Alpha King Pale Ale - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

gustogasmic

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just wow. Poured into a 12 oz tulip, forms a luscious pillowy off-white head. The beer is a translucent amber with very active carbonation. Great pillowy lacing.

The smell is of ruby red grapefruit, bitter orange rind, and pine needles... A really potent and exciting bouquet.

Very orangey and bitter hop, hoppy as hell, and incredibly balanced. The body is there, but at the perfect level- not too big, not too sweet, but with no breaks on flavor. nice dry sticky leave that makes you smack your tongue and appreciate the flavor as it rolls out for minutes after a sip.

The mouthfeel is a bit thick for my liking but really works well with the beer. I can't knock it.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 22:01:45 | More by gustogasmic

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark amber colored with a one finger off white head. Head does not stay long but it had a pleasant creamy character to it. Clear and with a sufficient amount of carbonation.
There is a very strong citrus aroma like grapefruit, I also detect pineapple. The aroma is very strong which is something I greatly appreciate.
This tastes so good, grapefruit, toasted bread, and some honey sweetness that is ever so lite and hardly noticeable but rounds of the sip nicely.
It's crisp and silky smooth up front before the resinous and sticky hops make my lips pucker up.
Everything about this beer is bold, aromas, taste, feel, even the label art. It's a fantastic beer that I seek out every time I'm in the great state of IN, though it's not always easy to find.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 23:46:40 | More by JCaweinstein

tyleeis

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a beer glass...

Great light brown/ dark golden color, decent 2 finger head....a perfect looking summer ale.

Big nose of hops!!! Slightly piney with caramel notes.

Taste is amazing!!!! Hoppy, sweet and a little bitterness, tastes like the smell with a nice caramel aftertaste.

Light carbination but relatively smooth, an easy drinker.

Overall this pale ale is King and is what got me into trying the more complex IIPA's....another great from 3F's! Try this beer!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 01:44:37 | More by tyleeis

KingRascal

5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Look: Translucent gold/amber with a thick off-white head

Aroma: Floral, hoppy aroma with a pleasant hint of barley

Taste: Pleasant hop taste with a smooth finish and pleasant aftertaste. Bordering the flavor of an IPA

Feel: Refreshing, well rounded, frothy, smooth on the palate and crisp

Overall: Perhaps my favorite beer. An extraordinary bold flavor with a crisp and refreshing finish.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 05:58:14 | More by KingRascal

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The body is a slightly-hazed red/amber with a humble inch of head that fell to soapy slags and swamp bubbles on the surface. The beer looks quaffable enough, but extra bonus points go to the sweet-ass bottle design and six-pack carrier.

Nice balance! Malty caramel and light toastiness pairs well with citrus and floral hops. Not entirely sure how fresh this bottle is, but this reminds me of 'month-old' Nugget Nectar. Rinds and peels abound with some juicy sweetness in the nose. Not pithy or showingly bitter. Pretty nice aroma off of this one.

...and the similarities to Nugget Nectar continue!! Burnt toffee malts with some sugary residuals. Getting some pine notes with orange, grapefruit, and oily hop flavors. Some rustic notes. A little tangy in the middle with a very clean finish. Moderate bitterness... actually, enough bitterness to wipe the 'sweetness' slate clean.

Yeah, I'd call this some easy drankin'. Brushy carbonation pulls out some spicy hop flavors and makes a short-of-medium body pretty damn interesting. Straight-up crushable brew.

Alpha King is awesome. Now, all I need in my life, is some Zombie Dust. Until then... cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 03:45:22 | More by thecheapies

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle thanks to EdwardFortyHands. Poured into CCB snifter.

A- Pours a translucent slightly golden amber, thin layer of head, a little bit below average carbonation, leaves spotty lacing here and there.

S- Aroma of sweet floral, slightly earthy hops, malts, and a little bit of grass and pine.

T- Sweet and bitter hops with a malty background, a little bit of pine, definitely a little bit bitter on the finish but balanced with a nice sweet citrusy fruits + sugary aftertaste.

M- Medium bodied to a little bit on the lighter side, average carbonation, well balanced, goes down smooth.

O- FFF really knows how to make good APAs. This isn't as good as Zombie Dust, but for a flagship beer that they make in large quantities this was definitely quality stuff. Although there wasn't a freshness date, I could tell it wasn't exactly the freshest but it still tasted good. One of the better APAs I've had, but nothing amazing. Good go to flagship beer for the mideast.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 20:57:29 | More by jaasen64

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured into duvel tulip.

Appearance: light to medium amber bodied beer. 3 fingers of white head that drops down to a chunky cap. Nice lacing is left from the head.

Smell: Huge pine, citris, and tropical fruit with a faint buicuit malt body.

Taste: Hop forward beer thats moderately bitter. Hop profile is prominently pine, grass, and herbal almost like a green tea. Getting a little bit of citrus and tropical fruits. The biscuity malt are found middle palate and do not offer too much balance. Finish is mild grapefruit bitterness that tenders to linger around for a while.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. The carbonation is right on with this beer.

Overall: Its another solid 3F's hoppy beer. You tend to get a very similiar hop profile from most hoppy beers in the 3F lineup. But here's the bottom line...once you have drank Zombie Dust all other American Pale Ales just don't come close.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 06:56:56 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

That's a good look on a beer - deeply glowing of sterling amber, with a simple white head, leaving a thin facing of bubbles after each drink.

Big on the hops here - sweet citrus, like pineapple, mango, some greenery, and maybe even a bit of mint. This could be a mirage for a tropical drink.

Stunningly good - dry like a saison, but with much more bulk due to a malty backbone and high-level hoppiness. Much darker and richer than I'd assumed. The citrus of pineapple is distinct, but there's a strong grassiness as well. The malts to me are of a dark brown bread. The whole package rings of the fresh outdoors.

Popping carbonation, prickly to the tongue, really brings out the hops. Slight burn to close.

Unique, even for an APA, but really great.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 03:51:34 | More by mdcrouser

zac16125

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
No born on date but I was told this was picked up from the brewery on May 5th

A big thanks to tsauce2 for sending this one over in a trade.

A: Pours a slightly hazy dark amber with 2 fingers of dense light khaki colored head, that takes a while to dissipate down to a thick film which remains throughout the drink. Leaves lots of nice cobweb lacing all the way down the glass. About as pretty as you can get for the style.

S: Big citrusy hops in the form of lemon, orange, grapefruit,and mango. Some sweet caramel malt aromas, a touch of pine, and a hint of booze. Really nice.

T: Taste is more malt forward than the nose, although the hops are certainly there as well. Some citrus, lots of bitterness, and some hop spice. It's earthy, citrusy, and resiny all at once. Pineapple, lemon zest, orange and pine. A solid malt backbone is present to keep it balanced. Really good.

M/D: Relatively smooth for the style, carbonation high but not overly so, medium bodied with a drying finish. Drinkability is good, I could certainly have multiples.

O: Overall, this is just a great beer. I have no trouble seeing why it's been considered the standard of the style for a while now. It's definitely the best APA I've ever had. If I lived within the FFF distribution area this would probably be my go to session beer. I intentionally sought this out before Zombie Dust, and will have to try that one next to compare.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 17:57:16 | More by zac16125

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.58/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a nice translucent deep honey gold. There is about one and a half fingers of off-white head that settle nicely along the top of the beer. There is a decent amount of lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is is mainly light sweet malt, some citrus hops, and that familiar FFF yeast note.

T: It starts out with some malt character up front. It's actually a bit musty. I wonder how long this bottle has been sitting on the shelf. I get a bit of herbal tea and the citrus hops come on the the middle and last until the finish. That distinctive FFF flavor is totally evident.

M: Light to medium bodied beer. There is a bit of heft, more than I was expecting for an APA. The flavors hit the palate and shift off. Only a bit of lingering bitters.

O: This is a pretty good beer, but It's not quick what I imagined it to be. This particular bottle seems a bit old, but without any bottle dates, it's hard to know when it was brewed. I'd like to try this again, but when I know it's a fresh bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 23:30:13 | More by trxxpaxxs

beaker30

Indiana

4.73/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Color is a beautiful copper color...

Smell is so citrus, so awesomely hoppy. I love IPAs and this reminded me of some of my favorites. I am a huge fan of Pride & Joy Mild Ale, so I expected some more hops out of this. I was not disappointed. Bitter, citrus and a just a hint of something sweet.

I could guzzle this right down, but the ABV is keeping me from doing that. This is going to be one of my new favorites.

Yummmy.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 02:51:55 | More by beaker30

Braseltonage

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz. Bottle poured into a standard pint. No bottled on date, but I know this one has about 6 months on it, so take that for what it is.

A- Pours a brilliant copper with slightly off white head, fluffy and quite lacy.
 Looks really clear, quite attractive.
S- Sweet malt aroma right upfront, followed by some tropical fruit and a little pine. Maybe a little biscuity. Not as powerful as I might have expected compared to some of their others, but what's there is really nice.
T- Bold off the top. Some richer caramel, maybe honey like sweetness with a great American hop bite right behind it. Some mango, perhaps pineapple. A bit piney as well. Great balance. This is a solid APA, no doubt.

Mouthfeel is right on par.  Enough richness to let you recognize it, but not overpowering in any sense. Appropriate for the ABV.

A fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 01:27:55 | More by Braseltonage

312HopBomb

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle from Three Floyds Brewery. Thanks Paul!

Poured into a Two Brothers "It's beer thirty" Nonic, it forms a tall three finger head. Color is a slightly hazed glowing honey. A dense head slowly settles leaving a full coating of lace. Top notch appearance.

A tropical citrus burst of lemon zest and orange peel greets the nose. Sweet honey malt backs this up.

Taste does not follow the nose as a more resiny hop bitterness coats the palate with some sweet orange and balanced by honey like pale malt. Some grapefruit hops appear as this warms. No apparent alcohol warming despite the 6% measurement.

Smooth. smooth, smooth. This has a high quality complex mouthfeel. Very full and flavorful. There is fine carbonation in just the right amount.

This is as close to an IPA as a pale ale gets. It's more hoppy than many IPA's.

My brother and I have been drinking this fine brew since 1996. They were at a local brew fest in Downers Grove. My brother tried Alpha King and adopted it as his favorite of all time. We have been hop heads ever since. Thanks for years of cranking out awesome beer Three Floyds.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 04:36:24 | More by 312HopBomb

WankelEngine

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass

A: Pours a beautiful golden-amber color with a foamy white-tan head. There are moderate curtains of lace.

S: Citrus, grapefruit and pine dominate. There is also a decent dose of toffee malts.

T: Hops all the way with just a touch of sweet malt for balance. Mildly fruity, mostly grapefruit and some citrus, but good bitter grass and pine. Grassy floral notes and some alcohol make up the finish and aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied with mild carbonation.

O: A good pale ale. More bitter and alcohol presence than Zombie Dust or Pride and Joy, but still fairly easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 05:33:10 | More by WankelEngine

ChiPool

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into Founders tulip.

AK pours pretty dark for the style, with 3/4 inch of cream colored head. Smell is quite well balanced, getting both earthy hops & sweet malts as well. Smells great. The taste starts with more of the malty sweetness: plum/raisin/dark fruit. It finishes with a bitter kick that lingers on the palate.

This brew defines the style for me. Incredibly well balanced, and looks stunning in a tulip glass. There are several outstanding APAs that really taste like IPAs, or at least "light" IPAS. AK does not fall into that category, IMO. Incredible balancing act here.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 23:09:13 | More by ChiPool

thydarkprevails

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

How have I not reviewed this? This beer helped me discover craft beer and began my love of three floyds. 12 oz bottle into a duvel tulip. Pours a clear copper with a 2 inch off white head that shrinks slowly. Very nice lacing. Aroma is grapefruit, toffee, grass, and mild citrus. Flavor is bright citric hops. Grapefruit, caramel, mild toffee, and a mild creaminess. Mouthfeel is medium and sticky. Flavor lingers and alcohol is invisible. This is THE go to beer at any respectable pub I go to. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 13:20:38 | More by thydarkprevails

Souleman

California

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, this thing is like a Weed-Bomb!
I smelled the herb on this one- and I like it!

A- nice head, with tight bubbles. Stuck around for a while too, which makes me believe it was still fresh enough. Slightly hazy, which is something that I am partial to, with red-amber-caramel color.

S- WEED! This has got the maryjane aroma running through it, as well as some really nice citrus aromatics and floral notes.

T- More rich and complex that I would have thought, there was a nice deep flavor that came through after the initial bitterness, which I can't really pin-point. It was slightly malty-caramel with a touch of smoke. Something pretty special in the taste of this one.

M- I guess the mouthfeel would be fitting for this type of beer, but I would have like a little more roundness. Flavor runs straight to the back of my mouth and doesn't linger long enough. Still, very nice and unique.

O- A very nicely crafted, unique beer. These guys really know what they are doing in the pale ale category and I would go back for more in a second. Even though they touched on some classic notes that come with the style, they definitely stretched into a new realm of beer with the alpha king.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 23:32:34 | More by Souleman

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received as an extra in a trade. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a crystal clear copper with a nice one finger off white earthy creamy head that fades to leave slight lacing but a nice light quarter inch blanket.

S - Probably not the freshest here but very nice caramely sweet malts with a thick, sticky orange marmalade aroma. Really sweet citrus candy.

T - Flavours are predominantly on the malt side. Sweet, carmelly malts. The kind of malt forward over hops that one typically gets with a DIPA. The orange/citrus hops have faded somewhat but the finish is nice tasty orange peel. That is a tasty after taste.

M - Mouthfeel is pretty good. Nice carbonation here, keeps things good and crisp. Really, really solid almost making the APA light. Super drinkable and very little ABV noticeable.

O - Overall this is a very tasty APA. A bit too malty for my liking, but I dont know if that is age or inherent to this brew. Worth seeking out though!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 22:11:34 | More by rudzud

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a rather deep golden to amber color. A nice 2 finger frothy head forms, retains, and laces very well. Rather translucent in the glass.

S- All citrus hops and hints of pine notes. Just like SN Pale Ale, except bigger. Not much else here.

T- Starts with a bitter hops bang. Frankly, the flavor isn't as big as in the scent. Lighter malts are barely detectable underneath the hops profile.

M- Somewhat light and very carbonated, but still heavy enough to support the hops flavor profile. Easy to drink.

Overall, a very solid beer. Between this and SN Pale Ale, they are the flagship beers for this style.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 00:42:21 | More by boilermakerbrew

Etan

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

A: Pours a murky dark orange with a spongy tower of off-white foam. Fantastic lacing left behind.

S: Lots of un-neutered citrus hops in the nose. Bitter smelling rind, squeezed orange and grapefruit. A bit of solvent alcohol lurks behind.

T: Hops are much grassier in the taste. Initial burst of somewhat citrusy hop oil turns to grassy, earthy resin resting on bready caramel malts. Pleasing wave of bitterness throughout, with a bit of alcohol, hop leaf, and doughy malt in the dry finish.

M: Well-carbonated.

O: Gets a slight edge over Daisy Cutter from the beefier malt and hop profile. Still too grassy in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 22:56:53 | More by Etan

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oh holy hell the balance of this thing. Everything is in so much balance, yet its still bold for an APA. The body is deep amber with a tight frothy bubbly white head. Very citric hops up front. Smooth sticky and powdery sweet malt backbone. Lemons come come to mind.

I can see why this is so highly rated. The balance and boldness are second to none when it comes to APAs!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 23:31:19 | More by VncentLIFE

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured a clear dark amber with an inch of off-white head. smells of hops, grapes, caramel, and grapefruit citrusness. bitter taste up front with a bit of spicyness to it. floral sweetness fills up my cheeks. a bit earthy and grassy. medium bodied and perectly carbonated. this is an awesome beer. bitter as hell just the way i like it. a nice summer thirst quencher with a great amount of sticky lacing that leaves your moustache asking to be dunked in the glass again!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 22:08:20 | More by facundoCNB

krembl

California

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice copper with two fingers of off-white head that seem to last forever. The smell is mostly sweet, caramel malts, with just a bit of floral hop aroma.
The flavor is of sweet malt at the front of the palate, very smoothly fading into a floral, medicinal bitterness that lingers in the back of the mouth.
The mouthfeel is fairly light, with a medium carbonation that suits the style well. This is a very nice pale ale. I've always been happy when people send it as an extra.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 00:10:07 | More by krembl

davey101

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a three floyds pint glass. Big thanks to muskabeatz for BIF'ing this!

A - Dark amber body with a three finger off-white head. Moderate lacing and retention.

S - Nice balance between citrus and piney hops. Caramel and toffee malts. Very earthy and fresh with a bit of dankness. Really floral and hop heavy for a pale ale.

T - Grapefruit and pine with an earthy and dank finish. Lightly bitter and clean. Pretty complex and unique for a pale ale. Really delicious and highly drinkable. Mouth feel is medium with nice carbonation and a creamy texture.

O - This is fantastic. Very well balanced between the citrus and piney hops and the toasted caramel malts. The grassy earthiness and a dash of danky hops really sets this apart from other pale ales. Really enjoyed this one!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 20:07:34 | More by davey101

calicaliente

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange color into my glass with a nice white head that lasts a long time and forms very nice lacing on the glass.The aroma is malty sweetness along with a good amount of citrus, pine and grapefruit tang. Hoppiness is present throughout the taste but a bit too sweet for my taste. Overall very nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 20:16:42 | More by calicaliente