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

brewtus

Ohio

4.29/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours hazy copper with a fairly dense bubbly head that doesn't last too long. Smell s orange, pine, bready, lemon. Taste starts with sweet malt that makes way for citrus fruits and tropical fruits, some caramel, earthy, sweet hop profile, nice grainy backbone. Overall a very very drinkable beer, amazing balance of malt and hops, a beer anyone can love, but still has a distinct profile.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:42:44 | More by brewtus

blakelive784

Colorado

3.74/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Docrock!

12 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a goblet, reviewed live:

A - Pours a murky grapefruit-esque red/orange color with two fingers of sticky cream colored head. Retention's very good and the head leaves tight lacing as it recedes. Appealing.

S - Heavy citric hops notes, blood orange, buttery caramel, grapefruit and crystal malts. Not one note dominates. No alcohol on the nose. Fresh and pleasant. Seemingly well balanced. Inviting, to say the least.

T - Opens with clean pale malts. Strangely a bit buttery. Musty floral hops that I didn't find on the nose are present throughout. Heavy citrus on the finish. Not bitter at all. Very well balanced. There's a light spice note near the finish I can't put my finger on (pepper?). Not incredibly complex, but well built. I'm having it.

M - Oily, slick, and smooth. Well carbonated.

D - Absurdly drinkable. I'd definitely get it again, if I was so lucky. My second beer from Three Floyds, and I can't wait to try more.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 23:39:27 | More by blakelive784

lunar276

Illinois

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

Very good beer. Picked up one of these at the new Whole Foods in Kildeer. Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint. A very appealing dark golden color bordering on a red. A nice thin head carrying through. A different oily texture in the mouth. Smooth and bold hop flavor to start and finishes smooth. Very solid beer. I will definitely buy this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:13:39 | More by lunar276

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Type: 12 oz bottle
Glass: pint
From: Big Red Liquor in French Lick IN
Price: $11 a six pack

Appearance: deep orange, slightly coppery. pretty hazy. small off white head that fades slowly and lacing on the sides

Smell: Strong hops, mostly pine, some citrus. a strong graininess that doesn't quite take the backseat to the hops

Taste: Opens up with hops strong pine with some citrus sneaking in. The grains take over in the form of toasted malts. the two tastes are well balance and neither comes out the clear king.

Mouthfeel: a tad to sticky. lingering bitterness. medium body good carbonation

Overall: a pretty tasty hop-strong pale ale. not quite an amazing beer. I'd like a bit more citrus but another solid from a brewery that should expand to Michigan, now that they have added Ohio

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:36:53 | More by SportsandJorts

sbxx

Illinois

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

Didn't have time to do a full-on analysis, but I'll sum it up quickly -

Both a great looking and great tasting pale ale with tons of flavor that goes down clean and smooth. Bold hop character with background malt that balances it out. This is FFF's flagship brew for a reason.

Great stuff!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 08:34:09 | More by sbxx

Rainblows

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Had on cask yesterday at the FFF brewpub. 10 oz pour into a nonic pint, amber colored with a beautiful whitish head that laced the whole way down. Smooth mouthfeel, almost undercarbed. Hops are almost understated yet balanced making Alpha King an easy drinker compared to Zombie Dust. One of my favorite regular bottlings from FFF, a treat to have on cask!

Serving type: cask

02-27-2013 22:22:56 | More by Rainblows

emyers

Illinois

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

12 oz. bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy amber color with a one inch creamy off-white head. Leaves a great lacing all the way down the glass.

Smell: Strong grapefruit and pine hop aroma balanced out by biscuit and caramel malts. While it's definitely hop-forward, I'm actually fairly surprised by the strength of the malt presence in the nose.

Taste: More pine and grapefruit up front (heavier on the pine) with biscuit and caramel malt balancing it out. Bittering hops have a strong showing throughout the tasting experience. This is definitely closer to an IPA than a pale ale, but it's 3 Floyd's, so not surprising. While it isn't overpoweringly hoppy from a flavor standpoint, the bittering hops definitely push this into IPA territory.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body, bittering hops make it very crisp. Highly drinkable.

Overall: All-around great pale ale (if you can call it that), and a very fitting flagship beer for 3 Floyd's. Even better when you consider the $35 price tag on a case directly from the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 00:54:09 | More by emyers

jucifer1818

Florida

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a: slightly murky, blond/golden color, with a clear body and a weak head
3.75/5

S: Sweet and fruity, with some sweet hoppy aromas
4.5/5

T: It starts off mild, then hits with a hard hoppy crack. this is odd, and it then quickly goes back to mellow, with minimal hoppy aftertastes
Odd, but intersting
3.75/5

M: offly wattery, but has a ok maltyness
3/5

Overall: I give this one a 3.5/5. It not bad, but it is a weird brew and I felt that it needed more definition.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 20:08:44 | More by jucifer1818

tectactoe

Michigan

3.94/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy copper color with a small, off-white head that settles pretty quickly and doesn't leave too much lacing behind. Aroma is pretty strong and pungent right from the start; peppery, earthy, and raw, dirty hops come up and smack your nostrils hard. Heavy, heavy malt backdrop on this one, almost so much that it's hard to refer to it as just a "backdrop" - it's nearly as strong as the hops. Just front the nose, this one smells a little stronger than 6.66% ABV, I'm picking up some slightly warm alcohol notes behind everything else.

Alpha King hits the palate and seemingly evaporates in my mouth. Slick and medium bodied with a boat-load of carbonation that starts to fizzle away as soon as it touches my tongue. Pungent grapefruit rind is the first flavor to pop into my head - raw, bittersweet, and certainly unadulterated. Some spicy, herbal, and leafy hops dance around the thick malt underlaying, full of ever-so-slightly toasted caramel malts. White pepper crowds the aftertaste, finishing alongside a light bitterness. A sweet, bready flavor sits heavy on all edges of the mouth - noticeable even minutes after having taken a sip. As strong as the hop punch is, the malt is nearly as dominant in this beer.

A nice tasty concoction of malt and hops, heavy on both and not holding back from much. Doesn't taste much like an APA, rather I think this one is more deserving of a malty IPA title. Either way, it's pretty drinkable and goes down easily. Maybe a tad overrated in my opinion, but good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 17:50:51 | More by tectactoe

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