Norwegian Blue
Sun King Brewing Company

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From:
Sun King Brewing Company
 
Indiana, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.61 | pDev: 16.9%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
10
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 01, 2012
Added:
Jul 03, 2011
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of AaronHomoya
Reviewed by AaronHomoya from Indiana

3.65/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Had a pint at Tomlinson Tap Room. I was immediately intrigued by a pine/spruce beer. So, this beer is pretty much exactly what everyone else has said and what you might imagine. It's an APA with a ton of spruce, pine-sol, pine candle-ness. It's really weird. I enjoyed the whole pint, but no one else at my table could stomach that much. I don't know that I'd ever seek it out again, but it was fun to try. Just so piney...
Dec 01, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by aasher from Indiana

Apr 12, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by bkonk10 from Indiana

Nov 27, 2011
 
Rated: 2 by whartontallboy from New York

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Black Sparrow.

Are pine beers becoming a thing? How? What kind of sick, revolting bastard would be into something like this? I mean, yeah sure I like it. But I am sick, revolting bastard. The rest of y'all should probably disregard everything I say about everything.

Smells like a strong-ish APA with a mild kick of Pine-sol. Tastes like a strong-ish APA with a mild kick of Pine-sol.

Look, I'm not gonna bullshit you by going into the Beeradvocatey particulars. You know what a regular, well-balanced Midwest APA taste like. You know what Pine-sol smells like. You might assume, naturally, that combining a beer with a floor cleaner would yield disastrous results. And judging from what most of the non-BA people I know who have tired this beer have said, your assumptions seem to be right, for most people. But if you're a real weirdo--the kind of person who likes uncomfortable things just the sake of their uncomfortableness, whose favorite movie is Videodrome, who plays Trout Mask Replica so loud it wakes up the neighbors--then you should really try this here beer.
Aug 25, 2011
Photo of salvo
Reviewed by salvo from Indiana

3.92/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Rich golden beer under a quickly dissipating off white head. Everything dominated by strong scent of pine. It's a freakin' Christmas tree.

Taste is again dominated by overwhelming pine. Wait: should I be drinking this? How can this be good for me? Why would anyone do this?

Wait a minute. It's actually cooling in this 90+ degree heat. Amazing.

Freaky good and freaky weird both: talk about extreme. They brewed the damn beer with pine needles. Like they heard me thinking about freaky extremes and "what ifs." Part of me is still wondering if it's okay to drink whatever resin residues are floating in the beer. And it's all somehow okay! That's why I mean by "freaky good and freaky weird."
Aug 08, 2011
Photo of awhipker
Reviewed by awhipker from Indiana

3.52/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap at Thr3e Wise Men

A: nice amber color with a small head, very light lacing

S: Pine,spruce, juniper. Imagine smelling a handfull of pine needles

T: light notes of malt upfront then you are hit with the pine tree to the palate. Reminds me of Christmas or walking through an evergreen forrest

M: medium body with a nice balance of carbonation

O: While this beer was refreshing I couldn't see myself drinking more than one.With the smell and taste of pine and peppery hops it seems to more appropriate for the Holidays. Sun King produced a truly unique that I'm glad I got to try.
Aug 06, 2011
Photo of ElizabethCraig
Reviewed by ElizabethCraig from Indiana

4.04/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Had a sample on draft at Red Lion Grog House in Indianapolis, IN. I was trying to decide on a good beer to pair with Fish and Chips and Scotch Eggs.

Appearance was a lovely yellow color with white head. The scent was a very heady pine needle scent.

Taste was surprising and happy-making. Some light amber grain but a very strong taste of pure pine forest. The taste lingered but not for too long, finished up very clean. Not medicinal to my taste buds at all, a rather refreshing nicely carbonated foresty beer.

This is not a 'with food' beer, unless than food is very carefully chosen (curious how it would pair with a creamy goat cheese), I quite enjoyed my sample and under other circumstances, would have happily enjoyed a full pint.
Jul 05, 2011
Photo of Bierguy5
Reviewed by Bierguy5 from Ohio

3.67/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Clear, light copper color. White head holds for a minute, fading into a small ring.

Lots of pine, spruce, juniper in the nose. Light caramel malt.

Caramel malt is followed by a blast of piney, resiny, spicy spruce notes. This must be how drinking a Christmas tree would be. A slight fruity note near the end. Drying at the finish.

Medium body, good carbonation. Alcohol is well hidden. The amount of pine, juniper, spruce seems to be just a bit much for me. This would be an appropriate beer for the holidays. Still, glad to try this.
Jul 04, 2011
Photo of mcallister
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A great looking pale ale. Deep amber color with a variety of different sized bubbles with a large rising white head that fades quickly into a foamy cap with some light lace.

Crazy pine aromas in this. Just like the pine scented car fresheners. Not sure this is from the hops or an addition of juniper or what but oddly out of ordinary nonetheless, but hell it smells good. Hints of rosemary,thai basil, coriander, spicey, grassy, fake plastic trees, light malt hidden under the crazy pine.

I'm really not sure what to think about this beer. I mean it honestly tastes like pine-sol floor cleaner, or like mentioned one of the pine shaped tree car air fresheners. Tastes just like it smells but stronger, especially long into the finish leaving a type of sweet finish, or it may be tricking my palate I think it's actually dry. Strong thai basil, rosemary, juniper, other spices, pine, light malt, some toffee, cilantro and more pine. Just a crazy beer I'm glad I tried, but I also am more glad I only bought a 32oz growler.
Jul 03, 2011
Norwegian Blue from Sun King Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 10 ratings