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

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.31/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

served out of a growler

this is a very tasty pale ale. hoppy like an IPA, but not typically so. sweet woody malts, pine tree and earth bitterness, dark fruits and toffee syrup. smell is very hoppy, feel is lightly carbonated and milky.

my first 3F beer, and it was excellent

Serving type: growler

04-18-2013 07:13:02 | More by jimmah120

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This particular Alpha King review was taken from a brown growler filled at Ashland Beverage Center who had it on tap(I ended up drinking 3 total growlers full lol) though I've had many bottles of this as well. Poured into a nonic style pint. May I add that this specific FFF tap handle art is out of this world. Pure eye candy.

A - deep amber and I mean the deepest of glowing dark amber. Creamy white head sits atop and the ring of creamy lace stays around the entire experience leaving excellent stick to my nonic glass.

S - Big whiffs of fruitiness. A fruitiness that only comes from FFF. Some grapefruit, but smacks of mango and tangerine. Caramel like malt backbone provide the sweetness with a small touch of spice. Great aroma really starts things off in a class manner.

T - flavor is out of this world good. Caramel sweets and a faint toffee. Bready biscuit flavored malt balance nicely with a quick rush of grapefruit and pine like hops. Next is the sweet fruitiness of soft mango and orange with a hint of pineapple. Not as gushing with it as other FFF styles, but still very much present. These are the flavors I crave and FFF always deliver.

M - Medium bodied with a grand thick texture for a pale ale. Smooth and flows brilliantly while coating every inch of the palate with flavor. One of the smoothest 6.6% abv ales you'll ever find.

O - one of my all time favorites. From day one Alpha King was a classic and deserving Halloffamer. It's by far the 2nd best American pale ale ever produced IMO and I'm sure everyone knows who make the #1 APA. Yep, FFF hold both of those 1 and 2 spots in my book. Simply remarkable what they do with Alpha King and Zombie Dust. Both are clear cut winners and both a must try. If you have access to this then you should be enjoying it. It's top shelf good. I just wish we'd get the bottles of this on a regular basis here at home. Ill buy this anytime I see it. A well balanced world class APA that's ridiculously tasty and fulfilling? Indeed. FFF brewing a liquid like Alpha King = pure Class. Pure genius.

Serving type: growler

04-18-2013 04:40:58 | More by BradtheGreat7

Steasy66

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Deep amber, nice head retention
S- floral, citrus, hint of malt
T- Citrus hops, hint of malt, bitter finish, would prefer a bit more malty
M- Very undercarbed, probably because this is a taproom growler pour
O- Good beer, worth a try, need to try this from a bottle to really give it a fair shake.

Serving type: growler

03-05-2012 03:12:59 | More by Steasy66

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Growler shared by my non-BA friend Brian... He may as well be a BA, as he makes an appearance at every tasting I host!
Anyway...

Dark copper body. Small light tan head. Kinda weak retention an lacing this time around... But I'll chalk that up to the glassware!

Smells a little chalky, with some caramel malts. A good dose of hops provide some nice grapefruit notes.
The flavor has a good bitterness at the backend.

Body is medium and feels a tad undercarbed.

Overall-- still a good beer, but this is nowhere near as good as my past experiences with this one.

Serving type: growler

12-11-2011 19:42:58 | More by AleWatcher

Beerdregs

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked up a growler the night before the XV party last weekend.

A: amber color with a orange hue. Carbonation was muted after a week in the growler but still grew a 1 finger head after an aggressive pour. As I am drinking it leaves a modest lacing down the glass.

S: Smells of piney grapefruit. Don't pick up any malt but don't fault them on this based on their hop forward reputation.

T: resinous citrus hop flavor with a modest but good balance of malt sweetness backing it up. Does not have an overly aggressive back of the tongue bitter.

M: This is a growler so again the carbonation is somewhat muted. I enjoy this though as it makes a somewhat dry beer a bit more slick.

O: This is my favorite pale ale style. This is the brewery that started the midwest craft revolution and for good reason. This is a wonderfully balanced beer and hopefully someday will be a session beer that I can enjoy at my local watering hole here in Minnesota!

Serving type: growler

11-19-2011 21:20:49 | More by Beerdregs

titosupertramp

Tennessee

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drinking thanks to BaconIsLife.

A: Dark copper with two fingers of white head. There's a lot of lacing around all sides of the glass.

S: Citrus, pine and sweet caramel malts. Man, this is a great smelling beer.

T: Man, this is a great tasting beer. The citrus and pine are pretty well balanced. The bready, caramel malts put up a decent fight, but are soundly outmatched. Love it.

M: Creamy mouthfeel. Bitter and dry.

O: I like Alpha King a lot. If you're after a hopped up pale ale, this has to be high on your list.

Serving type: growler

10-15-2011 01:02:11 | More by titosupertramp

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful clear dark copper color. Nice fluffy head with good retention. The beer has a punchy nose offering pine, flowers, citrus and ginger(?).

Nice malty backbone well-balanced with loads of hops. The flavors are IPA-like. Some biscuit and cookie, but predominantly citrus. Very very dry with a good biting finish.

It's hard to find anything wrong with this beer, unless you just don't like hops. If I could get this stuff all the time (I can't), it would probably be one of my regular go-to beers. It's a big, bold, flavorful, hoppy-as-heck American pale ale.

Serving type: growler

09-17-2011 17:44:06 | More by deadonhisfeet

Bendurgin

Maine

3.7/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got a growler of this as an extra from Sean. Thanks homey, I owe you for this. Poured into a pint glass. Pours amber with a finger of creamy beige head that seems to be lasting nicely with some sticky lace along the collar.

Hints of caramel come through in the aroma with some candied orange in the the finish. Real nice citrus hop aroma in the finish. The flavor mirrors the aroma on this one, a little bit of caramel on the pallet with candied orange and canteloupe rounding it out.

The body is light and the carbonation holds up nicely in the growler. Overall this one is pretty rock solid. Glad to have a growler of this bad boy.

Serving type: growler

09-16-2011 03:22:20 | More by Bendurgin

andrewinski1

Maine

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Ben for sharing! Poured into a pint glass. There is a white fluffy head on a copper colored slightly hazy body.

The aroma has nice melon and a bit of hoppy spice.

The tast starts nice dry and with some cucumber and pine. The finish is nice and crisp. There is only a bit of light malt sweetness.

This is very nice and drinkable with good crisp carbonation.

Serving type: growler

09-16-2011 03:22:03 | More by andrewinski1

NODAK

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Has a fairly piney aroma....quite hoppy for an APA. Smells quite a bit like a west coast IPA.

Pours a very amber color, clear, with a nice fluffy head.

The immediate taste upfront is of pine tree hoppiness, though it isn't all that powerful as I'd have thought compared to the aroma. In the middle, there's a spicy malt character that doesn't quite match the malt but is definitely there. The bitterness definitely comes through in the end though, as a resiny pervasive bitterness that goes through the finish and lingers a while. More bitter than your standard APA...perhaps on the level of certain IPA's.

I enjoyed it quite a bit, as I was in the mood for a hoppier beer and this definitely fit the bill, especially for style. I was also impressed with how thick this beer was for the style.

Serving type: growler

06-28-2011 02:11:21 | More by NODAK

strikertown

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Sean(Sean9689) for sending me the growler. I won his LIF, and it was received in excellent condition.

A-Not so much pale, but more of an light orange coloring with a small head that dissipated quickly to a thin lacing. Looks very enticing.

S-I am not sure if this was a cause of being in a growler for a couple weeks (I didn't drink it right away), but the aroma was faint although pleasant. Floral citrus but just not much of it.

T-This beer tastes more along the lines of an American IPA. Very bitter and citrusy hoppy. Added in was a decent malt backbone that led to some perceived sweetness. It sort of took on a pineapple flavor with the citrus and sweetness mixed together.

M-Has a solid mouthfeel that is not small and not big but rather right in the middle which makes this an easy drinker, IMO.

O-Overall I am still surprised that this is listed as an American Pale because it is similar to other IPAs I've had with decent body and a strong bitterness with citrus hops. This is a beer I could drink a whole lot of and be content.

Thanks again to Sean9689, for an excellent beer. I will definitely be seeking this out when i am in the distro area.

Serving type: growler

04-24-2011 05:19:58 | More by strikertown

tsatem

Texas

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler into a pint glass, thanks to calbertb2

A - Copper with a slight reddish tint and a nice two finger head, which stays around a little while but leaves some lacing as soon as it recedes. Some floaties as well.

S - I get pine off of this first with some citrus behind that. Lots of hops, with malt sweetness supporting it the whole way. Surprising hop presence for a pale ale and not an IPA. Nothing extraordinary, but it smells great - very well balanced.

T - I get more malt here than in the nose, but the hops immediately follow. Very close to the nose otherwise. Again, a little more hoppy than I would expect a pale ale to be. Very well balanced resulting in a kind of sweet, slightly bitter malty finish

M - A little bit flatter than I was expecting from the pour, but generally agreeable. Definitely very smooth with a nice lingering finish that continues to ask for another sip.

D - Extremely drinkable, had no problem finishing most of a growler by myself. The finish leads me to keep drinking more and more. There's nothing too special about it, but when I finish my glass I realize how good it was and pour another. I'd definitely like to get some more of this. One of the better American Pale Ale's I've had, holding its own with a lot of IPA's.

Serving type: growler

01-20-2011 00:43:42 | More by tsatem

beerman207

Kentucky

4.8/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I LOVE alpha king - period. So...when my local beer store sent out an email that they had it on growler - I certainly added another stop to my grocery list this week.

A: Pours a dark orange with a fluffy head that has almost some hints of tan in it as it just slowly tapers off to a beautiful skim. This is what all pale ales should look like.

S: Wow. Like walking in a forest of pine trees. Citrus could fill the room. Smells sweet as well.

T: Hops up front, malt to mellow out. The perfect combination. Doesn't get much better than this

M: Creamy and easy to swig. A lot more balanced than the bottle - much more mellow.

D: I have a whole growler waiting for me tonight. I believe this will do the trick and the abv is just right.

Serving type: growler

10-31-2010 00:24:53 | More by beerman207

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Amber color with little head and almost no lacing.

S: Mostly grapefruit, but I also pick up tropical fruits and pineapple. Terrific aroma!

T:Tastes almost exactly replicates the smell which is really nice.

M: Smedium body, good carbonation, with a refreshing mouthfeel.

D: Its got a great taste, the ABV isn't too high, and its quite a refreshing beer. Its a great summer type beer that I would consider highly drinkable.

I was unimpressed when I had this from a bottle but in a growler it was GREAT!!

Serving type: growler

08-09-2010 22:18:42 | More by IdrinkGas

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

An all around classic. Had this beer on a trip back through the midwest. Was very surpised to see how well it poured, the hoppy aroma, and the hoppy taste. I guess comparitively, the last almost decade or so since I first had it, beers have become hoppy to the extreme, but this is a classic balanced version that hopheads should still be able to appreciate. Delicious. . .

Plenty of hop character, enough malt. Its nowhere near as pungent as it seemed over a decade ago, but it still holds a special place, and is a legitimate high end pale ale still to this day.

Serving type: growler

12-23-2009 20:59:17 | More by Beerandraiderfan

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from a growler. floral hop scents up front. slightly malty with bitter hop finish, more towards the citrus. very floral and slightly sweet. smooth in the mouth with light carbonation, probably because i poured it straight into the glass. very drinkable!

Serving type: growler

09-22-2008 00:11:16 | More by hooliganlife

dmgeng

Indiana

4.69/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Decided to try this because of the super high ratings. And I'm very happy about the decision

A - Beautiful deep orange color with superior khaki head that remains for the entire session. Sticky lacing all the way down. Very clear. Pours thick for an APA.

S - Great hoppy fragrance with a floral/citrus character that shines through. Some malt present.

T - Has all the hops from the aroma with more citrus and finishes floral. The front also has a sweetness from the nice blend of caramel malt. The complimenting malt flavor is there but still more hops as a good APA should be. Very smooth finish with minimal bitterness from the hops. The last flavors on the palate are some malt sweet and delicious hops.

M - Medium to full mouth-feel with the tones of sweetness. Has very light bitterness to be mostly covered up by the sweetness on the back of the tongue. Fine carbonation.

Overall, the hoppiest APA I've had and makes it one of the most refreshing beers I've ever had. Not the best example of the style but a great beer none the less. I love the citrus hops and the nice sweetness the malt. Perfect if you don't like overly bitter IPA's but would like a more citrus/hoppy pale ale. Being from Indiana I'm a little biased but seems like it should be the best APA in the country. I could drink these for ever.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 17:19:10 | More by dmgeng

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

4.29/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Scored one of these at Gerst Huas in Evansville IN.

A - caramel. brown caramel. A little dark for the style. But a great 1 and 1/2 finger head that lasts.

S - mmm. The best part. Citrus. Strong citrus. But still balanced.

T - Strong hops. This is where I get confused between Pale Ales and IPAs. This one is right in the middle! It leaves a strong after taste of hops, but during tasting it still had a well balanced malt profile. Citrus hops with some rough (but not overpowering) cut grass.

Mouthfeel was absolutely great.

Overall, I think this should be classified as an IPA. I dont normally like IPAs, but this was good!

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 02:44:29 | More by TastyAdventure

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a tulip.

A- dark copper-amber color, brilliant and glowing. Fluffy 1-plus finger linen-white head with good retention and lacing to go.

S-mild intoxicating aroma of pine hops, fresh citrus, and pale malts.

T-piney, refreshing mild citrus, caramel maltiness.

M- One of the smoothest , best feeling beers that I've had. Not light, just smooth. Tingly up front, some hop bite in the end. Refreshing carbonation. Resinous.

O- Wow! So complete and balabced, flavorful and drinkable. Spot on ABV and IBUs. The one thing that I don't like...the butt-ugly label. Petty, I know.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 21:21:29 | More by NiceTaps

ElderPuma

Wisconsin

4.04/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Rich and hazy amber color with 2-3 fingers of a very creamy beige head. Great lacing and good retention. A whole lot darker in color than I expected but one of the prettiest beers I have seen from start to finish.

Caramel, mango, grapefruit, and sweetness all hit the nose. Smells a bit too sweet for my taste but also very intriguing.

First thing that comes to mind upon tasting is the bitterness. It isn't over the top but it is the first thing to hit. Almost like a built in palate cleanse. A sweet bready and caramel malt flavor hits next which then fades and is filled in with grapefruit. The flavor is intriguing in that to me it is just individual single notes that get their moment and fade with no transition but yet it works well. I want to not love it but at the same time I find myself reaching back for more quite often. I just wish it would have some sort of transition between the flavors.

The best part of this beer by far is the amazingly smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Super mellow and very easy drinking.

Overall a very good and unique beer in both the color and flavor profile while also incorporating a mouthfeel more often thought of with a stout. Very enjoyable to drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 14:26:26 | More by ElderPuma

TonyRay

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Crisp and refreshing. Creamy head. Very pleasant, long-lasting finish. Neither the hop character or the body overpower one another. It is also quite thirst-quenching. This is a rare APA that would be appropriate for a winter or summer session. One of the finest offerings from Three Floyd's.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 00:36:31 | More by TonyRay

alysmith4

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thought this beer was good, but a little on the 'meh' side as far as my expectations go. Had high hopes as I've absolutely loved everything I've tried from Three Floyds so far, especially since this is their "flagship" beer. But it just didn't do it for me. It was definitely a good pale ale, however one-dimentional. Would have again, but wouldn't seek out.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 21:04:06 | More by alysmith4

kevanb

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a White Three Floyds/Intelligentsia Mini Snifter.

The beer pours a true copper color, slight chill haze with a good finger of foamy white head that has good retention and leaves some spotted lace behind. The aroma rather light but showcases bitter piney hops with some crisp spice, light grapefruit with quite a bit of malt backbone. The flavors are more impactful, lots of bitter piney hops, light citrus character, some spiciness from the hops and a smooth, malt backbone at the finish. The body is great, moderate to high carbonation but it has a nice creaminess to it with a nice dry finish.

Verdict: A pretty standard APA from Three Floyds and it's no wonder why they've been making this for over 16 years. It's crisp, it's refreshing, it's hoppy without being abrasive and most of all, it's clean and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 01:44:20 | More by kevanb

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

2.26/5  rDev -47.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

Poured from a bottle into my Hill Farmstead chalice.

A: Pours a hazy copper color with an inch of head, just a touch of lace.

S: Aroma is sickly sweet, unpleasant to me.

T: Very malty, unbalanced.

M: Sticky, tough to drink..

O: Really disappointing!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 00:58:22 | More by TheLostGringo

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.39/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

One of the few survivors (along with Gumballhead and Rabid Rabbit) of a shipment from IN to OK. My bottles of Dreadnaught and Panzer Wolf were not so fortunate to make it through the rough UPS ride. Sad...

A- One of the meanest looking pale ales i have seen. Pours a dark copper bordering on amber into my Spiegelau IPA glass. Creamy as can be light tan head of 1 finger. Lacing that is sticky as hell. The retention is equally impressive as a layer sticks around the whole time. Looks like I am in store for a great beer.

S- Tons of citrus notes all over the nose. Grapefruit, orange, lemon zest. Some bready character underneath. Touch of carmelized malts as well.

T- Hops all over again as the nose indicates. Toasted bread malts come through with a nice round of sweet caramel to support the hop platform. Nice amoutn of bitterness in the finish, but avoids any harsh astringency. Actually finds some way to be slightly clean and smooth.

M- Mid body makes this one a bit heavy for the style, so the drinkability is average at best. Fantastic carbonation though. Crisp and clean. Dry as expected.

O- Hoppier than most APAs, but quite enjoyable. A standard for the style. If there were no lable i would have assumed this one were an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 19:01:42 | More by Bosoxfan20