leaves a yeastiness lingering. Light on the hops, carbonation is OK but not great. Not too bad, but I was expecting a little better.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2008 18:59:15 | More by brewgetter

mhewes

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A : Pours a golden color with a decent white head

S : Malty with some grass hints

T : Grainy and yeasty with some hop bitterness.

M : Thin with some decent carbonation

D : For a kolsch, it just doesn't do it for me. It is not a crisp and refreshing as I would expect.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2008 00:15:42 | More by mhewes

Gavage

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a dark golden yellow color with a 1" head that lingers a while. Some spotty lacing develops.

Smell: grass, hay, and some malt sweetness is detectable by the nose.

Taste: grainy malt base with grass, pears, and mild bitterness. Very simple kolsch style that is refreshing.

Mouthfeel: crisp from start to finish. Medium bodied beer. Clean aftertaste.

Drinkbaility: definite session beer here. I was surprised the label states pale ale but the liner notes explain this is a kolsch. Tasty and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2008 23:29:32 | More by Gavage

YonderWanderer

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a pale yellow with two fingers of active foam that dissipates fairly quickly.

S: Some sweet malts, and a hint of grassy hops.

T: This follows the smell. The malt is dominant, with some biscuit and sweetness blending nicely. A nice grassy hops comes in and balances it out.

M: Smooth, thin, but that's how it should be.

D: This is a hell of a session brew. Very tasty, and I could see drinking this on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 23:28:54 | More by YonderWanderer

jwc215

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours straw golden yellow with a thin white head that holds up for awhile before becoming a vanishing patch.

The smell is sweet grain with a hint of Continental-type/floral hops.

The taste follows the nose. A touch of "wet cardboard". A bit yeasty, though with some crispness. Sweetish, turning to a dryish finish. Appropriately light-bodied.

A decent attempt at the style, though not quite as crisp and refreshing as some more classic examples of a Kolsch-style beer, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2008 14:20:24 | More by jwc215

Billolick

New York

3.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bomber, no freshness info offered. Pours light and clear, under a fairly thin off white tiny bubble head, that leaves plenty of sticky, fine sheeting. Resiny hop nose. Easy drinking, snappy, hopped up offering. I personally find it confusing when a brewery puts out a "pale ale" that actually is a Kolsch beer. Anyway, this beer is a pleasant enough light sipper. Nothing special going on here.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2008 12:11:44 | More by Billolick

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured a clear, bright tangerine color with a billowy, dull white head that slowly settled to a creamy, bubbly layering that left a sticky and clumpy lacing behind. Visible carbonation was very strong and vibrant with rapidly rising bubbles rushing to the surface.

S: surprisingly light with freshly squeezed lemons and tangerines.

T: The initial flavor was fresh citrus/lime and tangerines. The palate was incredibily clean with light pale malts and a sharp citrus hopping that was well rounded and very smooth flavor wise. The finish was crisp with a short duration of bright wet citrus.

M: very light, slick with a surprisingly light carbonation presence on the tongue despite the strong visible nature. The beer finished clean with a moderate citrus bite left on the tongue.

D: An extremely clean, crisp drinking pale with a wet citrusy nature makes this a classic example and easy to drink and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2008 23:33:13 | More by beerthulhu

geexploitation

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours perfectly clear, with a beautiful bright gold hue but no head to speak of. The nose is pretty mild -- just some clear, pale German style malts and a dusting of hops. On the palate, surprisingly rich, almost chewy malt content that nonetheless remains light. Both hops and carbonation provide a sharp and balancing counterpoint to the malt. Mouthfeel is just right for the style -- or at least the American version of the style, as it's a bit thicker and bigger than the original kolsches. Overall, though, this is quite nice. It's not a bold, incredibly complex beer, but it is drinkable and satisfying and doesn't sport any flaws. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2008 02:52:14 | More by geexploitation

DavidSeanNJ

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a 22 oz. bomber. This is my first offering from Ballast Point. Overall, unimpressive but not that bad.

A- Light hazy straw color, very yellow and bright.

S- Very floral, earthy, and citrusy. Reminded me of a fresh garden with some lemon zest.

T- Taste was malty and toasty. Very faint hops. Very light bodied, not much going on here.

M- Crips and refreshing, but very light and easy.

D- This one was boring to me and was not fun to drink. Its an easy drinker and sessionable but nothing exciting.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2008 02:17:41 | More by DavidSeanNJ

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Acquired via trade from t0rin0, so a big Thank You goes out to him. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a becker pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright gold color, with a large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of grain, light malts and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste very bready with flavors of grain, a mild malt sweetness, despite a substantial malt character, and a touch of fruit. There's a good hops presence for the style and it provides a good balance. The after-taste is slightly bready, slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium-to-high carbonation, finish is clean and dry.

D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not filling at all, mild kick, very good representation of style, this is very good beer to pound for and entire evening.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2008 04:12:10 | More by TheManiacalOne

JDV

Texas

3/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of Fordest.
Gold pour, light white head, short lived. Smell is of some light malt and hops with a slight grassy alcohol smell. Taste is fairly crisp, refreshing, with a decent bite to it reminiscent of a pilsner. A bit dryer than most kolsches and light to medium carbonation. One of the better ones of the style that I have had.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 18:20:09 | More by JDV

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

Nice yellow, straw color with a rocky, puffy head. It also had a musty smell to it. The flavor was some must, subtle fruitiness, and the mouthfeel was crisp. I could see drinking a couple of these while doing yard work. Then again, I would probably just buy the Big Eye IPA instead.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2007 06:04:23 | More by ArrogantB

mobud

Delaware

2.6/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle into tulip.

A- Dark straw with no head and very light carbonation.

S- Wheat with light smell of cut grass.

T- Light wheat with a tang that I have trouble placing.

M- Insanely thin with almost no body and not all that refreshing.

D- I purchased this beer at a Von's close to my San Diego resort and was unable to find a freshness date or code to find if I was drinking old beer. Ballast Point has such a great rep that I hope it was old and not them. I will give this one another shot if I can get it in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2007 19:36:34 | More by mobud