Dale's Pale Ale - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

From the half-liter can stamped: Canned on 4/22/13@15:11. Sampled on June 15, 2013. So this is reasonably fresh for the style.

The pour is a nice looking copper-amber with a frothy off-white head. Great clarity.

Hops can be be found in the aroma merging with the sweet pale malts, yeast, and toasted bread. Right on for the style.

The body has a pleasant creaminess and falls into the medium range.

The taste is more hop forward than malt forward but both play off each other in a delightful way to give this a fine balanced ale. This is fairly easy to drink and likable. And it's in a can so you can take it to the beach! Enjoy one today.

Serving type: can

06-16-2013 01:08:28 | More by puboflyons

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can was poured into a Mason jar.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that reduced to a thin layer and left some nice lacing on the glass. It is a copper colored beer with great clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass. Nice lacing on the jar as the beer was drank.

Smell: Caramel and bready malts, citrus and fruity.

Taste: Tangerine and grapefruit are more noticeable and upfront. A little bitterness to go with the bready and caramel malts.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, low to medium carbonation, a little chewy, and medium bodied.

Overall: Pretty solid and favorite APA for most people and myself for many years. I will be enjoying more of these in the future.

Serving type: can

06-08-2013 04:14:10 | More by Flounder57

Tonmeister

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Serving Type: Can into Goose Island Glass.

Apperance: light brown/amber with a thick white head and the lacing is consistently maintained when tilting the glass.

The aroma is citrusy, and hoppy with a sweet malted blend.

The taste was surprising for me because it's not as sweet as it smells. The hoppiness deffinetly stands out on this one! It's more present when drinking it from the can than when poured on a glass. It's bitter on the forefront, but has a nice sweet after taste as a result from the malt and the spices added.

The mouthfeel is thin, which was not expected at first, due to the thick head, but once the head relaxes, there is little carbonation.

Overall this is a great summer beer. It's refreshing and it goes down smooth. I wouldn't really consider this a Pale Ale by no means. It's darker in nature and it tastes and behaves like an IPA style beer. It's a great summer beer; I am definitely going to buy this one again.

Serving type: can

06-04-2013 00:55:21 | More by Tonmeister

gabrielsyme

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I've been drinking this beer regularly for close to three years now. It never fails to satisfy. Served cold, it's light enough to be relaxing on its own. Let it warm up a bit and the hops really come out, making it a nice accompaniment to plenty of meals: spicy Asian, barbeque, or texmex.

Serving type: can

06-04-2013 00:25:56 | More by gabrielsyme

secondtooth

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a rich and clean amber with a thick, off-white head. Lace is exquisite and detailed, even after pouring from the can!

Aroma is perfectly balanced -- a melding of toasty malts and citrus hop snappiness. Absolutely lovely.

Taste is pleasantly hopped, with citrus and pine notes dominating (yet without any element of bitterness). If this brew is anything, it's well-balanced. Delicious, sessionable, and a classic beer I'll seek out again.

Serving type: can

06-03-2013 12:44:32 | More by secondtooth

gillagorilla

Maryland

3.49/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz. can poured into a Flying Dog goblet (bottle on 2/18/13)

A: A nice, very clear amber brownish bronze with a strong head that stays for a while. Excellent lacing.

S: Very mild, but strong hop smells of citrus. Little pine or resin.

T: There is an even hop profile but it is a bit odd, which is probably the pale ale part of it. The aftertaste is the same, kind of mutated hop taste that is skewed by the "APA" part of it. I get this kind of warming sensation/taste that I don't get in IPAs, but I can't really place the flavor.

M: Little carbonation with only lots of tiny bubbles that you can feel throughout. Actually almost no carbonation after a bit.

O: I am new to this style and I know people love this beer, but I am not a big fan. You get the hops, but they are tainted and transformed into this weird taste by the "pale" part of it. I don't know how to describe it, but it just tastes like a bad IPA, whose hops have changed their flavor. I know it isn't an IPA, but that is what it reminds me of.

Serving type: can

06-02-2013 22:59:39 | More by gillagorilla

rangerred

Tennessee

3.91/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

19.2oz "stovepipe" can into a nonic.

Pours a clear deep copper with a fluffy two finger off-white head. Really great head retention.

Aroma of pine, earth along with some biscuit and caramel malt. Not much fruit in this one as pine really dominates.

The flavor carries more pine with a really nice balance with bread and biscuit malt. It is a little bit one dimensional but the balance works so well and really makes this an easy drinking beer. Nice, full mouthfeel with just a light touch of sweetness on the finish along with moderate to high bitterness.

Overall, a great, quaffable IPA considering the abv. Really could be sessionable. A great warm weather beer.

Serving type: can

05-29-2013 22:50:21 | More by rangerred

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

3.99/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 355ml can. Pours a bright, clear orangish gold. For an American Pale Ale, the nose is surprisingly muted. Not a lot going on, though it may have been a little on the cold side at the time of the tasting. Tempting flavours of orange, tropical fruits and malt dominate the palate. This is a nicely complex, but very drinkable beer, in spite of the highish alcohol.

Serving type: can

05-27-2013 20:06:38 | More by CookstLiquor

fitrock2112

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured Dale's Pale Ale in to a pint glass.

A - Pours a medium amber color with a finger of off white head.

S - A little lacking in the category, not much aroma at all. Some very mild hops, pine.

T - Not bad flavor at all. Some bitter hops, nice smooth malt.

M - Smooth beer medium carbonation, light to medium weight. Nice for a pale ale.

O - Not a ton going here, but no complaints either. Probably will drink my sixer, but I have Great Lakes nearby. Cheers!

Serving type: can

05-27-2013 19:49:54 | More by fitrock2112

zac16125

South Carolina

4.16/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz can into a pint glass

A: straw colored, 2 fingers of white head, good amount of lacing

S: soapy, piney and floral hops. Very nice

T:big piney bitterness, floral hops, citrus zest. Really good

M/D: medium body, heavy carbonation, good drink ability

O: really good pale ale, well done

Serving type: can

05-26-2013 00:45:27 | More by zac16125

Omnium

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Can > Mason Jar

A - Pours a rich gold color, big 2 finger fluffy head, good lacing.
S - Light pine, floral, some bready malt, and citrus zest.
T - Some fruit sweetness up front, nice fresh bread in the middle that ends with a big piney bitterness.
M - A little too potent and bitter for your average APA, borderline IPA.
O - A good solid classic APA that you cant go wrong with.

Serving type: can

05-24-2013 22:22:20 | More by Omnium

fmccormi

New York

4.14/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Straight pour from a 1pt 3.2oz (19.2oz, I guess) can to my DFH IPA glass; canning date of April 22, 2013 printed in black ink on the underside of the can, apparently at 2:44PM in the afternoon (“CANNED ON 04/22/13@14:44 WHAT’S IT LIKE?”), so just under a month and just over four weeks old. Very specific.

Appearance (3.5): A solid three fingers of buttermilk-colored, dense foam comes off the pour, dying slowly to a thick-ish cap of dissipating head on the surface, leaving some fat strings of lace. The body is a warm, toasty golden color with amber tones, nearly crystal-clear. There’s some very light lacing, but not much until the end.

Smell (4.25): A very nice mix of juicy hop aromas (some sappy pinecones, limeade, some grapefruit flesh, more of the resinous character) and some amber-ish malt (kinda-sorta caramel undertone, some toasted slices of rich bread like brioche. It’s a nice nose, pretty damn good for the style.

Taste (4.25): This is mostly hop-driven, with a nice crack of yellow grapefruit peel that hangs on through to the finish. Lemon peel and very subtle lemon curd, a good solid toasted note and some nutty malt character underneath. Very clean, classic, West Coast-style American yeast note. The toasted bread note folds into the grapefruit peel bitterness very nicely, and it comes off very well-balanced. Again, great for the style.

Mouthfeel (4.0): This has a very satisfying feel, starting with a very soft, easy foaming action that expands easily, with a tingle all around the edge. The body is somewhat lighter than medium-weight, and finishes nicely dry.

Overall (4.0): This is kind of a benchmark APA in a lot of ways, except that it’s more like IPA strength. But in terms of feel, appearance, smell, and taste, it’s good to very solid in every respect. This has been and will continue to be a classic craft APA for years.

Serving type: can

05-22-2013 02:23:47 | More by fmccormi

keithmurray

New York

3.81/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - clear copper color with white head

Smell - pine, citrus, honey

Taste - pine, citrus, resin, grapefruit, hops

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, hop bitterness which lingers long afterwards

Overall - solid APA

Price Point - $3.19/ 19 oz. can

Serving type: can

05-19-2013 00:32:47 | More by keithmurray

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a clear light amber with a half finger of head

Smell is piney and herbal hops, nice malt, toffee, citrus is in there but light

Taste is blood orange, pine, herbal hops, caramel malt flavor, bittering pine and grapefruit in the end

Mouthfeel is on the heavy side of medium with medium carbonation, more of a amber/ipa feel

Is it a APA/IPA???? Who cares I love both and this is a great beer none the less...

Have been drinking it for a couple years decided It was time for a review!

Great beach/camping/picnic beer!

Serving type: can

05-18-2013 01:06:25 | More by nickapalooza86

AndyP612

Illinois

3.86/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Can poured into darkness snifter.

A- Golden ale with small off white head.

S- Not a huge nose on this one but it's hop forward with hint of citrus.

T- Follows nose as hops are the star here with a slight malt finish. Hides the 6.5 abv pretty well I am surprised this ale isn't coming off as hot as others with similar abv.

M- Medium light body slightly watery. Dry finish.

O- This was the first offering from Oskar Blues I have tried and I think it's a nice pale ale. This style kind of seems a bit old for me as my first craft brew I really appreciated was Summit EPA and this is very comparable to EPA and it kind of brings me back to MN drinking Summit. Whenever I crave Summit I will go straight to Dale. Cheers.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 00:41:04 | More by AndyP612

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.99/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Golden orange color. Effervescent.

S-Earthy, astringent hops, grapefruit, a bit malty

T-Piney hops, astringent esters, but they do not lose focus with the malty backbone of this brew. Very well balanced.

MF-Smooth. Mildly carbonated with a dry hopped finish.

O-One of the better APA's. Blurs the line between an APA and an IPA. As the can says "One voluminously hopped mutha" Agreed, it is very hopped for an APA, but it would be a great summer day brew.

Serving type: can

05-12-2013 23:05:42 | More by Jacurdy60

soundsfromsound

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

This was my first experience with Dale and I have to say, it was a very good one. This brew had terrific mouthfeel with a pleasant aftertaste. I found this beer to be very balanced and I could certainly enjoy several of these on a hot summer day.

Very drinkable, no issues there. Great session beer for sure.

The Dale that I found at my local liquor store was in a tall boy, so I highly recommend you seek them out if you can. This pale ale is worth it - a great all around brew!

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 14:48:43 | More by soundsfromsound

patpbr

Ohio

3.96/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Copper color that appears to be a little orange.
S - Citrus and pine hops, a bit of malts
T - Citrus hops, malty backbone, earthy. well balanced.
M - Medium body and moderate carbination. Easy to drink.
O - This is a good beer and blurs the apa/ipa line.

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 23:02:55 | More by patpbr

Goldopelgt

Ohio

3.94/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an orange-ish copper color, from a can, with a fluffy white head, decent lacing...darker than what I was anticipating from a "pale ale," but not complaining by any means.

S: Citrus and piney hops up front, with some caramel malts and biscuit to round it out. Very nice.

T: Similar to the nose...resinous, citrusy hops with a nice malty backbone that balances nicely. Tasty brew, that's all I can really say.

M: Slick, with a bitterness that coats the palate and begs for another taste. Medium bodied and not overly carbonated.

O: Wether you want to call it a traditional "pale ale" or an "IPA" aside, this is just a damn good brew...nothing else really needs to be said. I would highly recommend it if you haven't tried it, and will definitely be revisiting it very soon. Cheers!

Serving type: can

05-07-2013 07:02:05 | More by Goldopelgt

dar482

New York

4.16/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottom of can says that it was canned on 1/28/13. The blue and red can is quite iconic with its huge font.

This pours out with an extremely fluffy and aggressive head. This comes a copper color with a strong orange glow. Lots of head sticking to the glass and a huge pillowy head that retains.

The aroma does not have much hops. It has decent bready malt sweet with almost a lemony tinge. Quite fresh, like of lemon peel candy. Almost like a spring Pinesol in a cleaned room with some earthy resin.

This is quite interesting for a pale ale. Then again, it’s 6.5% ABV, so it’s not exactly the definition sessionable low ABV beer. Nothing really standing out and screaming as a definitive flavor. Then the hops creep in and there’s a low dry bitter finisht that lingers and arrives up on you. It’s almost like an IPA with its hop character. Big pine and not much citrus as the aroma holds.

The aftertaste leaves a sweet biscuit and bready flavor. A wonderful mouthfeel that keeps it in the pale ale category kind of.

The beer is wonderfully balanced. Not really something I would absolutely consider a pale ale like Sierra Nevada Pale or Southern Tier Live because it lacks that refreshing light drinkability. However, instead, it reminds me of an IPA with big malt backbone, pushing towards Firestone Union Jack. Quite a lovely beer.

Serving type: can

05-07-2013 04:47:17 | More by dar482

Roman5150

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

this review is based on drinking one out of the can (recommended), but for certain aspects of the review, i compared it to one poured in a tulip glass, drunken side by side.

appearance: amber-orange with decent white head

smell: earthy hops, citrus, grapefruit, resin, malts

taste: hop character of an IPA more so than a pale ale, pretty bitter, strong earthy hop presence, very flavorful and well balanced. I really like this. Maybe i'm crazy but it almost has a hint of lemonade after the initial hop bite...

mouthfeel: decent level of carbonation, no cpmplaints

overall: I would call this an IPA before a pale ale, but that's just me. Great beer from Oskar Blues, never dissapointed, I would reccomend this to basically any craft beer drinker as hop heads will enjoy the complex hop character, an earthy bitterness combined with subtle grapefruit notes. I prefer it out of the can, as I do with most Oskar Blues beers.

Serving type: can

05-05-2013 01:36:26 | More by Roman5150

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.69/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

19.2 oz can partly poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a copper color with good clarity. The head is a three finger offwhite shade. I really like how much lacing it leaves on the glass in particular, not to mention the fluffiness of the head itself.

S: The aroma is what you'd expect, grassy/piny Cascade hops and caramel malts. Hoppiness is amplified when inhaled directly from the can.

T: This is quite bitter to start. The leafy, herbal hop bitterness really comes through, though perhaps with not as much actual hop flavor as I'd like. Bitterness seems to cool off near the back end, creating something that's pleasantly drinkable instead of oppressive.

M: While the opening bitterness suggest this could be resiny and harsh, the finish is crisp and dry enough to scrub it away. Nice body and carbonation here, though I still think the back end is a little rough.

O: You know you have something pretty good on your hands when 19.2 oz. seems like the right size for this one. Word of warning though - this one might be too bitter for newbs.

Serving type: can

04-28-2013 21:19:24 | More by ThisWangsChung

keeganfrank

Ohio

4.19/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tea-colored ale with a thick, foamy head that retains well. Aromas of faint citrus and sweet bread with hints of berry. Flavors of sweet fruit and bread with a slight citrus rind tartness. Has a really complex and well-balanced profile. I can certainly understand all the hype behind this brew.

Serving type: can

04-28-2013 16:01:14 | More by keeganfrank

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Golden with good lacing.

Smell: Refreshing mown grass balanced with caramel malt.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Nice balance of grass and caramel. Very dry, but a bit too flat.

Overall Drinkabiity: Seems like this is a cult classic, so I was glad to find this. I would definitely drink this again.

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 23:59:49 | More by tjsdomer2

barnzy78

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can, it's a deep golden ale topped with a frothy, ivory colored head holds great retention and leaves thick, chunky lacing. Aromas are floral hops, bready malt, citric, caramel, a bit tropical. Tastes are bready, caramel, pungent grapefruit, and pine. Nice mouth-feel here with a smooth creaminess, while being medium bodied. Overall, solid APA, and holds a bit of nostalgia for me as I highly sought after this beer a few years ago before it was available in IL.

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 01:21:09 | More by barnzy78