Peeper Ale - Maine Beer Company

UCLABrewN84

California

3.81/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Chris for sharing this one at Ritual Brewing Company in Redlands, CA.

Bottled 4/9/13.

Pours a murky gold with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, citrus zest, and floral aromas. Taste is much the same with citrus zest flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a nice bright citrus aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 04:39:20 | More by UCLABrewN84

flagmantho

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from 500mL bottle into a stemmed goblet. Born on date is 5/7/13, so it's well within its 90 day best-by range.

Appearance: light golden hue with a moderate haze and a pretty strong effervescence. Head pours a thick layer of frothy white foam. I think it's quite attractive.

Smell: big and hoppy right up front with a fresh, grassy, fruity character. Almost tropical, but more reminiscent of a fresh spring aroma. I like it.

Taste: rich, sweet malt is in the mix, but it takes a serious backseat to the hops. This is hugely hoppy, with a big, citrusy, piney hop character. Bitterness is moderate for the style, although quite subdued when considering the hugely hoppy flavor. Quite good indeed, although it doesn't precisely blow me away -- it's just a very good hoppy brew.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a great, well-integrated carbonation. The resulting creaminess is big, mouth-filling and tenacious. Wonderful.

Overall: a super tasty and refreshing hop-bomb pale ale. This is a darn good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 00:44:19 | More by flagmantho

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We crack the top and pour a brew of dingy apricot coloring. It holds a two finger head of creamy but varied white bubbles, showing nice retention. Lacing is sheety and patterned. A thick haze swirls in waves about the glass, but no chunky sediment is noted. Carbonation appears to be moderate. The aroma smells of sweet and nectary, floral, and bitterly grassy hops. The malts are pale and toasty, but also a bit dark, bordering on caramel at times. Filling the gaps are notes of vanilla creaminess, nectarine fruitiness, Hawaiian Punch, light plastics, sweeter browned apples, Bosc pears, and faint buttery diacetyls. With warmth comes honey, strawberries, resiny hop stem, and chalk. Our first impression is that the flavoring is much more bitter than the aroma would suggest, and the malts take on a surprising, but appropriately savory salt through the base. As we sip, the taste opens with lemony tannic bitterness, muddy pale grain, metallics, baker’s yeast, steel wool, soft caramel sweetness, seaweed saltiness, and the bitterness of grassy and herbal hop stem. Pushing to the peak is chemically bite, enhanced herbal hop bitterness, rust, lemon zest, mineral water, gravely grittiness of yeast, plastics, and lactic creaminess. The end washes through with heavy creamer, citric tangerine flesh, dried apricot, lemongrass, ruddy pale malts, straw dryness, earthy bitterness, powdered chalkiness, dirty grassy and perfumed floral hop, and savory melted caramel saltiness. The aftertaste breathes of chalky earthiness, moss and tree bark, yeast, lactics, dusty gravel, spicy booze airs, bittered herbal hops, vinyl plastics, and sea salt. The body is medium, and the carbonation is medium. Each sip gives nice slurp, smack, cream, and froth, with pleasant finishing pop. The mouth is left foamed and cooled, giving way to a chalky astringent dryness all across the palate. The abv is nearly sessionable, and the beer drinks as such.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was its down-to-earth and “serious” flavoring. We all get so used to the flavor bombs like Zombie Dust and come to expect everything else to stylistically match that type of take. Here we are taken in a bit of a different direction. Things are kept close to home and earthy, with the malts bold and dark enough to hold against the bittering bite and grit of the hops through both the aroma and the taste. Fruit and yeast help to smooth things out around the edges, making for a highly drinkable, highly approachable, American pale.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 23:53:31 | More by TheBrewo

Treebs

Illinois

3.86/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

500 ml bottle served in a Deschutes snifter. Bottled 4/16/13 and enjoyed on 6/3/13.

A: Pours a hazy golden color with a white head forming on the pour. Great retention on the head as it slowly dissipates to a thick cap and ring. Sticky lace is left down the glass.

S: Bright and fruity initially with a nice citrus zest backing. Floral hops with a some sweet cracker malts and a little orange.

T: Very bright flavors. Lots of floral notes with a lot bright fruit as well. Mild citrus with an accompanying sweet cracker malt base to it.

M: Light bodied with a medium high carbonation. Great drinkability.

O: Not overly complex by any means, but incredibly drinkable. Nice bright hops flavors with just enough malt sweetness to balance it out.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 13:39:46 | More by Treebs

GuinnessAtRogerWilco

New Jersey

3.79/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

500ml bottle poured into a Sam Adams 'perfect pint' glass.

AP: Dark yellow to gold colour, frothy fluffy thick white head about 1 1/2" dissipating down to 3/4". Some large bubbles make up the head. Some sediment can be viewed floating around and tiny bubbles of carbonation rise from bottom to top. Not much in the way of lacing as the head stays compact when the glass is tilted.
AR: Like tropical citrus fruits: orange. lemon, tangerine. Sweet cereal grains as well. I am also reminded of the smell of wheat/witbier also when I breathe this in. There's a wheat-like aroma with a hint of spice like coriander or grains of paradise. A little floral note lingers in the background.
T: Odd but interesting flavour. Almost like a hybrid of a Belgian Tripel, Weisse and a Pale Ale with some citrus/floral hops. The hops lend a good amount of a soft bitter bite to this with tones of orange and lemon peel, not grapefruit nor pine. The malt base is more grassy and wheat like. Don't really get any type of biscuit or caramel malts in this. Flavours are more mellow than the nose indicated.
M: Body seemed on the light side to me. Well carbonated and the finish was fairly dry. Nothing juicy about this one.
OV: A decent Pale Ale, but I've had better from Maine Beer. This one seemed kind of 'vanilla' compared to their other brews. You could certainly down 4-5 of these on a warm day, but if you want just one to really tempt and excite you palate, their other beers (like Mo and Lunch) are better suited for the job.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 03:51:14 | More by GuinnessAtRogerWilco

BobaFret

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - A very pale yellow; not much head retention on this one.

S - Not much of a strong smell but faint notes of hops and citrus.

T - Malty and hoppy but only mildy. No overwhelming flavors but nothing stands out either.

M - Light body but full of carbonation.

O - A good but forgettable APA.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 03:00:27 | More by BobaFret

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

500ml bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy gold color and a three-fingers high head, shaded just off white. There's an appropriate level of froth to the head's texture, and an incredible amount of lacing is left behind as it recedes.

S: The hops here take a grassy, mildly citrusy tone here. After a while, this gradually shifts into a spicier note. Malty sweetness is evident yet non-intrusive.

T: Piny, peppery bitterness opens the palate, while the close seems to introduce a very subtle touch of grapefruit juiciness to counteract the mild bitterness. The cracker-like maltiness stays even throughout, providing a good ballast to the pleasant hoppiness. There's a nice level of finesse here, and even a modicum of depth.

M: I certainly appreciate a crisp, light feel like this one has. The body is medium in thickness and quite firm, yet with a wonderful finishing dryness. Carbonation is medium.

O: This is quite good, I must say - but I have to dock points here. Simply put, it's priced like an import, without any significant standout qualities to justify it. $6/500ml is a hard sell for something not really far off from SNPA. The increased level of refinement and subtlety compared to its peers might make it a worthwhile purchase to some, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 02:42:14 | More by ThisWangsChung

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.64/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Maine Beer Company - Peeper Ale

Look - Pours a pale yellow slightly hazy with a bubbly head. Lots of sticky lacing. Heavy carbonation, a bubbly bugger.

Smell - Aroma is a fresh smooth apricot (or some kind of citrus) and also floral hop aroma. Light, crisp wheat malts. Slight spice compliments the nose.

Taste - Fruity and crisp, a bit of sour and tart. Light and refreshing as hell. There is definitely a bit of spice or something present that adds to this.

Mouthfeel - Sour, not boozy at all. Nice hop fade that you want to sip to refresh again and again. Very drinkable.

Overall - This is a perfect Spring & Summer brew, it really works well on a nice day. I am sure it would be good on any day, but it stood out particularly in a warm, sunny environment.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 12:50:09 | More by JMScowcroft

clayrock81

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a cloudy yellow with soapy like bubbles and lots of lace. Grainy malts first hit me, and then a citric and clove like spice with bitter hops and a touch of sweet yeast in the aroma. Beer is light-bodied, smooth, has a nice sweetness to it that I wasn't expecting and balances a dry, grainy bread like malt with some citric flavored hops and spice. One of those simple beers that you enjoy every drink and can keep on drinking.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 11:15:49 | More by clayrock81

CHADMC3

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a hazy, straw colored body beneath the pillowy, pure white head which is extremely slow to dissipate leaving a scattered sticky lacing.

Fresh floral hop aromas float from the glass, perhaps a touch of wheat and a touch of straw.

The palate is much more pronounced with hop flavors of flower petals and floral herbs. I would stop short of calling it spicy but the hops are certainly bordering on it at some points on the palate and there even seems to be a hint of lemongrass/lavender.

Medium to lighter in body wi generous carbonation and a sharper hoppy finish.

What a great, refreshing, hoppy brew with tons of character to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 01:50:10 | More by CHADMC3

gr0g

New Jersey

3.94/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy, straw-colored, capped with a billowing head thanks to bottle conditioning. Excellent retention and lacing. The aroma is underwhelming, and this bottle is only three weeks old so I'd like to think the hoppiness hasn't faded already. Overall, it's very fresh and floral smelling with a lavender-like flowery note. There's an all too faint undercurrent of grapefruit rind.

On the palate, things improve. Delicate balance between malt and hops. Malt profile is light and bready. Bitterness is light to moderate and not particularly high for an APA. Lemongrass and bitter citrus fruit notes. Well-carbonated, sudsy, enjoyable texture.

Very easy-drinking by itself, and I'm sure it would pair nicely with a wide range of dishes. A nice, simple but artfully crafted pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:58:34 | More by gr0g

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

3.81/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Served out of a bottle into my HF glass, bottle date 04/10/2013.

A: Hazy light orange with a large soapy head that clings to the glass. 4.25

S: Fresh and clean, some orange flavored but dominated by red grapefruit, really love the nose on this brew. 4.5

T: A little on the bland side, not sure if I have had to many big beers or hop bombs lately, but this was just to light on the palate. 3.5

M: Medium bodied, decent for style perhaps a bit thin on the back end. 3.75

O: overall pleasant but nothing special, almost "session-able" in terms of easy drinking nature. Would drink again but would not pay the $6 a bottle. 3.75

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 01:45:53 | More by TheLostGringo

Pencible

Virginia

4.04/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a clear light gold with lots of white head.
S: It smelled like metallic copper and citrus zest, with a little sweet honey malt.
T: It tasted like bitter grapefruit and floral and copper hops, with sweet honey malt. It had a clean and bitter aftertaste.
M: It was slightly thick with lots of carbonation. Lively body.
D: This was a nice pale ale, but really nothing special. It had a simple scent and taste, and a decent body. It had a smooth finish and was easy to drink. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:27:58 | More by Pencible

sommersb

Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 04-03-2013
Freshness: Bottled 03-05-13
Packaging: 500ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Nonic pint
Purchased: Received in a trade

Starts off clear, with a medium golden hue. The generous 3+ fingers of head show excellent retention and lacing. The final pour is cloudy from the yeast and looks like a wit.

Aromas are mainly about the floral and citrus hops, but there is a note of pale malt sweetness. The hops aromas are pleasant and not overwhelming.

The taste is zesty and bitter, with dominant citrus flavors of oranges and grapefruits. Spicy and somewhat tart as well.

The mouthfeel has a high carbonation level and an aftertaste that is dry and mainly of bitter hops.

Overall another excellent pale ale from Maine Beer; hoppy yet balanced to make for an all-around enjoyable experience. After having both this beer and MO back to back I prefer MO over this one, but this is still a solid brew.

Thanks to DrewShal9 for the trade!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:23:47 | More by sommersb

Ego

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

bottle date: 12.21.12

eyes...
on an easy pour this rises up quickly to a towering three fingers, white craggy head floating on a really cloudy golden pond, lots of carbonation congestion clogging the arteries of this one keeping that massive foam cap impressive, one of the more unique hues for an APA I have seen in some time, looks great though kind of like a german wheat kind of thing.

nose...
initially pine with some lemony tinge, like lemon tart candies, I am getting sprite on crack (you know if you ever had access to pure sprite syrup and poured a little seltzer into it...), grapefruit halls (that vitamin C pack thing they have been selling for a few years, not the menthol/euco stuff), the lemon twist is really what is making this intriguing.

taste etc...
consistent with the nose the whole lemon thing is happening here, this really adds to the refreshment factor, it drinks pretty light, the carbonation is spot on and delivers the bitter right at the end under the lemony coating, this is a clean and consistent drink from start to finish, it begs for another sip and never loses interest, there is just enough hop bitterness here to peak interest yet not enough to mask flavors... really nice.

verdict?
summer quencher of an APA, the lemon character makes this stand out, I don't know if I could drink this all day but man it would be sweet to pop one of these out on the deck this summer, I will be revisiting this again for sure...

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 03:51:06 | More by Ego

Triglycerides

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from 02-01-2013:

A: Pours a pale golden colour with a bit of haze. Has a one inch frothy head which dissipates and leaves plenty of lacing down the glass. Looks quite tasty.

S: Smells citrusy (lemony, but especially grapefruit) with an herbal, hoppy nose to it. There's also some other tropical fruits hanging around in the background(Pineapple etc.) The smell is quite pleasant and kind of brings on a tropical kind of vibe.

T: Follows suit with the smell with grapefruit, flowery hops, and tropical fruit. among a malty backbone. Very crisp and clean with a mild yet distinct hoppy finish.

M: Feels kind of on the medium-light bodied side with a pleasant lively carbonation which makes for a very drinkable combination.

O: Overall, this beer is a very interesting and exciting APA from Maine Beer Co. Finding myself taking one sip after another from its great drinkability. I could definitely see myself drinking this in the coming warm weather. Perhaps not a session beer for the price, but
it's a great APA. Certainly worth seeking out whenever you can since it's definitely not one to pass up.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 02:42:49 | More by Triglycerides

MadScientist

New York

4.48/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: A pale golden beer that has a slight haze. The rocky, white head pours with a half a finger of foam that leave a slight bit of lacing on the glass.

S: A Medium-strong citrus hops aroma some of tropical fruit along with a strong grassy, dry hopped note. The herbal aroma almost dominates the citrus/tropical hops. There is a low, clean malt sweetness and a moderate floral alcohol aroma.

T: A strong tropical fruit flavor with a medium hops bitterness. There is a medium malt sweetness to support the hops the balance is somewhat bitter. There is a fair amount of fruitiness from the yeast with a touch of spice, almost like a Belgian Blonde, but not a full on Belgian beer but a strong yeast character. The finish is medium. The aftertaste is bitter and fruity.

M: A moderately creamy medium bodied beer with a moderately-strong level of carbonation. There is a light prickle on the palate but not bad.

O: A unique Pale Ale with a big citrus and tropical fruit presence and an almost equally strong spicy and fruity yeast/fermentation character. It seems like a beer that could be classified as a Belgian Pale Ale that's been made with American hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 01:53:42 | More by MadScientist

CurtFromHershey

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Damaged in transit, so I'm reserving judgment a bit here.

Nevermind that, despite partially opening during shipping, beer pours a bright cloudy yellow with hues of orange zest and a gigantic pillowy head. Awesome lacing. Really attractive beer. Top notch.

Smell is is tart like unripened citrus. Notes of herbal and flowery lemon grass. Awesome

Taste follows the nose closely, but with more emphasis on the lemon grass and some pine. Very refreshing, although perhaps could use some sturdier malts with the strong hop presence.

Mouthfeel is creamy yet slightly prickly from the tight carbonation.

Wonderful pale ale. Having trouble sipping this slowly enough to make it last a bit longer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 21:30:49 | More by CurtFromHershey

AltBock

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle with a slick egg shell white colored label. On the front is a small green stick figure with a belly jumping up in the air. Continue going around the label and you'll find a stamped born on date(mine was born on 12/21/12), a brief history of the brewery, and all the Government information. Poured into an Imperial Samuel Smith pint glass.

This beer looked a little like a Hefeweizen to me. It was a cloudy lemon juice yellow. It was so cloudy that I could only see the brief silhouette of my fingers on the other side of the glass. On top was a 1/4 of an inch pearl white head of foam. It had good retention that left behind a long lasting small white film and a number white streaks of lace around the glass. Loved that hazy lemon color.

As soon as the cap came off, I got a strong whiff of citrus hops. It settled down a little when the beer was poured. The citrus hops was at medium strength. Behind the citrus hops was a load of grapefruit, a little lemon, plenty of pine, and just a subtle whiff of toasted malts. That's a nice aroma!

The taste was on the hoppy side, but the hops weren't overly hoppy. I got a big bite of citrus hops upon frist sip. After the hops passed, in comes a dash of lemon, a good sized grapefruit punch, a few pine needles, and then it finishes up with a clean malt backbone. Nice refreshing hoppy taste.

The mouthfeel was light to medium bodied with a nice hoppy yet malty aftertaste. There was some citrus hops, pine, grapefruit, and a little toasted malt. This aftertaste won't linger.

I like to give a shout out to my good friend Del who gave me this beer. This nice refreshing hoppy APA. I could see this as a nice summer beer. Would I drink it again? If only I got it in my state.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:06:19 | More by AltBock

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

4.26/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a tumbler.

A: Poured very pale yellow, 2 finger head with high carbonation. Some good lacing going on.

S: Oranges, orange peel, piney and hops.

T: Oranges, grassy, floral flavors. Some yeasty after taste.

M: Bitter on the end,slightly dry, easy going down. Light/medium body.

O: Little watery but the beer is well balanced. Nice hops, malt complexity. Will hopefully get again.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 00:22:03 | More by Damian74Shensky

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16.9 oz bottle was poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a pale yellow color with great clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Citrus, lemon, pale and bready malts.

Taste: Lots of lemon and lime and other citrus aromas. Followed by bready and pale malts. Slight bitterness in the end too.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, very highly carbonated, slightly dry, crisp, and medium bodied.

Overall: Pretty solid APA that I have enjoyed plenty of times. A bit over carbonated, but still a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 23:57:27 | More by Flounder57

fmccormi

New York

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Straight pour from a 1 pint 0.9 oz. / 500ml pry-off bottle to a tall Ommegang flute; bottling date of February 1, 2013 printed in black ink on the side of the bottle (“020113 68 — Drink within 90 days of stamped born on date. Enjoy this beer fresh. Hoppy beers do not age well.”) You got it, boss. This beer’s gettin’ drank fresh as shit, 16 days old at the time of consumption.

Appearance (4.25): Bit of a lively head on this pour, easily three fingers of bone-white foam composed of tight, creamy head and fat, crackling bubbles fed by a steady stream of bubbles from the bottom of the glass. The body is a pale, sunshiney yellow with just the slightest chill haze. (Quite a bit hazier and taking on the color of orange peels if you disturb the sediment.) Crazy retention—the head just does not want to die. But as it diminishes, it leaves thick gobs of foam and lacing all around the glass.

Smell (4.5): I swear to God there’s fresh lemon and lime zest in here, and it’s mixed with wildflowers and crumbled up water crackers and fresh-cut hay. What could possibly be a better aroma than that? The hoppiness is equally citrusy (but not in a sweet, juicy mango / pineapple kind of way) and floral, and it’s just beautiful. So light and fragrant and pretty.

Taste (4.25): The definition of crisp. Light, bright, extremely floral (not as sweet as hibiscus, but definitely along those lines of “floral”), citrusy and zingy, with a slightly vegetal bitterness in the finish that keeps it real. Lots of light, lemony tones mixed with pale, crackery grain character (like fresh-baked biscuits, but with almost no sweetness) dominate the palate, but it transitions into a slightly medicinal hoppy finish—though the astringency is very light, so it’s quite palatable. There’s a light, grainy sweetness mixed with starch underneath, like lightly toasted wheat bread. After disturbing the yeast, there’s a slightly starchier dimension to it, which I personally don’t mind one bit. More than anything, it’s just absurdly lemony and bright through the entire tasting experience.

Mouthfeel (4.5): The carbonation feels soft at first, but it goes out with an all-over prickliness of incredibly fine grain. The body feels full but on the light side of medium-weight at the same time, with a corporeality that I love. Very dry finish, but it’s still light enough that it comes off as quenching, rather than begging for more. And, there’s that wonderful feeling of a chunk of foam passing your lips because the head just won’t quit.

Overall (4.5): Call it personal bias, but to me this is what most American Pale Ales should be like: light, crisp, dry, lemon-citrusy, and absurdly crushable, if that’s a thing. This is the kind of thing you want to drink out of tallboy cans all summer long without getting trashed. Amazing. So refreshing and awesome. Definitely worth seeking out, if you’re a fan of pale, hoppy beers, light and bright session-ish beers (I know it’s over 5% ABV, relax), crisp American ales, or just life in general.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:50:28 | More by fmccormi

yamar68

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Thanks to BobZ for gifting this one! Bottled 11/23/12:

Pours a pale lemon gold with a fluffy few fingers of paper white head laces all around the mug. Beautifully murky if I do say so myself... almost has the appearance of a hefe.

Grassy, semi-citric hops with a solid malt backbone. Very smooth, appealing to the schnoz.

Very drinkable - mellow orange peel and earthy hop flavors. The feel is a bit watery but it doesn't really detract from the rest of the beer. Great sense of balance, very drinkable.

Thanks Bob!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 18:23:16 | More by yamar68

schlimenhaumer

New York

3.84/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

My first offering from Maine Beer Company. Bottled on date reads 122112 and advises that this one be consumed within 90 days. Poured from a 1 pint .9 fl oz bottle into an Ommegang tulip at low altitude in NY.

A: Pours a hazy light golden color with a substantial creamy white head. Good retention as expected from a beer of this ABV, and leaves a fair amount of lacing.

S: The nose on this one is all hops; citric and mildly piney. Overall, the aroma is moderately strong and seems like it should be well balanced.

T: Opens with citric and bitter hop notes, followed by a hefty dose of sweet malts. Shockingly the finish is more sweet than bitter -- the malt profile ultimately overwhelms the hops. While the flavors are good, the balance is slightly off.

M: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Complements the flavors well and makes this quite refreshing.

O: An enjoyable, easy-drinking beer. Quite good in every aspect, but somewhat unremarkable, especially given the price point. After this experience, I'll definitely be checking out some other Maine Beer Co. offerings.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 03:52:15 | More by schlimenhaumer

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to SammyJaxxxx for this nondescript 500ml bottle, dated "101212".

I have no idea what style this is supposed to be, so let's just dive in blind. First off, it looks great. It has a pale straw color, and a head like whipped egg whites. The head dies down a little quicker than I expect it to, given how creamy it looks, and leaves behind little lacing.

I sure get a lot of tropical fruit smells from this one. And a hint of pine and tartness. It's very subtle and very fragrant. Most of these come through on the tongue, but with a substantial bitterness and a delicate sweetness. Carbonation is soft. I'm not catching the tartness suggested by the smell.

Overall, this is nice. It's light, and the bitterness really lingers, producing a clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 03:02:22 | More by DaveAnderson