White Birch Hop Session Ale - White Birch Brewing

dciBA

Maine

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

Poured from the bomber into an oversized tulip. Color is a hazy amber. A small head forms but quickly fades to a skimming. Lacing is there, but not too much of it. Bottled in Feb. 2011, so not super fresh, but good enough.

Your nose greeted by a nice dose of hops right away. As the beer warms some sweet caramel works in but it's mostly citrus hops still. Very pleasant smell.

Just like the smell, your palate is hit with citrus hops at first followed by a really nice maltiness. Toasted bread and sweet caramel malt mix in with the hops perfectly. While the nose just revealed citrus, the flavor holds piney hops as well. I can only assume that this was more hop forward when fresher but at this point is very well balanced and tasty.

Carbonation is a little high in my opinion but doesn't really detract all that much from an other wise smooth mouthfeel. Finish is nice and dry, which is great for a beer called hop session. Very nice beer from White Birch. I'll try to grab a real fresh version next time it's around.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 00:04:42 | More by dciBA

bmwats

Louisiana

3.71/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Hazy golden hue. Pours a dense, 1 finger, frothy, white head. Lots of effervescence. Settles slowly, but not completely. Thick pockets of spider web lacing.

S: Hay, light hint of butterscotch and peanut, and a light hop.

T: Really pea-nutty, and more piney than the nose lets on. Quite hoppy.

M: Well-balanced malt with the hop. Very bitter, piney finish that lingers on the palate throughout.

D: Sip and enjoy. The bitterness will dictate it.

Atmosphere is really nice. Hazy hue, thick head, and pretty substantial lacing. Nose is nutty with hay and hops. Really nutty flavor balanced with a surprisingly strong hop character. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 02:47:18 | More by bmwats

wburch1967

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +13%

05-08-2013 16:34:25 | More by wburch1967

tbryan5

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

05-07-2013 00:03:38 | More by tbryan5

Dizzy242

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

04-28-2013 23:53:48 | More by Dizzy242

BDeibs

Colorado

3/5  rDev -20.2%

04-27-2013 00:49:38 | More by BDeibs

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

04-23-2013 05:34:44 | More by Kelp

dheacck11

Connecticut

3.15/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

March 2013 batch.

Pour is a muted orange amber with a finger of creamy soft white head.

Nose is pretty muted as well, not much to speak of. Some hints of malt and grain, no real notice of hops.

Taste is surprisingly malty with lots of barley and rye to the front. Follows with medium strength dry and bitter hop.

Feel is pretty thin, with the hops leaving a rather bitter and baking soda-esque after taste.

Not what I was hoping for at all. It did grow on me with time, but really, there are so many better beers to be had, this one really left me wanting more. Too bad.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:27:41 | More by dheacck11

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

04-10-2013 19:28:24 | More by GeckoPunk

smakawhat

Maryland

3.24/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass, bottled February 2013. Hope this goes a lot better than my last White Birch beer.

A good solid orange amber body, a bit hazy with some fast rising cola bubbles. Head is a nice off white creamy and foamy consistency though, and makes easily three fingers nicely. Lots of staying power and creamy cap on it as well, but most of the head bubbles are also quite large as well.

A surprising simple and solid nose. Biscuity malts with hints of caramel like sweetness, and soft chewy grain. Hop action is downplayed but a noticeable citrus and possible floral aromas comes out. Nice hint of toast and sweetness matching as well. Pretty good.

Palate comes off a bit watery unfortunately. Grainy mouthfeel with an astringent grainy finish also. Hop angle doesn't bring the flavor, but there is a light medicinal quality finish to the brew also. Not much depth to this beer, a little bit of piney grapefruit sense in the mid palate that doesn't last that long.

It's a drinkable beer, but it certainly not a memorable pale ale, and there's much better out there than this.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 23:24:55 | More by smakawhat

Mullen2525

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

03-18-2013 23:40:16 | More by Mullen2525

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -20.2%

03-07-2013 03:24:47 | More by t0rin0

Archemedies

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

02-28-2013 01:41:13 | More by Archemedies

bpowers315

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +13%

02-23-2013 02:58:58 | More by bpowers315

sourgrass

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

02-14-2013 23:52:21 | More by sourgrass

Durge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +6.4%

02-14-2013 05:52:14 | More by Durge

slammo

New Jersey

4.46/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I am very impressed as I drink this Hop Session Ale. The firm foam head stayed around as I admire the orange hue. Notes of citrus and grapefruit waft towards my nose and the mouthfeel is lovely. The real thing I like is the hoppy quality and the quaffable session style. You can drink a few of these and not overwhelmed with high alcohol. Balanced and smooth I think I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:12:56 | More by slammo

NHbeerfishing

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

01-14-2013 03:56:31 | More by NHbeerfishing

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a foggy burnt orange hue. The body glows. Head is a thicker cap of dense, stiff, doughy fluff. Head retains but leaves rather light lacing for its size. Looks awesome.

S-The nose is pretty legitimate as well. Hops present themselves as candied citrus and soap along with unique notes of mint, aspirin and eucalyptus. Solid malt base rounds out the beer and adds balance.

T-The taste is balanced has plentiful amounts of hops. Starts off with sudsy hops, then you get a brief hint of the mint, eucalyptus and medicinal hops. The comes a solid rush of fresh citrus and bitter pine. Finally it recedes into a very tasty muffin/biscuit malt finish. The bitterness lingers pleasantly. It reminds me a lot of Maine Beer's Peeper Ale (mostly because of its delectable malt profile).

M-Fuller than the 'session' word denotes. High bitterness. Still, very drinkable. Carbonation nearing intense.

O/D-Almost didn't buy this because my last White Birch encounter (Oude Timey) was an absolute horror-story. I am happy I tried this. I think the agreeable $4.50 price tag is what facilitated my purchase. Only the second White Birch brew I have tried. This one was a success as much as the first was a failure. This is about a month old and its great. But don't even think of trying this after another 2 months.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:15:21 | More by VelvetExtract

BeerCosmonaut

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

01-05-2013 21:20:36 | More by BeerCosmonaut

mrandypandy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

12-30-2012 22:00:04 | More by mrandypandy

larrynevins

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

12-22-2012 00:45:19 | More by larrynevins

zahara15

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%

12-01-2012 12:49:24 | More by zahara15

ChrisL24481

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +6.4%

10-15-2012 00:25:31 | More by ChrisL24481

rusty3335

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%

09-07-2012 20:06:54 | More by rusty3335