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

BlackJeremiah

Virginia

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass.

A: Reddish-copper in hue, a bit hazy. Full white head gives plenty of lacing, spotty around the glass.

S: Sweet malts, cocoa, raisin/fig. Oily hop scents--orange and pine--mix beautifully with the manifold malts. One of the best-smelling brews I've ever encountered.

T: Endlessly unfolding malt flavors--baker's chocolate, raisins/figs, sweet bread and biscuit. Intertwining hop, oily pine, slick citrus tastes. Incredibly complex and flavorful. Seems like an IPA base with many interesting and complementary additions.

M: Light feel, slight drying, clean through the aftertaste. Smooth.

D: An excellent beer, well-crafted. Three Floyds deserves their reputation, and it's even better that they are located in my parents' hometown.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2006 15:48:52 | More by BlackJeremiah

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer numerous times, both bottle and tap. I decided now is the time to let you all know how I feel about this beer.

Appearance- Good two finger head that drys to a thick foam in my impy pint glass. No bubbling, but some standard, English, lacing. Great, slightly hazy, deep amber, tan hue. A little sediment is noticeable too.

Smell- Smells like a hop Christmas tree. Citrusy, resiny hops burst into my nostrils with hints of pine and holly. Awesome.

Taste- Greeted with the normal citrusd peel, but more emphasis on grapfruit zest and some malts. Bread and hop water, yeah. Could only taste some very faint pine at the back of the throat.

Mouthfeel- A little dry but still very cleansing with its normal astringency.

A beer that will always have a place in my fridge. Abd you should make room in yours.

Bow down to the King of Kings.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2006 02:57:47 | More by scruffwhor

Ryphraph

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have tried this beer twice. The first was not as good of an experience as the bottles may have had a hard trip to the West Coast.

The score is based on the second and better experience.

I was lucky enough to get some in the Chicago area and it was much different and better to say the least. The beer from Chicago was considerably fresher and the citrus and a honey back flavor were much stronger.

I am glad I gave it a second chance.

Ryph

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2006 04:47:01 | More by Ryphraph

EvilKeith

Alabama

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

This beer is brewed not far from my house and until now I have been too intimidated to review it. Perhaps it says something of my developing palate that I loved it and can fully appreciate this one.

His Highness, the Alpha King, arrived in a pint glass lightly hazed and deep amber in color. His crown was a creamy tan finger of sudsy foam. The lacing was delightfully thick and sticky.
The smell was all about his Majesty’s hops. Primarily scents of green leafy hops, grapefruit citrus, pine resin, and light florals were noted with sweet caramel malts and light fruity esters rounding out the nose.
The taste was piney, grapefruit citrus acidity with a solid sweet malty backbone and a moderately assertive bitterness with a pleasant dry finish. Hoppy, but still well balanced.
There was moderate carbonation, a medium body and slick, oily mouthfeel.

Long live the King! This is assertively hopped, well balanced and highly drinkable. I will visit the kingdom again, soon.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2006 15:46:59 | More by EvilKeith

dblinkhorn

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance - Pours with an off-white head that is about a finger thick and party soapy and creamy. It retains for a decent amount of time, and settles at the usual thin layer of lace on top of the beer. Decent lacing all the way down. The beer's color is a crystal clear orange/honey amber with just a few carbonation columns here and there.

Smell - Strong, crisp, and bitter hops right on the nose, smells like a full-blown IPA. Slight fruity sweetness and citrus rind are also present. Clean mellow malt character is in the background. The alcohol is evident, and of moderate strength. A very complex and refreshing aroma from this beer.

Taste - Small oily bitterness from the hops mixed with a rich bready malt character right away. The malt quickly dies down, and for a moment a moderate fruity sweetness comes through. Taking the place of the malt's retreat, is a very stong and dry citrusy and crisp bitter hops flavor. The finish begins to balance out again as the malts make yet another appearance. The aftertaste is commanded by dry hops at first, and as the flavors die down an oilyness comes through. A very slight earthiness is detectable. The alcohol is medium, and its warming effects can be felt through the whole taste. A very complex and eventful flavor from this beer.

Mouthfeel - A slight carbonation bite can be felt in the beginning, but this mellows to a massaging tickle that lasts for the rest of the taste. The body is fairly light and the liquid is surprisingly smooth for the style.

Drinkability - Quite a bitter pale ale, but the hops are superb in flavor. Its bitterness, I think, is the only attribute that takes from its overall drinkability.

A masterful pale ale. Seems more like an IPA to me since the hops are quite more powerful than the malt character. An excellent interpretation of the style, though. A must have pale ale, especially for hops lovers!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2006 01:36:46 | More by dblinkhorn

doppelmeup

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured a beautiful orange amber with a half-inch white head after a vigourous pour.

Very strong, fruity aroma, with a balanced malt smell in the background. Some grapefruit, lemon and fresh cut grass round it out.

The beer started with a bit of a sweet malt flavor, followed immediately by a burst of hoppy-bitterness that finished with a crisp clean follow-through. Very nice tasting brew. Very balanced.

Mouthfeel was on the heavier side, with a slightly bitter but clean finish. Just a slight bit of oiliness from the hops remains to give a nice dry aftertaste that only lingers for a moment.

Overall a very nice APA. Although not my favorite style, this was indeed a quality brew and was an enjoyable beer. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 23:27:44 | More by doppelmeup

JohnnyM2002

Maryland

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

A - Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass at around 45 degrees; a dark amber color with a 2 inch foamy head.

S - Very powerful aroma of gardenia and hops. Some citrus highlights.

T - Starts with a floral taste that yields to a fruity blend of grapefruit and lemon. Finishes with a hoppy bitterness, but not over-the-top. The hops give way to a lingering, grassy aftertaste.

M - A medium body that finishes extremely crisp.

D - If you're ready to tackle some bitter IPA's, this APA is a very good start; I started with American Pale Ales before I ventured into IPA country, and this was my last test before I made the switch. Probably the most drinkable and enjoyable APA I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 02:05:42 | More by JohnnyM2002

oelergud

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Beautiful translucent brown/golden/red body. Plenty of carbonation.
Off white creamy head with a hint of orange. Decent lace and retention.
Flowery tempting hop scent. Orange pekoe and abit of grain.
Deliciously hoppy but well balance. Soft malts and spiked hops mingled perfectly. Aftertaste of honey coated hop flavors that never seems to quit.
Medium body, good hop coating and not too dry finish.
Highly drinkable and so delicious restraint is required not to quaff this brew in a moment.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2006 00:19:23 | More by oelergud

IntriqKen

California

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pretty reddish amber that is crystal clear fills the glass.
It's topped with a nice solid single finger white head that melts slowly to nice sticky lacing.
Aroma is immediately fresh and clean with the smell of fresh citrus and pine hops (Centenial?).
Taste is subtle balance of sweet pale malt and bright citrus malts. A little orange peel then definate grapefruit.
Ah...this is an INCREDIBLY balance APA...but I can't help but feel it is more IPA than APA...I'm not complaining...I love it. They have made a really nice 'in your face' type of beer here.
This will go down nicely all day long.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2006 02:21:16 | More by IntriqKen

demcorhip

Ontario (Canada)

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

Appearance
This ale poured a nice amber coloured well carbonated, finely bubbled ale. Decent light tan coloured head formed on the pour. Fine lacings remained after the head dissipated.

Aroma
This ale has a big IPA like nose. Theres lots of resinous hops in here, mostly piney, but grapefruit also present. Malty notes below the hops, with scents of toasted biscuit and caramel.

Taste
Also almost tastes like an IPA with the bitter resinous hops. The pine and grapefruit from the hops dominate, but the malts have some backbone tasting of lightly honeyed toasted biscuit, caramel, and just a hint of creamy nuts.

Mouthfeel
This is a damn fine pale ale, well balanced but definately tilted towards the hops. Tea like astringency on the finish, as well as a slight metallic taste/feel that comes with the bitterness.

Drinkability
This is a very drinkable hoppy beer, and would make a great session brew for a hophead. Would also make a decent introductory brew for those wanting to explore hoppier beers. Ill be drinking this one again.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2006 13:18:36 | More by demcorhip

SwillinBrew

California

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I got a sixer of this from Lone Hill liquor in Glendora... my initial thoughts, hot damn, this is a pale ale... halelujah.

A - A rich ambery grenadine strong color with a stucco white head that clung to my glass nicely.
S - a dose of citrus orchards with floral in the mix pleasure my olefactory senses.
T - Husky citrus flavors bordering on grassy meadows on a underlying sublte sweet malt carry this delicous brew. Just a symphony of harmonious flavor in this pale ale... it's definitely more than meets the eye.
M&Dr - nicely carbonated and medium bodied with a crisp and clean finish. I could drink this all day and just wish more pale ales were like this. Heck, this beats out many IPA's!!! Get some if you can. This is the best pale ale i've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2006 07:32:42 | More by SwillinBrew

blsfreak

Indiana

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Being a hophead, I love this one. I would not recommend this to the average Bud or Corona drinker, they would not be happy. I do recommend this awesome beer to my friends, I love this one. I have yet to find anything Three Floyd's brews I don't like. They and I seem to share the love of hops and this is by far a great hoppy beer. Highly recommended for the hophead

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2006 03:54:23 | More by blsfreak

BlackAngus

Indiana

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

THis is one of my favorite beers.

Appearance is amber, with a persistent head.

Smell is huge hoppiness, floral, some fruitiness. I would buy an air freshener that smells like this.

Taste is extremely well balanced, malty, but the hops presence is still felt here, as well.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, nicely carbed, clean finish.

Highly drinkable, this is one of my "go-to" beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2006 18:09:11 | More by BlackAngus

Deconstructionis

West Virginia

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Three Floyds likes hops and alcohol. Personally, I'd call its Dreadknought IPA a double IPA and ths an IPA.. Fortunately, the penchant for "bigness" is counterbalanced with a lot of skill and taste, unlike, say, Dogfish Head which is in my opinion devoted to extremism for extremism's sake. This is a good and very drinkable beer.
The color is a medium/dark amber with a slight haze and nice dry, stiff head that persists and laces nicely. The aroma is overwhelmingly hops, floral and grassy.

The taste is much more balanced than the aroma suggests.Surprisingly rich and malty and up front, the hops are there for sure but more tangy and citrusy than the aroma and it finishes with a brisk bitterness and surprisingly clean aftertaste.

It's medium bodied with medium/high carbonation and very drinkable. I guess it's labeled an American Pale Ale because it uses American grown barley and hops but it's very similar in character to a traditional IPA and a very good one.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2006 13:18:36 | More by Deconstructionis

malthead

California

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark copper color, off-white head that fades quickly. Smells of pine and citrus hops, maybe a vegetal aroma... some bitterness, like dark leafy greens. Big hop taste, spruce, lemons, nice kick to it. Mouthfeel is thicker than I expected it to me, cloying and sticky. (which is nice in some respects, but I was looking for a medium pale ale, this strikes me as a lot bigger than I was looking for.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2006 22:45:10 | More by malthead

AWolfAtTheDoor

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in my Pizza Port commemorative pint glass. Pours deep orange amber with minimal white head.
Smells citrusy and grassy.
Tastes hoppy and smooth. Hops are present but not overwhelming.
Mouthfeel nice as well. I drank this straight, but I'd love to pair it with a good pizza. Very drinkable as well. The more I drank this beer, the smoother it got.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2006 19:50:06 | More by AWolfAtTheDoor

TechMyst

Illinois

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

355 ml. bottle. Hazy orange. Upon first sense of aroma I thought this was an India Pale Ale. This is highly hopped. If I’m not wrong the Warror hop has high amounts of alpha acids and the Centennial is lower. But this is where is must get part of its name, yes? Bottle conditioned. Finely crafted. More on the grassy side than citrusy side for me. Nice long lasting bittering finish. No sweetness here. I thought pale ales would try more of a balance between sweet and bitter...this is all hops...I’m not complaining, but why is this not in an (American) India Pale Ale style? Very good beer though.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 05:27:51 | More by TechMyst

WeisGuy

New York

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

a - deep amber color, hazy, large off-white head with good retention and exceptional lacing

s - lots and lots of floral hops, very citrusy aroma as well

t - up front there is a moment of sweet maltiness, then the hops hits, lots of citrusy hoppy bitterness, wonderfully long bitter finish, no hint of alcohol

m - medium-bodied, hop oil coats the mouth, moderate carbonation, dry finish

d - very, very drinkable, I could drink AK all night, and I certainly have many times

I just recently noticed I hadn't reviewed AK yet. I drank it all summer and it was love at first sip. One of my favorite beers. Straddles the line between a Pale Ale and an IPA, which is just fine for me. FFF's trademark beer is certainly a great one.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 01:51:42 | More by WeisGuy

spaced

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, into a pint glass. Pours a slightly dark reddish brown with a short head that leaves a decent amount of lacing. Smell is a lot of piney and citrusy hops (not surprising). The taste is similar to the smell at first, with a delicious burst of citrusy hops, but it is soon followed by a little bit of malt sweetness. I can't discern much else from the malt except for the sweetness, but it really balances things out nicely. The mouthfeel has a bit of oiliness from the hops, which I like. The taste finishes out with more pleasantly bitter hops.

This beer tastes more like an IPA than an APA to me, but who cares, it tastes great and that's what counts, right? Whatever style this beer is, it manages to be balanced and (very) drinkable without skimping at all on the hops.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2006 05:54:39 | More by spaced

mmcave

Illinois

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

Color: nice deep amber.
Head: Not thick or aggressive, it dissipates moderately fast.
Smell: like most Three Floyd's it has a strong bitter hops presence, which to me is pleasingly aromatic. No strong fruit notes on this one, maybe a hint of apple or carmel, but only if you feel imaginative.
Taste: Strong bitter hops, mild spices, fresh and clean. The finish is slightly dry, it absolutely leaves you wanting more, which I attribute to the bitter hops. This is an excellent beer, the taste lingers in your mouth and demands more.
Drinkability: This beer is great for a session, how ever the strength of the bitterness might get to you after some time, but not me. Like most Three Floyd's I find that I really enjoy the taste of my burps when drinking this beer.
Over all: this is a good beer from a great brewery not my favorite of their brews, but a damn good one.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2006 04:52:03 | More by mmcave

neelyjr1

Illinois

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

A: A nice dark amber, pours with a very nice light rusty head.

S: Hoppy, citrusy, very little to no malt smell.

T: Sweet at first, although not a malt sweetness. The hops seem to come in towards the middle of the taste and really come through at the end, leaving a bitterness in the back and top of the mouth. You can taste notes of grapefruit, other citrus flavors.

M: Very nice mouthfeel, not too heavy that you can't get rid of it but not light enough to make you forget you ever drank any.

D: Excellent, I could drink these all night.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2006 00:19:22 | More by neelyjr1

DaveFL1976

Florida

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A dark honey body, crystal clear, with a long-lasting, sturdy head. A pretty beer. The smell is grapefruit with a strong malty bakground. Taste is intense on the aroma hops. Loads of citrus, but well balanced with sweet malt. The mouthfeel is a little thicker than I expected. Drinkability is really good. A well-balanced beer, but a bit chewier than I expected.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2006 14:45:39 | More by DaveFL1976

mjc410

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I bought a case of this in my new-found quest for rare and exciting beers, and made a rather expensive discovery: potent hops do not suit me. So, a large portion of this beer sat in the basement for over a year, which has wildly improved it...

The pour into my La Moneuse tulip raises a dense one finger-plus head, which settles slowly to a still thick glass ring, with a few foam islands floating about. The light tan lacing is exceptionally thick and sudsy.

The bouquet is quite complex: grapefruit, orange cream (yes, that includes vanilla!), caramel, a little pine, and some hard-to-pinpoint floral scents.

Taste begins with a floral, fruity mix, then hits solid orange grapefruit territory, touches a little bitter, and ends with juicy caramel. This is a joy to drink, although not as intense as the nose. Perhaps a bit spicy from the alcohol, which manages to linger pleasantly in the aftertaste.

Has a fairly thick mouthfeel, and mild carbonation. Very smooth. Has an Englsih feel here.

Worlds of difference from the fresh version. Although I probably won't be buying this again, I am happy with my inadvertant experiment, and look forward to the rest of the bottles.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2006 20:55:36 | More by mjc410

PartyHatjo

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Hazy Orange/Copper hued beer with a sticky tan-white head.

Aroma: Orange/grapefruit hoppiness with some biscuit hints.

Taste: Citrus hops are the first thing you notice. But a good malt backbone is present. Light caramel and a breadiness define the malt. Doesn't seem to be an overly complex malt bill, but the simplicity is what makes it delicious.

Mouthfeel: Well-balanced brew. Bitterness hits early and late, but the medium bodied light sweetness balances it well.

Drinkability: Couldn't drink it all night, but wouldn't mind having a couple in a session.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2006 20:58:58 | More by PartyHatjo

Toddv29424

District of Columbia

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This tremendous beer pours a golden-red hazy color with a minimal head. The smell is huge and almost hits you in the face. Not over is it loaded with hops, buy there are many sweet notes almost like bubble gum in there. The taste is also huge. Very chewy with the amount of hops, but also little special additions of sweetness along with the hops. When its swallowed, the first 3 seconds have mostly a malty taste, then the hops take over and command the rest. These two tastes are surprisingly well balanced for such a big beer. A great beer that’s worthy of every bit of praise given to it on this site.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2006 23:32:19 | More by Toddv29424