Essential Pale Ale
Port City Brewing

Essential Pale AleEssential Pale Ale
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From:
Port City Brewing
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
Ranked #1,049
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,682
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 14.04%
Reviews:
67
Ratings:
212
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 18, 2023
Added:
Feb 04, 2011
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  32
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.45 by MGibbons from Maryland

Aug 18, 2023
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Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.23/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Bottle from Giant. Mildly hazy golden with foamy head. Aroma is lemony citrus, bready, crackers. Taste is also tangy, and kind of musty. Closer to a pils than an APA Something slightly off kilter
Jun 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by Cpmitchno1 from Virginia

Jan 27, 2022
 
Rated: 3.56 by SierraFlight from Virginia

Dec 16, 2021
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Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland

3.22/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle poured into a tumbler style pint glass.
Bottled on 6/10/21

Pours gold with an orange hue, slightly hazy and has a half inch off-white head that hangs for a minute or so. The hoppy nose starts strong featuring orange, citrus and a touch of grainy malt, but lessens considerably as the head disappears. Flavor starts with moderately bitter orange flavor and finishes with orange peel bitterness though after a few ounces the bitterness builds to an aggressive grassy bitterness and leaves a harsh aftertaste. It seems to be lacking a solid malt backbone to balance the bitterness. The light-medium body is soft-ish with a crisp bite coming on the backside coming from the medium-high carbonation. To me this is overly bitter/out of balance for an Pale Ale.
Aug 27, 2021
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Reviewed by Navanation from Pennsylvania

2.87/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dry hopped. Not my favorite type of beer. Too bitter for me. Drinkable since I have it. For those who like IPA's, I'm sure you'll find this tasty. I find the hops kill the pale ale taste. The smell is all hops. Cloudy pale yellow color. Nice carbonation and white head.
Dec 27, 2020
 
Rated: 3.59 by Curt3 from Ohio

Nov 07, 2019
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Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

3.79/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Nice APA. Poured from crowler to glass. Pale gold color, chill haze, soapy head. Citrus hops and cracker in the aroma, predominantly grapefruit. Flavor is a nice mix of subtle pine with grapefruit pith, orange, and white bread. Smooth clean finish.
Aug 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.54 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

Nov 28, 2018
 
Rated: 2.05 by ibanez2k from Virginia

Mar 15, 2018
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Reviewed by Gbpackers48 from North Carolina

4.06/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Appearance:
Pours a hazy gold with an off white head and nice lacing.

Smell:
Subtle but clean hops

Taste:
Mild hops, not over powering

Mouthfeel:
Medium body, easy drinking

Overall:
Very easy to drink, not overpowering, full flavor, solid brew
Dec 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.42 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Dec 28, 2017
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Reviewed by beerthulhu from New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
-Spiegelau ipa glass. Bot. 07.17.17. Consumed 11.17.17.

A: Brassy lemon coloring has a bit of cloudiness. Small bubbles, average density fills the vessel. The capping is dirty seashell white, with a frumpy texture, with some bubbly activity on the surface, it maintains a good stay. Single band lacing nearly encircles the vessel.

S: Tart sour lemons with some wheaty aroma. Low to mid awareness.

T: Light straw-wheat backing. Tart lemon peel and grapefruit hops. Some subtle fruitiness with a balance of tartness and bitterness. Some straw and lingering dry citrus peel, semi-dry hops conclude and fades on the swallow.

M: Active carbonation makes this crisp, wet and slippery feel with hop oils sliding about on the tongue. Dry flowery and grains tease the tongue there-after.

O: Tart lemon grapefruit pulp hops, dry grains with a nice level of hops and bitterness indeed makes this an essential pale ale. Good summertime drink, with a very good crispness factor from the carbonation. Pale grain backing, tart, and drinkable.
Nov 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.34 by VeganUndead from Virginia

Oct 09, 2017
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Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Frothy head that dissipates quickly. Clear pale gold that looks really nice. Smell and taste resembles a flowery orange rind with a light grapefruit rind. It has the same notes as the Monumental but not as intense regarding the hops. Light malt note that is bready. The body is good. Light but with presence enough to keep it from being watery. Fuzzy carbonation. Pretty good.
Jun 10, 2017
 
Rated: 3.62 by LukeB from Virginia

Mar 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.14 by Ryan_DelMastro from Massachusetts

Feb 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by DuaneL from Delaware

Dec 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.41 by Yoda22 from North Carolina

Dec 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by JamLand from District of Columbia

Nov 13, 2016
Essential Pale Ale from Port City Brewing
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 212 ratings