Mountain Livin' Pale Ale - Crazy Mountain Brewing Company

ZAP

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I was very fired up to try this pale ale when I learned it had my two of my favorite hops in it (Citra and Simcoe). Then I was let down when I first had it as I expected it to be a juicy citrus forward apa...it is not...in fact it is more of an English style pale ale in my opinion...very strong with the caramel/toffee malt impression....the hops are very secondary and do impart more of an apa touch with some sweeter citrus but this is very light and not a strong take on the hops at all.

With that said....while I expected something totally different this is still a decent drinker and above average.

Serving type: can

10-03-2012 05:05:49 | More by ZAP

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

05-14-2013 16:54:19 | More by RedneckBeerz

sharpski

Oregon

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

05-11-2013 20:15:36 | More by sharpski

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.29/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a can into a shaker pint, the beer is a pale, caramel coloring with a thin, sparse, white, filmy coating on the surface. Aromas of a caramel backbone with citrusy and resiny hops highlighting. Very smooth and subtle nose. Flavors are earthy and richly sweet in the backbone and on the forward tongue, with a caramel undertone. Citrusy hops follow, with a touch of spicing that helps to lighten up the initial weight on the palate. Subtle roasting throughout, with a decent blending being reached in the aftertaste between all the different flavors. Full bodied, with a smoothness that compliments the initial rich and sweet flavors. The finish is slightly bitter, but still smooth. Interesting take on an APA, but it misses the mark for me.

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 01:15:02 | More by GarthDanielson

jheezee

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

05-09-2013 21:49:51 | More by jheezee

durlta

Iowa

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

05-06-2013 04:31:11 | More by durlta

tigermaniac72

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

05-03-2013 19:11:24 | More by tigermaniac72

-ronin-

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

04-28-2013 13:54:06 | More by -ronin-

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Tannish orange and mostly clear with a touch of haze, 1/2 finger head and ok lace.

Aroma is nice, plenty of citrus hops and pungent malts.

Flavor is heavily malty, bread, caramel malt, biscuit, along with a fair hoppiness that leaves a fairly bitter aftertaste.

Body is slightly watery and under-carbonated. Primarily I think it needs more carbonation, but otherwise isn't a bad beer at all.

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 15:26:52 | More by AlCaponeJunior

WritersBlock

Texas

4/5  rDev +15.9%

04-15-2013 19:52:04 | More by WritersBlock

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

(Served in a bowtie glass)
A- This beer pours a deep crystal clear copper color with an antique white head that last as a thin meniscus. There is a good carbonation that pops to the surface.

S- The clean aroma has some pine hop notes and a cream quality with some buttery diacetyl growing a bit as it warms.

T- The caramel malt leads to a dry buttery note in the finish with some woody hop hints mixed in. There is a spicy hop hint that lingers just a bit in the aftertaste. As the beer opens the taste turns watery.

M- The light mouthfeel has a scrubbing fizz in the finish.

O- This beer is malt forward with a hint of hops and a bit to much buttery taste with the fizz scrubbing any hops out of the finish.

Serving type: can

03-28-2013 14:01:07 | More by rhoadsrage

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

03-27-2013 00:15:21 | More by t0rin0

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Gettin Crazy with a lil Mountain Livin Pale Ale...picked up a can at the singles selve at my local Binny's. The beer pours a clear copper with foamy slightly offwhite head that is leaving a lace. The smell has bitter citrus tones with a touch of bread. The taste has a good initial balance with sweet malt countering a nice citrus....the end turn more of a bitter citrus. The mouthfeel is medium in boday with good carbonation. Overall its a decent pale ale.

Serving type: can

03-26-2013 01:40:51 | More by WoodBrew

PatGreer

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +15.9%

03-26-2013 00:21:39 | More by PatGreer

hilgart1

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

03-18-2013 23:54:53 | More by hilgart1

SalukiAlum

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

03-15-2013 22:55:59 | More by SalukiAlum

blakelive784

Colorado

2.34/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz can served in a globe, reviewed live:

A - Pours a nearly clear amber copper color with a two finger cream colored head. It's thin and retention is terrible. Generic and not entirely inviting.

S - Stale breads, light mango, honey, and a bit of a medicinal note. Simple and mild, but well balanced. Not really a lot going on.

T - Departs sharply from the nose. Poorly handled crystal malts lend a noticeable astringency. Watery throughout. Bitter near the end and poorly balanced. Little to no hop character I found on the nose. Simple and poorly built. Not good at all. Lacks any true character.

M - Watery, medium bodied, and strangely chewy.

D - This is the second beer I've had from Crazy Mountain and I'm not looking forward to more. Really a poor example of the style.

Serving type: can

03-15-2013 00:50:20 | More by blakelive784

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.76/5  rDev -20%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Poured out looking blond and a little hazy. White head, dissipates quicker than a white girl's looks after getting married. Weird herbal aroma, not in the herbal hop way, herbal in that they knocked something off the spice cabinet into this. How about some hop aroma bro? A little bit vegetal and plastic like.

Taste was very grassy, still not quite arriving at the level of being hoppy. Biscuit flavors and spice rack accoutrement all over this. Some lager like yeastiness to this. Man, this beer is all over the place. At times tastes like they blend this with a witbier. Soapy exterior in the mouthfeel.

Its got bitterness on it, but it just doesn't taste like a pale ale. Everything about it seems off for style. I wasn't picking up on a heftier malt base or any caramel notes. The herbal spicing was just weird. The lack of hops, or anything they impart flavor wise.

Had they called this a witpale, I might have found it to be above average, but as just a pale ale, its just kind of a headscratcher.

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 16:17:57 | More by Beerandraiderfan

ouits

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

03-11-2013 15:55:49 | More by ouits

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3/5  rDev -13%

03-11-2013 02:53:18 | More by SmellsofMahagony

horshack7

Massachusetts

2.99/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Appearance: It pours a clear copper with an off white rocky head upon thinning out leaves behind thick lacing.

Aroma: Lots of grapefruit and citrus hop notes in the front. Tropical fruits, simple syrup light malty sweetness but it's in the back.

Taste: A good citrus hop profile. Light malty sweetness, smooth mouthfeel, medium bodied.

Notes: A drinkable beer not too much too it but it's decent. Cheers.

Serving type: can

02-25-2013 01:42:38 | More by horshack7

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 fl oz. can with no apparent freshness information present. Excited to try this beer, and it is my third review of a beer in a can!

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a wonderful clear ruby copper looking color with about a finger of off-white sizzling foam head. Nice rings of lacing left on the glass.

S - Smells of beautiful citrus fruit hops. Peaches, grapefruit, orange. Smells very tasty. Hops sort of fade away to a biscuit malt smell as the beer sits.

T - Very interesting flavor concoction. Fruity and floral with the hops, and then dry, grassy, and earthy from the malts. Wonderful contrast of flavors is what really impresses me here. A very tasty beer.

M - Somewhat of a resinous mouthfeel, sticky with some fruit sugar type flavors. Nicely bodied, and fair level of carbonation.

Overall, a very tasty and well-crafted brew from Crazy Mountain Brewing Co. Highly drinkable, and with a nice 6.0% abv, I'm definitely glad I was able to try this beer. This was a pleasant introduction to their brewery, and I am looking forward to seeking out more of their beers.

Crazy Mountain Mountain Livin' Pale Ale ----4/5.

Serving type: can

02-24-2013 23:26:12 | More by mfnmbvp

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.01/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Crazy Mountain is the place to be; Mountain Livin' is the life for me. Anyway, this stuff pours a clear sunset amber topped by a finger of glowing off-white foam. The nose comprises lightly-sweet caramel, celery, light leek, mild grass, and a hint of flowers. The taste holds notes of grass, the rindiest part of the grapefruit rind, celery, light tomato, and a hint of orange peel for the sake of it. The vegetal nature and strength of the bitterness don't do anyone any favors. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, I can't say this stuff is anywhere near my favorite pale ale, mostly due to the overly vegetable-medley tack the hops decided to take.

Serving type: can

02-20-2013 20:23:43 | More by TMoney2591

pixieskid

France

3/5  rDev -13%

02-08-2013 01:08:32 | More by pixieskid

Nizzle913

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

01-21-2013 23:35:46 | More by Nizzle913