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

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

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

First had: on tap at Washington House, Sellersville, PA

Great. I wish this beer was more obtainable, but I hardly ever see it in my area. Need more soon. Pours a hazy golden amber with a fluffy white head that retains well and leaves some nice lacing. Pleasantly hoppy aroma with lots of citrus and pale malts. Delightfully light on the palate, with a great balance of light, sweet malts, and crisp, citrus hops. Finishes crisp and just dry enough. Light-medium mouthfeel, and extremely drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2011 20:45:13 | More by Rifugium

cpz28

Indiana

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

The King and I:
I've had this beer a million times. At nineteen, it was my introduction to micros. Why I'm just reviewing it now, at 26, is beyond me.

A- Clear, red-orange with a nice white head atoo

S- American hop dankity-dank, a senses slap, deep citrus and pine backed up by malt sweetness. Divine. The hops, oh, the hops.

T- Initial bitterness is sharp, forward and appropriate. It fades into slight caramel and dark fruit sweetness and comes back bitter, hoppy and with a faint,but necessary alcohol indication. If you want to talk about balance, this is it. This is a perfect beer. It has everything you could ever want in a beer. AK exemplifies how to have huge hops in a beer backed up by malt that is not a sweet mess.

M-Carbonation is the money shot here...and it's spot on. Very full bodied without being heavy.

O- I'd say this is the quintessential American Pale Ale, but it's more of an IPA by style. I don't care what it is; it's good. In a sea of breweries with hype surrounding them, FFF is truly not a pretender. This is their flagship beer, and boy, does it ever represent what they stand for...big hops, big malt, big beers and shattering of style guidelines. FFF always does what they want to, and other breweries try to emulate or jealously choose to ignore what they're doing. Bow Down!

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 22:40:53 | More by cpz28

bs870621345

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a few hours after dreadnought....like a scaled down version of it.

Pours a clear orange amber color with minimal head. No lacing at all.

Smells like pine hops and caramel sweetness. Not a whole lot of smell.

Taste is citrus and pine burst and a more bread like sweetness. Not nearly as sweet as dreadnaught...really good taste.

Mouthfeel is a little too thick, but nice carbonation.

Overall it's a good beer...much move enjoyable than dreadnaught.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2011 22:11:09 | More by bs870621345

zrab11

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a beautiful amber color with nice white head

S- Has a nice ipa aroma to it with some citrus and sweet smells

T- has a very nice citrus hops flavor throughout. Hints you with some sweet malts and goes down crisp and clean

M- Medium bodied with nice carbonation

D-Over this is an exceptional APA. almost an IPA for me. love the flavors and balance. If you havent had this beer try it. its super tasty

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 03:43:23 | More by zrab11

haddon

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

had this on draft at Pazzo's in Lexington, KY. out of all the beers we tried, this was by far the best of the lineup. if you saw all of the offerings this joint has on tap, you would know this is saying something.

orange and gold, with a pale colored cap. lots of lacing all the way down the pint glass

The nose is citrusy hoppy. Not overpowering but just a good mix of orange peel, grapefruit and all things citrus

The flavor has a citrusy hop bite that is more characteristic of IPA's than APA's. plenty of malt to balance things out. Flavors include grapefruit and orange peel primarily.

The mouthfeel is plenty smooth, medium body with just the right carbonation. no complaints here.

Drinkability is high... nice and smooth, very well-balanced.

Alpha King does seem more like an IPA than a true APA. I ain't complaining because that's just my game! I will be looking for a clone to brew and if you know me, you know that is the ultimate compliment. well done, FFF.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2011 03:23:56 | More by haddon

jwinship83

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at kumas corner. $5 gets you a pint glass.

A- this one pours out a translucent copper colored body with a very small bright white head on top. the head is quick to fall, and doesnt leave behind very much lacing.

S- woah, hoppy. this is undoubtedly fresh. lots of pine and grapefruit. some floral notes sneak in also. there is a moderate amount of caramel malts which adds some balancing sweetness to the mix.

T- the taste starts out with some sweet caramel malty notes and quickly moves into hop country. plenty of resiny pine and sharp, bitter grapefruit. i think i pick up on a little bit of orange zest also. light floral notes at the end.

M- the body is on the lighter side of medium. nice and bitter aftertaste. somewhat dry finish.

D- easy to drink and quite affordable. ill have another glass. check this one out if you havnt already. i think i liked it better on tap than in the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 02:02:07 | More by jwinship83

PGHeppJr

New York

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

From notes 29OCT2010

Pint from Kuma's whilst waiting to pickup a KILLER burger

A damn crisp and tasty hop forward ale, that I would argue doesn't quite fit the category it is placed in. That aside, a very enjoyable beer that I wish i could get my hands on back home.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2011 14:55:13 | More by PGHeppJr

kaips1

Kentucky

4.93/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Alpha king on tap into a pint glass

A-nice amber color, white 1 finger head, lots of life non stop bubbles but not crazy 
S-heavenly, lots of citrus and hops
T-same as the taste, if not better
M- lively.wet finish 
O-amazing, get this if you can, no way this is just a pale ale cause it kicks all other pale ale asses

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2011 22:00:34 | More by kaips1

Preismj

Illinois

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

a: hazy amber, a bit dark. Nice half inch head that sticks around for the whole drink. nice stickiness to it as well...great lacing.

s: hops! pine tree scent up front with a citrus in the background. Made my mouth water.

t: very hoppy in the front of this brew. A very strong bitterness up front, like chewing on a pine tree. Hits you hard, hits you fast, then fades into a citrus sweetness that washes it all down. Left my palette wanting more.

m: creamy, rich and full bodied. Mild carbonation. The aftertaste of sweet citrus left my mouth watery and salivating. This was what I noticed most about this beer...really made me want another sip.

o: Very good beer. Similar to others out there, though there is nothing wrong with that. I would have liked a stronger presence of the citrus in the finish, though the sweetness you get as it all washes away made this a great beer to start the night with. Very good.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2011 14:32:10 | More by Preismj

b3shine

Ohio

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

A good draft. When I put it in the pond of pale ales, I rate it towards the top. Yet the hoppiness almost warrants it being amongst ipa's, in which case I'd put it towards the middle of its peers. How you review it depends on if you wanna group it with the label's title or your or your palate's.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2011 01:58:58 | More by b3shine

TheDudeRules

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a tap to my brandy snifter.

Pours a very nice copper color. Grapefruit, pineapple, citrus and hops spews from my glass. Very nicely carbonated. As much fruit as I took in the smell, it was lacking in the taste. This isn't a bad thing. It was just slightly citrus and tropical tasting with a pretty dry finish.

A really well balanced beer here. Very sessionable in this guys opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2011 04:41:47 | More by TheDudeRules

Kelly88

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap at keystone in Covington.

A- bronze copper appearance. Very dark for a pale ale. Nice half inch white head That fades to a bubbly cap. Lacing is sticking after each sip.

S- grassy woody hops are the main event with the slightest suggestion of lemon in the nose.

T- the taste mirrors the nose with the herbal hops taking the lead. A dash of soapiness is there But isn't distracting.

M- light to medium bodied is eight in line with style. Maybe and Just maybe a touch more carbonation. Overall great feel

D- I could down multiple pints because of the mouthfeel and taste. Glad I had this great beer on Tap.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2011 22:45:16 | More by Kelly88

TriGuy20

Illinois

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

On draft at Kuma's Corner, poured into pint glass.

A: Copper and Orange with a nice off white head and a lace that sticks fairly well to the glass.

S: mmm big hops! Pine/ Grapefruit/ Biscuit/ Malt/ Yeast/ Bitter orange/

T: Grape fruit and pine upfront with a nice yeasty mid palate followed by a nice long hoppy bitterness. Nice long finish.

MF: This beer has some good carbonation to it and feels medium bodied on the palate.

D: This beer is so fun to drink would have no problem drinking several of these.

Overall:
This was one of the first craft beers I fell in love with and sometimes I forget about this beer, however, it never disappoints. Well done!

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2011 21:06:31 | More by TriGuy20

southsider

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the tap into a pint glass.

A-Poured an orangy,coppery hazy gold into my glass. The head was a frothy off white with sticky lacing.

S-Strong aroma of piney,citrusy,piney hops with a toasty malt background. Big IPA type smell for an APA.

T-Spicy,slightly alcoholic beginning with more carbonation than expected. Lots of piney and citrusy hops more in overall presentation than bittering which is restrained enough to let the toasted biscuity malt backbone shine through.Finish is dry and a little bitter.

M-Combination of high carbonation,initial bitterness and alcohol create a buzzing sensation like a swarm of bees in my mouth. "It's not normal" is the mantra of Three Floyds and it certainly applies to Alpha King. Medium mouthfeel due to a big malt backbone clothed in generous aromatic hops.

D-A damn fine Midwest APA masquerading as a West coast IPA. My favorite American Pale Ale so far.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2011 15:09:11 | More by southsider

chicagoabbot

Illinois

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

on-tap at Bar Deville. Hard to go wrong with 3F's. Great pour from the bartender. Rich amber color with a hoppy but balanced nose. What a great beer. Will do a bottle review sometime too. Try it for yourself. If you can find it. I go out sometimes even when I feel like kicking back and watching a movie to drink this on-tap because 6 packs are so hard to find, even though this brewery is not far from Chicago.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2011 05:58:48 | More by chicagoabbot

brendanbeer

New York

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

at the map room in chicago.

a. absolutely gorgeous golden orange, rich color. finger or two of thick sensuous white head that is always there and leaves an awesome web of lace on the glass.

s. the smell is superb, its hard for me to describe, even to myself (just wait to i get to the taste!) its really hoppy and fresh, woodsy. also sweet.

t. oh my goodness, characteristics dont do it justice. it deserves a "oh my" and a "hell yea". really bready and hoppy, the mix is incredible, the hops add this amazing sweetness and tartness that is familiar yet utterly mind-blowing. its just so good.

m. perfect amount of carbonation and silky beer texture.

d. i could drink an infinite amount of this beer and continue to be happy and curiously engaged.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2010 09:32:21 | More by brendanbeer

rpardon7

Kentucky

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

Had on tap at Pazzos in lexington, came to me a amber orange color with a nice fluffy white head that lingered for a good amount of time and left a small amount of lacing on the glass. The smell was fresh hops citrus lemon and perhaps some tropical fruit. Taste was just what I expected fresh citrus hops with a good bready malt backbone and a great zesty hop finish! Mouthfeel is very smooth and almost creamy, good amount of carbonation which brings out the hops in this beer even more. Drinkability is great this is a great session beer by three floyds!

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2010 19:41:07 | More by rpardon7

imagese

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to fellow BA's for tipping me off that Pizza Port C-Bad had this on tap. One of my must haves in bottle when home in Chicago

A- Dark golden amber with thick head that hangs around and laces the glass the whole way

S- a great mixture of subtle pine and sweet caramel

T- much more aggressive on the hops than the nose. I thought this was an IPA the 1st time I had this, especially compared to other midwest ales

M- very full bodied and leaves the perfect amount of residue in your mouth

D- I down a sixer w/o thinking, and the draft pints go down as smooth

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2010 03:31:08 | More by imagese

arboristfish

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a deep copper color, with a white head. This beer has a great citrus hop aroma to it. The flavor is fairly strong with citrus hops, there is a bit of a lingering citrus hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium light. Overall its a drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2010 00:03:28 | More by arboristfish

ferrari29

Illinois

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

Served at a local bar in pint glass from tap; notes written on napkin

A - Served with 1/2 inch creamy colored head (might have been bad pour); head withered away rather quickly; moderate lacing; not much carbonation; beer is a deep amber color

S - Hop aromas & tones; hints of peach and other fruits; crispy fresh smell; slight hint of malts; yeast releases flowery aroma

T - Hop taste dominate this beer; sweet and biscuit flavors hit as it rolls over the tongue and turns bitter in the back of the mouth; very small amount of bitter aftertaste

M - Crisp and fresh feel as its consumed; not much carbonation in the drink

D - Brewer manufactured this beer with hop characteristics dominating this brew; brewer did a good job constructing this beer; would have a lot more

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2010 04:15:17 | More by ferrari29

argock

Virginia

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

Served on-tap in a clear pint glass at Clark Street Ale House (Chicago, IL).

A: Rusty amber with tightly-bubbled 1-finger off-white head with supreme stickiness and crusty lace down the glass.

S: Resiny hops with touches of pine sap and orange citrus prove too much for the staunch pale and caramel malts

T: Strongly resin hops with earthy character dominate. Orange and pine are big contributors too. Pale and caramel malts mostly provide body to the brew but do also give some sweetness. Very bitter in the finish from the resiny hops.

M: Excellent medium-full body for the style with low-average carbonation and just the right balance of stickiness and smoothness.

D: A very good APA although the resiny character is a bit overpowering in the on-tap format.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2010 03:03:35 | More by argock

robwestcott

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

third glass in a FFF flight.

poured from tap to a 4oz taster a semi translucent light mahogany with a 1/2 finger off white short lasting head.

aroma of piney hops and not much else - except cigarette smoke from that guy next to me.

piney hops forward to the exclusion of all else. it's a hoppy beer not pretending to balance.

bitter on the tongue, medium carbonation.

very drinkable at 6abv.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2010 17:52:28 | More by robwestcott

ChrisPro

Illinois

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

(rating transcribed from ratebeer)

On tap at the Three Floyds brewpub on 7/21/09.

Pours dark gold with a touch of amber and nice white head.

Solid pine aroma with just a touch of vanilla and caramel.

Mild sweetness and then bam! The hops hit hard. Great hoppy pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2010 03:45:02 | More by ChrisPro

nickd717

California

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

Review from awhile back transcribed from RateBeer.

Had this on tap at Three Floyds in Munster, IN. Best pale ale I've had - "Alpha King" drink this any day of the week.

Great golden-amber color with a very well-formed and clingy white had.

Great aroma of incredible citrusy C-hops and sweet pale malt.

Same on the taste - hops have piney and grapefruity character and are just "pha king" great. Not too malty, but has a good backbone.

Medium body and lively palate.

I think "Alpha King" give this a "pha king" awesome rating.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2010 17:26:06 | More by nickd717

HosP

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at local bar in town.

A: Pours darker, hazy. Leaves good amounts of lace on glass.

S: Good mix of hops with a caramel malt aroma to it.

T: Good balance between hops and malts. Hops take a little frontseat, which I like! Good smooth taste though!

M: Medium body. A little bitter aftertaste which I wasn't expecting from the taste.

D: Good APA! Don't have many options around Anderson, but a good solid beer to choose from.

I've had this in the bottle and it taste quite a bit better from the tap! I'd still pick up some bottles with limited supply in town but would prefer the tap.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2010 04:20:11 | More by HosP