Hawaiian Style Pale Ale - Spearhead Brewing Company

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at C'est What, into a pint glass. Have had this many times, a brief review is well overdue.

Hazy copper orange with a plain white head, leaves a ton of sticky lace with some mild retention. Nose is full of tropical fruits and citrus, mango is notable. Candied malt/sugar cookie type aromas waft from this as well. Taste has some similar characteristics in terms of the tropical fruits and citrus, with some orange creamsicle-like flavours. Sugary biscuity malts, sweet with a moderate bitterness in the finish. A bit of pine comes through as well. A chewy medium heavy body. Alcohol is slightly suggested, but this is quite dangerous in terms of how easy it is to drink. Certainly one of my favourite from the style in the province, however pints of this are quite pricey, running up to $8-9 a glass. 4/4//45/4/45

Rereview: Second time around (almost a year down the line from it's debut), this beer has become noticeably reduced in quality. Now filtered, pineapple and juicy hop notes are there in much less quantity and the mouthfeel has suffered tremendously. While still quite good, this now pales in comparison to the initial iterations.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 04:14:16 | More by liamt07

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at c'est what, poured a one finger head upon a burnt orange body, decent retention with fleeting foamy lacing.

Lots of citrus in the nose, grapefruit and mango, little malt, refreshing and enticing.

Taste is an explosion of damn near perfection, blast of grapefruit and mango followed by pineapple in the after taste, really something. Quite frankly the best brew I have had for a while.

Medium bodied with little carbonation, this is a balanced bitter brew that is oh so drinkable.

They have to bottle this, a spectacular brew.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 04:24:23 | More by Stocean1

tresmonos

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was excited to try this out. Very strong hints at citrus in the smell and taste.
Unfiltered. First unfiltered brew I have consumed in Ontario, from Ontario. Hopefully this is the new trend up here.
Wonderful taste. Very similar to Loose Cannon in its citrus tone. Not as hoppy as Loose Cannon, but probably the strongest hop flavor I've enjoyed in my stay up here.
Mouthfeel is consistent with an unfiltered American IPA.

I loved this beer. It's sophisticated and hoppy. The serving style at the 50 West Tap House was great. I was just bummed with the size of the glass Spearhead provides. Great beer, best IPA they have on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2012 20:53:17 | More by tresmonos

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Volo.

Poured into a nonic. Hazy orange, bright, nice colour. Half inch head survives as a thick ring. Sheets o lacing.

Pine, grapefruit, mango, maybe a bit of pineapple. Sweet.

Solid APA. Nice tropical notes to justify the Hawaiian monicker, though the pineapple is a bit light. Long bitter finish, hops are citrus and pine.

Thin, zippy carb.

Quite happy with this - glad to see a new Ontario brewery take on a popular style and do it well.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2011 21:22:17 | More by JohnnyBarman

Quej

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was a great beer. I was skeptical as to how the pineapple would blend into an IPA, but it was a match made in heaven. The beer was a hazy gold and had a fluffy white head with good staying power. The aroma was a perfect balance between the citric hoppy smells and fruitiness of the pineapple. The taste was sharp, dry, and bitter with the hops and the pineapple flavour at the forefront. It's malt character took a back seat, but complemented the beer well. It had a medium mouthfeel and light, zesty carbonation. Overall, very original and very well done. One of the best new beers I've tried in a while.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 15:48:52 | More by Quej

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Grindhouse Burger Bar. Served in Spearhead tulip glass.

A - Hazy medium orange colour with one finger of bubbly off-white head.

S - Citrus, tropical fruit and a good overall bitterness. Slight caramel malt backbone present as well. Not getting the pineapple.

T - Bitter grafefruit, very faint tropical fruit and a touch of pine. Some sweet caramel in the background as well. Don't specifically get the pineapple.

M - Medium body. Light carbonation.

O - I really enjoyed this one and had 3 or 4 pints over the weekend at various places. A great introduction in to the Ontario craft beer market. I look forward to their future releases.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2011 16:03:38 | More by TheSevenDuffs

heebes

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at C'est What.

Pours a crisp orange amber with a thin off white head, lacing sticks at the top of the glass. Nose was very bright, lots of hop aroma - light fruit, citrus, pineapple of course. Taste was impressive and had a good balance of malt backbone to support the dose of hops. Bitter finish lingered well throughout the beer. Medium bodied all round, mouth feel was decently drinkable. Overall I was taken in with this new beer/brewery, the pineapple extract makes for a super fruity/floral smell, and the balanced taste hit the right spot. Delicious, refreshing, nice to try on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2011 23:43:01 | More by heebes

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer is a dark golden/light amber colour. A small but relatively long-lasting white head is on top. Good lacing.

The beer had to warm up a bit before I got a lot of aroma, but when I did it was really nice. Quite juicy, with lots of citrus. The pineapple becomes very noticeable over time. Beer generally smells very "fresh".

Taste has a nice level of bitterness, with lots of citrus present. The pineapple is very subtle, but adds a lovely juicy flavour to the beer that is really great. I don't think I would have picked out 'pineapple juice' on my own if I had not known it was there, but when you are looking it is quite apparent. The finish is fairly bitter.

Moderate to high carbonation. Would normally be too much for me, but I find that it works in this beer. A nice medium body. Very refreshing.

Overall. a really good beer. Great start for the brewery. I have enjoyed this beer a number of times now and am always eager to have another. To me, a great example of a brewery being creative without being absurd.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 16:11:17 | More by jrenihan

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very impressive new addition to Ontario's APA offerings.

Enjoyed in a designated tulip glass whose shape was perhaps the least pleasant part of the whole tasting. Beautiful clear, orange amber with nice head, decent lacing and enjoyable carbonation level. Mouthfeel is pleasant, without the oiliness sometimes present at this ABV.

Aroma is pure "west-coast" hop - plus the tropical notes of pineapple. The taste is fantastic, with the tropical tones well balanced against its citrus core. Highly recommend.

Enjoyed at the Woolwich Arms in Guelph. This is the first time I have seen this beer on tap outside of a beer show, and it is definitely one I will order again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 19:21:05 | More by hopsolutely

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy orange colour, one finger of white head with lots of lace. Smell is bursting with citrus, hoppy, grapefruit, mango, pineapple and a nice malt deep down. Taste is hoppy with a long bitterness, a pleasant light acidity, mango, pineapple, citrus and a nice clean finish. Good feel, medium carbonation, full body and fairly oily. Awesome first brew, could easily drink this all night long, solid stuff all the way.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2011 23:39:12 | More by peensteen

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at The Only, a 400ml serving in the Spearhead glass. Same price as a pint though... wonder if this is typical of this offering across establishments?

Pours a hazed apricot orange with a finger of head which recedes to a collar and leaves small patches of lacing.

Nose shows off some tropical fruits, dashes of grapefruit, floral, and a faint hint of sweet pineapple and a light caramel presence. Not as aromatic as hoped. Flavor is graced with a good dose of hops, grapefruit and tropical fruits - papaya and pineapple in particular. Definitely notice the pineapple juice giving it a sweet and slightly acidic note in the finish, kind of thins out the finish as well in my opinion. Moderate hop bite which is bold for Ontario, pretty smooth drinking, nice drier finish which I like from my IPAs, no hint of the ABV, refreshing and hoppy.

Can't help but think that with the hop profile I would prefer it without the addition of pineapple juice but they're going for different so I guess it fits. Not a perfect beer but a solid first offering that promises good things in the future, which is great for Ontario beer drinkers. Would gladly order it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2011 19:50:57 | More by ritzkiss

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Gambrinus Bistro & Cafe. Sampled during the London launch party of Spearhead Brewing Company.

Pours a hazed amber orange with one finger of eggshell white froth and sheets of lacing on the tulip.

Smell is tropical fruit, clementine, pine needles, floral and resiny hops, faint doughiness, and red grapefruit. Mild pineapple aromas develop as the beer warms.

Taste is fruity, juicy, and citric hops upfront, orange peel and grapefruit mid-palate, big pithy, resinous, and astringent bitterness (somewhat sharp and acidic) with pineapple on the cough.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth, medium bodied, spicy middle gives way to a juicy and bitter astringency on the tongue. IBUs linger in the drying finish.

Overall, Hawaiian Style Pale Ale is a very bold, flavourful, and hop-forward IPA with amazing drinkability. I will order this routinely if it gets regular rotation at my favourite local bars. Slightly better than Smash Bomb IMHO. Well done, Tomas and Steve!

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 03:54:23 | More by cratez

mrmanning

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Gambrinus launch party. Many samples. A hazy orange with a two finger soapy white cap. Lots of sticky lace left behind after the swirl. The aromas are fruit forward, with tropical fruits leading the way, and leading to white grapefruit and tangerine with herbal/floral tones. Very pleasing and appealing. Sweet fruity malts compliment the ripe and fresh hoppy bitterness. Medium bodied, fruity, and very, very bitter, and astringent finish. Soft and creamy carbonation. One of the best in this province. The quality here is hard to match.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2011 15:28:26 | More by mrmanning

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer Launch at Volo. Pours apricot coloured body with a small white head. Modest fruit hoppy aromas. Average mouthfeel, however fizzy carbonation. Served on the too cold side, 4 degrees Celcius. Better colder, as that yields a hoppy beer with a shot of pineapple in the finish. As it warmed I found it drier than I would like, and the pineapple only adding to the significant acidicity I experienced. Seemed a bit boozier than the 6.5% listed, maybe in the 7.5% range, which the pineapple juice acts as to give it a "fruit punch effect" of hiding the alcohol. Still very drinkable.
Had again a much later batch, 6 weeks later. Pineapple was very constrained but so was the edge. Moderated beer in all respects.Not as good as even the first batch.
I had this again mid-november at Cloak & Dagger and it was way too pineapple juice which detracted from the style. A fruit beer hopped up.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2011 02:59:40 | More by northyorksammy

Mit

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a cloudy orangy amber colour with a decent lasting head.

Definite tart sweet contrast from the pineapple along with the grape fruit hops....very pleasant.

The hops take over in my opinion with that bitter taste at the fore...but the pineapple makes an appearance at the end of the taste to round out the flavour and keep it from being unbalanced. Very nice.

Mouthfeel is good for the abv...

Overall I really like this beer...I tried it about a year ago or so at a food festival but hadn't been able to get any until recently. I would buy this a lot if it were more widely available in the Beer and Liquor stores around me.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 16:37:17 | More by Mit

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: A cloudy orange body with solid carbonation. Produced a finger of head that produced a respectable amount of lace and retained exceptionally well. A little more lace would have netted the perfect score.

Smell: Citrus hops dominate the nose and further assert themselves as the beer warms up. The background is a mixture of pineapple and malt which, given the beer's name seems appropriate.

Taste: Starts with a mix of malt and pineapple and then abruptly shifts to a grapefruit hops with slight backing of malt and lemon rind. It sadly walks an unenviable line of being too tame for most IPA standards and too hopped for a normal Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is really done well on this beer, but the transitioning from mild pineapple to viciously bitter hops needs some work. Also unless you like Grapefruit, you won't be a fan of the aftertaste.

Drinkability: Lighter then I thought it would be, but still a little bit harsh on my palate. That still being said, this was in no way a struggle going down and it settled quite well.

Final Thoughts: I'll admit, using Pineapple in beer is a good idea as the juice of the pineapple produces a sweet & sour acidic note that meshes surprisingly well with the malt. If they didn't just kill this beer with it's hopping, I'd really be interested to see what else you could do with this, specifically in a red lager. Give this one a go.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:43:08 | More by TheHammer

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a nice pale orange colour body. The head is white and frothy. Poured about 1/2 inch and then has settled to about 1/8th of an inch but the sides are climbing up and staying think on the edge of the glace. No sediment noticeable, beer is a bit hazy but you can still see through.

S: Citrus hops, hints of tangerine, unripe mango.

T: The citrus flavours of grapefruit is coming through very well, and then at the back of the palate I get a bit of lemon. The malt flavours are there but the hops do take over. I can taste a bit of grain and bread and some malt sweetness.

M: Medium bodied, good carbonation but I get a bit of alcohol warmed as the beer goes down. Good rounded bitterness persist to the end.

O: Overall it's a very good Pale Ale. The ibu are a bit high for a pale ale but everything else is great on style. Hops are great and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 20:49:31 | More by Kremlock

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks unibroue4ever for a couple of these, a big canadian want!

Appearance. Pours a quite clear yellow-gold with just a little amber and topped with two fingers of frothy white head, decent retention.

Smell. Nice fruity hops, pineapple and tropical fruits, some toasted light grains.

Taste. Some bitter hops, light tropical fruits and light grainy malts, mild bitterness and a little lingering pineapple.

Mouthfeel. Medium body with medium+, prickly carbonation.

Overall. A very nice pale with some decent bitter hops and the nice addition of pineapple in complementary way, not overwhealming in the least.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 01:23:52 | More by Rutager

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a bright amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of floral and citrus hops with light pineapple notes. Taste is also dominated by loads of citrus and hoppy notes with medium bitter aftertaste. Pineapple juice notes is quite subtle but bring a nice touch. Body is quite full with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Well brewed and interesting approach to say the least.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 20:39:14 | More by Phyl21ca

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big ups to andrenaline for including this in our most recent trade
A - hazy swamp water golden brown, tall off white head retained well, traces of lacing
S - biscuity and caramel matliness, mellow citrus and pine with some pepper and florals in the background
T - the hops alone are a well balanced mix of sweet tropical citrus, pepper, and grass, then balanced against biscuity malts with a touch of caramel sweetness, big flavour but easy on the palate
M - medium body, healthy hop bitterness is contrasted well with sweetness and tang and a hint of pepper
O - one of the most balanced pale's i've enjoyed in a long time, the Hawaiian style aspect is complimentary and is a nice contrast and balance to the sharper hop flavours, really hoping this makes it to Alberta

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 01:53:45 | More by joemcgrath27

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hawaiian Style Pale Ale, ironically enough, is far from sunny. Its golden-ish colour is tarnished and heavily clouded (no surprise given that the beer is unfiltered and brewed with fruit). Fittingly, however, it does dress the glass in a lei of pearly white bubbles.

Short of a plane ride, this is the closest I'll get to the beach. Nevermind the pineapple, dry-hopping provides more than enough tropical fruitiness; tangerine, grapefruit, lychee and mango are all noted as much (or more) than the pineapple. There's also a strong bitterness that conjures to mind the tallest, greenest grassiness.

The extra little bit of pineapple juice is a nice compliment to the existing citric fruitiness. Again, ultra-acidic, 'spiked' flavours of grapefruit and mango are appreciated foremost, accompanied by a slight honeyed, biscuity maltiness. The grassy, somewhat resiny bitterness prevails, however, and leaves a desirable earthiness.

The malts do well to well to hold up in a game geared towards hops. Their weight is appreciated in the midst of all this acidity. The result is a well-integrated and balanced pH (and bitterness). As well as hefty, it is also considerably refreshing for a 60 IBU, 6% alcohol beer.

Moka laka haile, c'mon you wanna lei me, pass the poi! Mahalo! Hawaiian Style Pale Ale has enough fruit cache to move an umpa lumpa to tears. It is what the Willy Wonka river would taste like if you fell in. The idea to add pineapple to an already citric, tropical ale is a clever idea and well executed. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 16:43:09 | More by biegaman

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into tulip 9/10/12 thanks liamt07 for taking this one off my want list

A clear golden orange with lots of tiny bubbles and upon closer inspection some tiny suspended particles, thumbs width of foam has decent retention leaving random patches of lace well down the glass

S lots of citrus on this one with a hint of floral pine, pineapple both candied and juice with some caramels, faint booze and a pretty nice nose overall

T much like the nose but with a little grapefruit rind and slightly more pine, still just a hint of booze but mostly tropical citrus, slightly sweet maybe some sweet orange as it warms

M pin prick bubbles work well in the mouth with a slight tingle, a little gritty but I like that in IPA's has a nice citric rind aftertaste that lingers for quite a while

O pretty solid stuff with some good qualities in every area, I don't like giving the same mark in every area but sometimes you find a straight up "good" beer

I could have another and I just might because liamt07 sent me two bottles. I can see why this is on the Canadian top 100 and if they can consistently keep this quality it will be there permanently.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 18:15:42 | More by wordemupg

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a slightly hazy golden colour, finger of head with some retention and nice sheeting lacing.

S - Scent is dominated by sweet citrus hop notes, very floral, sweet lemon iced tea, candied sugar and a solid dose of pineapple on the finish.

T - Much like the nose with the sweet citrus hops dominating, the pineapple flavours are subdued but offer up a tasty sweetness that balances the bitterness of the hops. A bready caramel lingers on the finish with a touch of sour fruit.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and a touch of dryness on the finish.

O - I didn't want to believe the hype, but the flavours are reminiscent of one of my favourite west coast breweries, Lagunitas. Deliciously sweet hops profile complemented by the subtle pineapple and balanced by the bready caramel malt backbone. I'm optimistic/hopeful that this can become a staple at the local LCBO.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 02:49:25 | More by andrenaline

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to jrenihan for this one.

Poured from a 355ml. bottle, ABV stated as 6%.

Appearance: Honey colored body, hazy and chilled, with a generous fluffy head that mildly bubbles and has a pretty nice patchwork on the glass.

Smell: Sweet, juicy pineapple with fresh citrus hops.

Taste: Very malt forward at first, pineapple is quite discreet and not as present as i would have believed. It's felt more in the aftertaste. Biscuity a bit with some tiny sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly smooth with a low bitterness that has a fading effect in the finish.

Overall: Love fresh pineapple but i was a bit underwhelmed as the pineapple is not prominent enough IMO. Still tasty but don't expect to get smacked with lots of pineapple.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 01:26:20 | More by papat444

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with a one finger slightly off white head and a hazy golden colour. Good carbonation coming up. Minimal lace and a half finger of retention.

S - Pineapple is really strong with lot's of citrus.

T - Less pineapple but it's still very much present. Lot's of citrussy hops too. A small amount of malt body but not really present. Their website talks about how unbalanced the beer is and I have to agree with them. Almost all of the flavour is either citrussy or dominated by the pineapple juice addition.

M - Good carbonation on the high side, medium body, and a good bitterness.

O/D - A really one dimensional IPA. That said, it's pretty tasty. The pineapple comes off a bit too strong for me, but it works. Nice once and a while but it would be too much to have a few in one night.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 23:48:31 | More by tbeckett