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

Alextricity

Michigan

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

*150th Review*

"Alpha King drink this beer all day!"

Well, I would if I had easy access to it. Anyway!

Appearance: A brown/copper color with a nice, bubbly, somewhat tan head. Lacing's patchy, but it has a great, clear appearance overall.

Smell: What do I say? It has a brilliant malty and hop balance. On one sniff it smells of caramel sweetness, and on the next it smells of hoppy deliciousness. Extremely inviting.

Taste/feel: Just an awesome beer. The most dominant flavor that I get is of a quality, caramel malt on the start. The finish is super clean, and offers a burst of fresh hops. Not only is this beer pretty much perfectly balanced, it has an outstanding flavor. There's virtually no aftertaste, which makes me want to keep going back for another sip. Alpha King's a worthy flagship beer at Three Floyds, and one of my absolute favorite beers overall. I can only hope that they ship this stuff to Michigan some day soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 00:27:50 | More by Alextricity

Rogorama

Indiana

4.69/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub. Kind of a three floyds forgotten gem here. The flagship beer that we don't have too often, we forget how good it actually is. The hops are balanced absolutely perfect with a slight citrus aftertaste. the 6.66% ABV is also a nice touch from the boys (and girl) over at three floyds. Just a great beer!

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2013 20:03:05 | More by Rogorama

theveganbrewer

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Much darker than I expected, dark even for a DIPA.

Aroma: Citrus hops, caramel malts, some combo of cascade, centennial, maybe columbus.

Taste: Citrus hops and toffee. Bitterness from start to finish, not too strong, not too weak, uniform.

Mouthfeel: Median bodied. The high carbonation keeps the sweetness down but it does seem really carbonated.

Overall: This is just as hoppy as a lot of IPAs so I really enjoyed it. It's a bit sweeter than something I normally drink, but the intense hop aroma and great balance make this a winner.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 07:03:48 | More by theveganbrewer

zrbeer1579

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Murky deep burnt red-orange with a one finger khaki head. Quite attractive.

Aroma: Citrus hops, little bit of grapefruit, and faint caramel bready malts. The overall aroma is kinda light. I was expecting a stronger aroma, but good nonetheless.

Taste: Citrus hops, citrus zest, little grapefruit. Little earthiness, and just a touch of spicy hops. A nice caramel and lightly toasted bready malts.

Mouthfeel: Median bodied and carbonation. Smooth. Bitterness in the finish is light and pleasant.

Overall: Good balance in flavors. As the beer warms, floral notes started to appeared in both aroma and taste. Very nice malt characters. It was little odd at first. Overall, Alpha King is a tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 05:05:02 | More by zrbeer1579

RaulMondesi

California

3.25/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Ok, well... I had an equation ready, set, and ready to go, but then Raul became distracted. Ok, now Raul is back, and he thinks he digs it. When all you drink is IPA's, a pale ale is a bit unsettling at first, but then you gotta realize what territory you are in. Like, when with a freak (IPA) you know you have to put the chains on the tires and get ready for a bumpy ride. But then when you get into a pale ale, you have to know that you gotta wine and dine her first. So, for Alpha King, if this was a lil honey, you know Raul would take her to In-N-Out first before looking for a good time.

Yep!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 03:37:58 | More by RaulMondesi

themind

New Jersey

4.39/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My first Three Floyds beer and I am impressed. This beer poured a dark, unfiltered looking brown. The aroma was subtle but the taste..boom! this beer is a hopslam! has some bitterness and crisp carbonation. Alpha King is a high quality pale ale that has you begging for more...to bad I only had one.

Bottom Line: Great beer...period!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:12:58 | More by themind

barnzy78

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, no obvious date - had back-to-back with Three Floyds Zombie Dust for my comparison purposes.
Pours amber with a frothy off-white head, great retention & excellent chunky lacing is left on the glass. Aromas are juicy grapefruit & citrus, mild pine, bold bready, caramely malt character. Tastes are complex and plentiful with bready & caramel malt followed up with bold pungency of grapefruit & piny hops with a bit of a tropical kick at the end with mango & pineapple. Finishes semi-dry with some astringency. Medium body, nice carbonation. One of my favorite APA's. Borderlines on being an American IPA but I think there's enough of a malt backbone to be considered an APA.
This one wins just by a little in comparison to Zombie Dust.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 18:35:58 | More by barnzy78

falloutsnow

Illinois

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

From: Three Floyd's Brewery, Munster, IN
Date: None on bottle, but a few weeks old from brewery
Glass: Standard US pint glass

There's no denying that Alpha King is a top-quality ale for those who appreciate hops. The beer's variety of fruit flavors and its fairly intense bitterness are heavily appealing, and are an enjoyable reminder of summer during the winter, or a suitable hop-forward quencher during the summer. This beer blurs the line (if there is any) between American pale ale and India pale ale, weakening the idea of styles and suggesting descriptors may be the better way of describing beers.

Pours a tall (3cm) head of light tan bubbles, which are small in size, creating a very frothy effect. Retention is above average, lasting over two minutes as it declines to a thin cap atop the body of the beer. The lacing the head leaves is fairly substantial and in a variety of shapes and patterns that hang across the glass' interior. The body is a copper orange color, with light bringing out reddish-orange hues. Quite hazy (50% opacity?), but carbonation is still visible, though not terribly numerous or vigorous.

Aroma of fairly pure hop pellets, mostly cascade and centennial, probably others as well. The scents are fruity, juicy citrus (orange, grapefruit), tropical (guava, mango), slightly peppery, and very expressive. This would be even better if it had a slight malt aspect to add some further dimension.

Front of palate picks up slight malt sweetness, but is already starting to notice the bitterness and hop-influenced flavors of grapefruit and bitter orange. Mid-palate finds increased hop character in grapefruit and orange flavors, with lesser quantities of mango, all atop a faintly discernible base of caramel malts. Bitterness is noticeable, but moderate to me. Flash of bitterness occurs as the beer hits the back of the palate, gradually fading to reveal more grapefruit and orange, with even a bit of mango and guava. Aftertaste is of medium-high bitterness and residual hop-influenced fruit flavors.

Beer is medium-bodied with carbonation of medium intensity, resulting in a mouthfeel that is at first slightly fizzy, then softly foamy as it moves across the palate. Closes quite dry, with modest stickiness lingering across the palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 06:27:57 | More by falloutsnow

JakeMorgan13

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

the appearance is a dark copper color. the smell is fruity with hops. the usual fff hoppy smell. it has a fruity taste at first then followed by a hoppy bitterness. the bitterness then dissipates and you want more. slight carmel. overall it is one of my favorite beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 23:13:47 | More by JakeMorgan13

popery

California

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

From notes, 4/4/11. Pours a lustrous orange with a shiny white cap. Good lacing. The aroma is dominated by hops with bright orange-tangerine and freshly cut grass notes taking the forefront. However, there’s a nicely doughy caramel malt backbone holding up that hoppiness. This beer definitely straddles the line between APA and IPA. The taste is also much bigger than your average APA. It has marvelous balance, starting with malt sweetness and smoothly transitioning to hop bitterness in the finish. It’s very, very easy to drink. The beer has a round, full feel that never gets too heavy. Flavor fills your mouth with each sip, but it finishes clean, light and in need of another quaff.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:55:26 | More by popery

Docrock

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served on cask at Three Floyd's in an Imperial pint glass

A - deep orange brown in color with a nice thick 1"+ head. The lacing was so sticky it looked like there was masking tape inside the glass. The head dissipated to a nice 1/4" cap that remained there for the entire time.

S - a couple different citrus notes, grapefruit, orange peel, some earthiness and a bit of pine.

T - the pine and earthiness dominates over the citrus. Nice malt balance.

M - the carbonation is nice and the balance of hop and ABV is really spot on.

O - finally reviewed after drinking on - tap previously and in bottle several times. On cask seemed to really accentuate the carbonation, it was really smooth. This beer is always available but when I saw it on cask I had to give it a try, we'll worth it and as Three Floyd's "everyday" beer, its always a good solid option.

Serving type: cask

01-27-2013 04:05:09 | More by Docrock

Smr7626

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I was really excited to try this brew. I am a Hoosier by birth and College but now living "abroad" in Kentucky. I've heard the talk about this cult-like brewery from the "Region". I just missed out on some Zombie Dust but was fortunate to get some Alpha King across the river from Louisville.
So, here goes:

Deep copper color...Not pale in color at all. And while labeled a "pale ale" it is clearly an IPA by all current American comparisons. Foamy at opening it poured clean, and I was left a nice head with consistent lacing throughout the time I drank this brew. By the way I poured it into a Guinness imperial pint sized glass. Very inticing.

The smell was full of hop essence. I did not detect anything overly grapefruit or pine. Very nice, but a nose full of hops. Not as aromatic as others but nice.

This is a damm good brew. Quite hoppy and more so than most. It is definitely hop forward and if you are looking for perfect balance this isn't it. But it's a full bodied hoppy beer...so while hoppy it has malt characteristics as well.

It has a world class mouthfeel. It just stays with you. It makes you praise the beer gods that there are brewers out there this talented. Your entire mouth has a say in the matter and it likes!

All in all....hop forward, not overly sensational from an olfactory perspective... Biting hops taste with a malty finish and great mouthfeel. I was debating with how it compares to others I like. On par with Sculpin, but different. Not as "sessionable" as Dogfish 60 or Lagunitas, but an excellent IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:38:37 | More by Smr7626

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, no bottled on date present, but I doubt this was the freshest bottle of Three Floyds Alpha King that was available. Poured into a Boulevard tulip.

A - Poured an obnoxious three and a half fingers of creamy fluffy beige colored head with excellent retention that sits on top with a root beer float like appearance and a very nice looking ruby / burnt sienna orange colored body.

S - Pine needles. Fresh lemon. Oranges. Nice lively array of hop smells going on here.

T - Hoppy. Fruity. Floral. Sweet iced tea kind of taste that I have become accustomed to in pale ales and IPA's. Tastes good, but like I have said before, a lot of Three Floyds beers are way way way too over carbonated, and this beer is no exception. Very overly carbonated to the point where it is distracting.

M - Sticky, piney mouthfeel with the lingering taste of green apple sugars. I love hops, and I think this is a wonderful tasting beer, but like I said it is just too damn carbonated and bloating for my liking.

Overall, a decent tasting American pale ale, but I definitely feel this beer is over-hyped, and there are many much more subtle and complex APA's to be had. I think I would personally rather drink the New Holland Hopivore or the Grand Teton Sweetgrass APA instead. Still a decent year-round beer from Three Floyds, but being their landmark beer, I would probably choose something else of theirs like the Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf.

Three Floyds Alpha King ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 06:43:10 | More by mfnmbvp

KYGunner

Kentucky

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

This poured an insignificant head but had a grand coloring and very fine lacing. The scent was malty or biscuity with a following of piney hops. Not too strong and very well weaved it was nicely subtle.

The taste was smooth and slightly sweet with a biscuit, malt backbone and a hoppy finish. Again, not strong or overpowering but well weaved for a clean taste.

This Ale is considered a flagship for one of the best breweries in the nation and it seems to hold true for a non-Imperial style.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:16:15 | More by KYGunner

elNopalero

Texas

4.31/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This pours a golden amber. There’s’ an orange marmalade aroma and a bready toasted biscuit note which contrasts with the hop aroma. I find a similar orange marmalade flavor that’s dryly bitter with pine and orange peel on it. Nicely carbonated with a bitterness that lasts.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2013 10:03:23 | More by elNopalero

SerialHiker

Illinois

4.79/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This thing is awesome, a total must have...a perfectly balanced pale ale, yummy caramel malts, delicious citrus hops...fluffs up so nicely on the palate...can't believe I'm here at the brew pub...one ff the tap is all i need, this would go so well with a round of disc golf...having a bit of a beergasm...

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2013 20:41:44 | More by SerialHiker

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.69/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from zrab11 (thanks!). No bottling date. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Pours deep orange with about one finger near white head that leaves a decent amiunt of lacing.

Smells like a hop sandwich- citrusy hops on sweet bread.

Assertive floral and citrus hops, drying grass, biscuit and pepper. Crisp and easy to drink.

Medium light feel with a strong dose of tight carbonation.

A right fine pale ale. It goes down smooth and easy with a good bit of bitter hoppyness balanced by sweet malts. While I won't yearn for more, I won't turn any away either.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 04:33:17 | More by ThickNStout

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - deep copper/amber; light foam head with some soapy elements present; nice bubbles; minimal lacing; subdued carbonation

S - subtle pine; notes of caramel malt; earthy and citrus

T - mirrors the smell; pleasant hop-malt balance; subdued grapefruit, mango, pineapple; biscuity malt

M - extremely smooth; perfect carbonation; great balance; medium bodied; awesome malt-hop combo

O - this is an extremely well-balanced beer with the right amount of hop sweet/bitterness and the perfect malt combination; great mouthfeel; extremely well-done.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 21:53:43 | More by SkeeterBoganski

MickeyBeer

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- Pours a slightly cloudy deep amber color. About one finger of creamy white head that sticks around. Leaves some beautiful lacing.

S- A very aromatic piney smell from the hops is dominant. I love the smell of the this beer.

T- The bitter hop flavor is plentiful and hits the palate first. This beer has a complexity of other flavors such as citrus and toasted malts.

M- Very crisp mouthfeel with medium carbonation.

O- Excellent APA that I could drink everyday. If this is something that you have never had, it is a must try. It is the standard for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 01:07:33 | More by MickeyBeer

Lemke10

Wisconsin

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

This pours a semi-cloudy medium brown color with a slight off-white head. The aroma is mild with scents of hops with hints of grains and citrus. The taste starts off as a bold, rich pale ale and than finishes with an extra amount of crisp bitterness. This is about as perfect of a pale ale as I’ve ever have had the pleasure of drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 06:06:41 | More by Lemke10

Topher78

California

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I poured this brew and received a warm amber colored body with about a 1/2 fingers worth of an off white head that left decent lacing. The aroma was earthy (tell-tale of Warrior hops) mixed with hints of citrus. The flavor punched your palate immediately with a solid blast of bitterness followed by some earthy hop flavors and toasted malt. The body was light to medium and left your mouth dry afterwards.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 18:19:08 | More by Topher78

KFBR392

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark, almost amber color for this APA. Carbonation very active with about a finger of lacing. Enjoyed out of a large tulip glass.

Smell: The hops jump right out of the bottle at you. But along with the hops is a mix of various citrus flavors and sweet caramel. I enjoyed taking in the aroma of this one for a while before drinking it.

Taste: Similar to the aroma, the hops are the first thing that hits the palette. I've had many lower level IPA that do not have anywhere near the hop presence Alpha King does. But it certainly is not to be confused as an IPA, the malt character provides a warming kiss on the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: A crisp feel is provided which sticks around for a while after drinking this beer.

Overall: Across the board, one of my favorite beers to date. I live in an area where some effort is need to obtain this brew, but worth it every time. It is unfair to compare other APA against this beer since it is simply so much different then other of its style.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 18:04:49 | More by KFBR392

AlphaRanger

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

12oz bottle poured into a Lagunitas jelly jar style glass

A- Slight hazy copper/amber color with nice creamy 2 finger head. Excellent retention and lacing throughout.

S- Beautiful citrus and floral right up front with the perfect balance of malt to complement.

T- WOW! HUUGE hop flavor. Tasting everything I was smelling. Citrus notes lending a slight sweetness and the perfect amount of bitterness. Also a robust somewhat earthiness flavor as well. A nice malt finish to round it all out. Very slight at the end.

M- Med. carbonation. Hops nicely coat the tongue without feeling oily and heavy. Very smooth and refreshing.

O- I've waited YEARS to try this beer. It met AND exceeded my expectations. Hands down one of the finest beers I've had. I loved everything about it including the awesome artwork on the bottles and 6pk carrier! This would easily be my go to APA if I was in the region I purchased these in.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 00:50:42 | More by AlphaRanger

whendeathsleeps

Indiana

4.68/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Not sure why I haven't reviewed this yet.

A- Pours a beautiful translucent amber color, two finger billowy head, awesome retention, nice lacing throughout, this beer is straight up beautiful.

S- Juicy orange and grapefruit, pineapple, earthy pine, a little malt sweetness.

T- Grapefruit upfront, more pineapple, caramel sweetness, biscuity malt provides great balance. Every sip flip flops these flavors around, great complexity.

M- Smooth, nice carbonation, excellent. Perfect for the style.

O- Perfect balance, great mouthfeel. Hard to find any faults with this beer. I suggest everyone try it.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 00:30:40 | More by whendeathsleeps

chicagoanbeerone

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very smooth hoppy but less hoppy then zombie dust tatse way better then pride and joy a mild pale ale but not to mild. malty and bitter describes this pale ale also a light hint of citrus hops but overall a good beer i would have this once in a while but gumball and zombie are still there best beers on the market

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 17:59:56 | More by chicagoanbeerone