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

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

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

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

A-red amber color with a nice cream-colored head and good lacing

S-biscuit malt, grapefruit, lemon, hints of caramel

T-light roasted malt, hints of caramel, grapefruit,slight earthiness, nice bitter finish

F-medium body With moderate carbonation, smooth and crisp

O-a tasty pale ale with a nice malt presence and good hop balance, easy drinking

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:57:47 | More by MDDMD

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

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

Thanks to Krl2112 for the bottle

Appearance: Frothy 1 finger head lingers for a bit. Dark amber beauty rules the day.

Smell: Roasted malts and some hops are prevalent.

Taste: Nice bready taste upfront rolls off into some nice tart hops, with a smooth finish. There may be some bitterness, but it blends really well into a smooth, pleasant finish that cuts off nice and dry.

Mouthfeel: Average carbonation that attacks and coats the tongue in an exceptional way.

Overall: Better than your typical pale ale, it just has that extra magic in the hops. Sessionable and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 04:49:22 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

Thedaver4220

Illinois

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

12 oz. Bottle poured into my Maudite tulip

Alpha King pours a deep red/amber color with nice creamy, fluffy head. The nose is pungent hops with a touch of sweetness. It's got a nice medium body with just enough malt to keep the hops in check, but the hops really do want kick your ass. It's got nice zippy bit bite on the back end. Alpha king is a personal favorite of mine and a for sure go to.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 07:33:38 | More by Thedaver4220

yamar68

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy but lively bronze body, with a milky finger of well-retaining and lacing head.

Mellow pineapple and mango, orange juice, bitter pine qualities, sweet bread, balanced but straight forward.

Sweet malts are the first thing I notice on the tongue... some citrus peel or lemon zest beneath that. Dries up pretty quickly on the finish. Not as pungent a hop profile as I was anticipating. Definitely makes for an easy drinking beer though.

Big thanks to brew33 for giving me the chance to try this out!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 04:53:21 | More by yamar68

brewdude1982

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I received this bottle of nectar from the gods from a friend that trekked many miles to retrieve for myself and others since the brewery is not shipping their delicious brews nationally.
I had this beer in a bottle at 38*F and poured into a glass beer mug. It had an amazing smell of pine followed by perhaps pineapple (the true maltyness of the beer was hidden). As far as mouthful I'm gonna say slippery and then tingly as if they is a little acid on the back end.
The taste of this brew is great. Bitter that comes on slowly with a nice cool peak that changes over time, like a cool Carolina tide rolling in on a warm afternoon.
I would highly recommended this beer to anyone in the area or anyone that can beg, barter, or steal from someone that has this beer.

One Love

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 02:54:01 | More by brewdude1982

Immortale25

Florida

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

Thanks to IrishHockey for this awesomeness! Poured into a 3floyds tumbler (also thanks to IrishHockey). No freshness date.

A- Pours a copperish amber color with a 3/4 inch beige head that retains very well before resolving to a thick, solid sheet of surface foam. Jagged spikes of lacing.

S- Light, biscuity malt with some mildly citrusy hop character. A quick dash of caramel plus some trace astringency from the hops/alcohol.

T- Lightly toasted malt flavor with a nice dose of hops to back it up. Clean and slightly fruity with a small amount of lingering bitterness. There's a bitter/sweet balance that tips slightly toward the bitter end of the spectrum. Very drinkable.

M- Solid body with a touch of creaminess and subtle prickle from the hops. Medium carbonation.

O- Obviously not as impressive of a hop profile as Zombie Dust but it's still very satisfying. Definitely wins points for balance and overall smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:30:50 | More by Immortale25

WrathsU

Florida

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

A - Ruddy brown or caramel colored body is brilliantly clear. Slightly khaki and cream head is long lived and lacing is good.

S - Big cascade hop smell to me, which is to say grainy and slight citrus. Decent malt backbone to it, there are no huge citrus/tropical fruit smells to it at all. Perhaps a slight orange characteristic in there somewhere.

T - Huge cascade notes with the signature grapefruit taste. Very similar to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which isn't a bad thing at all. This one tastes a bit sweeter with some more orange characteristic to it and the malt bill is more present. A really nice bitterness level throughout and a pretty dry finish considering how relatively sweet it is.

M - Medium bodied with a good level of carbonation and no alcohol burn.

O - A really good pale ale. If this was around my area of living it would be a staple alongside SNPA. Overall it's nothing PHENOMENAL or revolutionary, but it's a damn good drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:56:53 | More by WrathsU

gtermi

Texas

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

A: This beer pours a dark amber body with a thick white head that tanks a little bit of time to fade away. As the beer fades, there is a little bit of lace left on the glass.

S: The smell of this beer is absolutely fantastic. For a Pale Ale, this beer really has a ton of hops. The hops give it a nice spicy aroma, with a little bit of pine. Behind the hops, I start to pick up on the malty sweetness.

T: Just like the smell, I pick up tons of hops, but the hops are absolutely delicious. They has a slight peppery taste at first, but then it turns into a delicious fruity flavor. As the beer lingers, the hops tend to fade a tiny bit and leave me with just a sweet malt flavor.

M: The beer has a good amount of carbonation and isnt very crisp. The beer goes down with ease and just has a fantastic mouthfeel.

O: This is such an amazing pale ale and probably one of the best I have ever had. 3F sure loves using their hops in Pale Ales, but I personally think that is whats amazing about this beer. This beer though isnt near as good as Zombie Dust.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 05:23:08 | More by gtermi

AmitC

Indiana

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

Wow. This is some excellent stuff. 3Floyds is awesome.

Poured into glass from a six ounce bottle. Little head which soon dissipates. Good amount of bubbles. Nice amber color. Translucent. Cloudy. Adequate amount of lacing around the glass as well.

Smell is divine. Pure, raw citrus hops. Centennial written all over it. Bliss. I love it. It increases your expectations from this IPA. It might not be very complex, but it is awesome. Unlike many other APAs, the intensity persists.

Taste : Well more malts here. Not to say it is sweet. It is still bitter. However not so much as the nose suggests. Good balancing act here. Citrus hops upfront. Felt very deeply. However won't burn your tongue or throat. Ends with more balanced taste and this hides its bitterness.

Mouth feel : Doesn't leave anything to be desired. Good.

Overall an excellent stuff from 3Floyds. My second beer from them. First one was at the pub, on tap, the name of which i do not seem to remember. It was an IPA as well. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 01:48:11 | More by AmitC

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle courtesy of Hessian. Pours deep amber, close to clear, with a finger of quickly settling off-white head. A little patchy lacing clings to the glass in spots. An initial burst of fragrant citrusy hops is followed by a sweet caramel and bready malt aroma.

The flavor flips it around a bit, with a big and sweet maltiness full of sugary caramel hitting first, followed by citrusy orange, grapefruit and pine hops and a lingering bitter aftertaste. There's a suggestion of aspirin on the tongue mingling with a bit of sweetness; the finish is only semi-dry.

Medium bodied with moderate, smooth carbonation. Fuller mouthfeel than is customary for this style.

Maybe my bottle wasn't as fresh as it could be and like many Three Flours beers I'd love to revisit them down the line. But this one hit me with a tantalizing blast of hoppy aromas as soon as I popped the cap of the bottle and unfortunately went down hill from there. I found it overly sweet, more assertively bitter than flavorfully hopped, and drinking bigger than it should. Lacks subtlety of any kind and has more alcohol presence than I'd like, both characteristics I've encountered before with this brewery 's beers. Not bad, but I clearly am in the minority here in not being a huge fan of this.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 23:29:15 | More by tobelerone

IrishHockey

Indiana

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

This is the beer that got it all started for me. I love this beer. From the grapefruit, hoppy taste, to the citrus smell. This beer is my kryptonite. I can't go into the brew pub, or local shop and not walk out with a six pack of this. Seek it out. This beer is a gem.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 14:04:17 | More by IrishHockey

andrewjraab

Michigan

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

A - Dark burnt orange color. Two fingers of off white creamy and thick head. The head maintains a nice 1 inch thick ring the entire drink.

S - Big Citrus and floral notes.

T - Citrus, grapfruit, hop hop hop...nice sweet balance to it, but it stays true to its roots in the hoppy finish.

O - I stopped at a small bottle shop in Porter IN and picked up 3 varieties of FFF and not a single one has disappointed so far - this is no exception. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 01:58:44 | More by andrewjraab

JamesMN

Minnesota

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

Appearance: Translucent amber. Three finger soapy off-white head.

Aroma: Lots of orange citrus and some caramel malt.

Taste: Nice mix of orange and grapefruit with a decent amount of maltiness. I wouldn't call it a "malt bomb" but I'd definitely call it an IPA (it's missing the biscuit malt flavor that would make it an APA). Smooth finish and a little on the dry side.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and medium bodied. Good level of carbonation and above average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I like this one as an IPA. Good hop character and a balanced malt flavor. Would I drink it again? Yes, got to finish the six-pack at least.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:58:19 | More by JamesMN

Gerasimos

Tennessee

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle brought back from Indiana.

Appears - beautiful burnished red-orange; one finger thick clingy head

Smells - dazzling grapefruit, more than hints of bubblegum, slightest pine zest; refreshing blast to the sinuses

Tastes - as the scents suggest; pine, hops, sweetness and citrus; malt back; well-balanced; slowly fading hop bitter end

Mouthfeels - gushing, entire palate coating; just brighter than creamy, silky smooth; a perfect bite of carbo

Overalls - love it; an epic example of the style; savor every sip if not readily available in your area; 3 Floyds has my absolute favorite labels/marketing as well

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 23:37:41 | More by Gerasimos

juliusseizure

New York

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to cfrances33 for this!

A - dark orange almost ruby with half inch of head. Head recedes over time to 2 mm

S - surprisingly not as pleasant as expected. Slightly medicinal.

T - hoppy bitterness from first sip to aftertaste

M - perfect for style, bubbly in mouth, weirdly inviting, can't explain it

O - a hoppy interpretation of a pale ale which is fine by me, but ZD is better

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 02:12:18 | More by juliusseizure

menkros

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours golden amber. 1 finger head, no carbonation. Smells slight hoppy fruity. Taste fruity and hidden alcohol. Nice apa, their zombie dust is preferred. ale Ales have never been near my favorite types of beers, but Alpha King is definitely good. VERY hoppy, with a strong malt backbone, AK is best (at least for me) paired with food to "wash it down", as I dislike the extremely hoppy aftertaste. This is going against the grain of my Great Divide Titan IPA review, which was glowing, but I prefer the Titan due to it’s dryness. There’s a sweetness in the background of AK that I can’t get over. Still, Alpha King is outstanding, but I prefer other pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 14:50:41 | More by menkros

cfrances33

Illinois

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

Not sure how I haven't reviewed this one yet, but here we go. Bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Pour: Deep , mostly clear amber orange with two fingers of bread colored head. Super sticky lacing, and head hang around for most of the glass.

Smell: Caramel malts hit first, followed by some breadyness. Very malt forward nose. Some pine and light citrus hangs around in the back, but not much.

Taste: Follows the nose with a heavy caramel, followed by a resinous bitterness. To be honest, the hop profile only lends bitterness rather than flavor. Caramel breadyness hangs around on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Kind of light, but the bitterness and heavy malt backbone make this beer feel bigger than it is. Normally, I would rate lower for this attribute in this style, but the heavy caramel in the taste make the heavier body of this beer a plus.

Overall: Good, but not great. It tickles my fancy every now and then, and I would definitely stress that I enjoy this beer. However, I view it more as an amber ale than a pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 21:13:24 | More by cfrances33

KajII

North Carolina

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

[Suggested Glassware: Shaker Glass]

The pour was a clear copper brown with an average (1-2 finger) beige fluffy head that had great retention and possessed really good sheets of streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a sweet biscuit malt, spruce and cascade hops and a sweet doughy yeast with notes of citrus (orange), caramel and a pronounced dark fruit (plum) presence.

The taste was lightly sweet and malty with a note of caramel and a strong fruity presence in the beginning, and then became somewhat hoppy with a nice creamy bitter citrus peel ending. The flavor lasted an average duration following the swallow with a wonderful sweet hoppiness left lying on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was a bit beyond light in body with a creamy dry texture and a medium carbonation.

Overall this was a very well balanced Pale Ale, with just the right amount of bitterness to go along with the mild fruity sweetness...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 14:18:50 | More by KajII

C20Percent

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy copper brown with a big bubbly head of light tan foam on top. Some nice complexity in the color. Looks clean. Some decent bubble action in the body. Look closely, and like other FFF offerings, there are tiny pieces of sediment. Really nice looking beer, though, and very unique for a Pale Ale.

S: Almost like a totally toned down version of Zombie Dust. Yes, there is a much more subtle citrus smell here. Also some sweet malts and spice. But, mostly getting a floral lemon zest.

T: Mostly getting the sweet caramel malts and hops that end in a bitter finish. The spice is still present -- but not as citrusy as I remember. Probably should drink this a little fresher. But, this is just above average for me.

M: Smooth and creamy. Fantastic carbonation, which is par for all FFF brews. Medium body. Nice texture -- ends kind of buttery. Carbonation puts it over for me.

O: This bottle is probably pushing three months old -- so gotta keep that in mind in this review. I don't quite remember like this when I originally got the six pack. I remember it being more refreshing without as big of a malt characteristic. So, definitely pick up a six pack, but don't let it sit too long.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 00:19:21 | More by C20Percent

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a rich dark copper brew. It boasts it a two and a half finger tall tan head of spidery bubbles and microbubbles, showing phenomenal retention. As it eventually goes it leaves impenetrable lacing around the glass. There is a thick haze to the beer, but no sediment is noted. Carbonation appears active. The nose is huge with citric hops of grapefruit. These hold a fruity tartness, and mix nicely with the pale malts, steely bite, and spicy phenols. There is a stickiness of sweet honey nectar, and a more soapy hop with warmth. Our first impression is that this is a great, nicely hopped beer. As we sip, pale muddy malts and mineral start up front. There is a biting bittering from the citrus which crashes in, only to be cut nicely by a sweeter honey flavoring. The middle peaks with sweet pear and lightly toasted pale malts. These mix with a sour wheatiness, and a grapefruit juice flavoring, separate from the hops, which adds bitterness and sugars. We finish with notes of chalky malts, light booze, black pepper, and a continuation of those citric hops and bitter lemon rind. The aftertaste breathes of bittering grassy hops, spicy booze, sour wheat, and wet pale malts. The body is medium to full, and the carbonation is medium. The mouth is left icy cool, with an astringent chalkiness. There is creamy slurp, froth, and glug to each sip. The abv is appropriate, and the beer is very easy drinking, but you find yourself drinking slowly so as to make it last.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the dark and beautiful coloring, and the freshness throughout. The hop presence is phenomenal, and again, so fresh and gritty. The malts become a bit muddy in the nose, and almost overpowering with warmth from those great hops right at the start. Throughout the taste, however, the blend of the malts and the hops is supreme, and this is one of the best in the style for sure. Drink on the colder side, as excess warmth throws the balance to the more sour grain side of things.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 16:59:01 | More by TheBrewo

TheChief24

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

The pour is excellent with a nice, think head (be sure to pour carefully and leave sediment in the bottle).

Aroma is fantastic with heavy citrus and flowery notes.

Taste is bold, again with several citrus tones, but not overpowering. Hops are present but not overly biting at the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 04:27:42 | More by TheChief24

rlee1390

Indiana

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

A-Translucent deep orange, some carbonation, two finger head with some lacing.

S-Hop joyness, Earthy, pine along with citrus. Balanced out with nice caramel malt.

T-Nice caramel and waves of dirt/pine along with citrus hops. Mild bitterness but nice for an APA.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation, very smooth.

O-A nice top level APA. Well rounded and balanced, wish I knew when this was bottled though.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 22:01:17 | More by rlee1390

joefuzz

New York

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

Beer pours cloudy amber with a decent sized head...great lacing.

Smell is a hop bomb for a APA, awesome sense of grapefruit, pineapple and fresh apples

Taste is great piney hops upfront that mellows out as you sip leads into a very bready malt profile

Mouthfeel and carbonation are session beer all the way, light and easy drinking with a lower than normal carbonation

Overall this beer is amazing....a hop heads session beer. I really wish I could get this regularly

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 01:29:47 | More by joefuzz