Headwaters Pale Ale - Victory Brewing Company

Soonami

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Victory Headwaters Pale Ale is a fantastic APA. This is a crystal orange-amber beer topped with clingy white lacing that just explodes with citrus flavor. The nose is dominated by tangerine and navel orange peel with subdued whiff of baking biscuit. The beer tastes like candied orange peel, with a fruity mango-like sweetness (not sugary or malty) and a hint of grainy toasted cracker. This is a beer with great balance of hops aroma and flavor with malt, but I wish it were just a little bit more bitter to give it a little more crispness and bite. The beer also has more body than I would've like and tastes a little under carbonated. I guess maybe I want this beer to be more like Prima Pils with it's crisp snappy carbonation and sharp bitterness but with the fruit ale yeasts and citrusy american hops. Either way this is very good but just short of perfect.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 06:55:15 | More by Soonami

superspak

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 6/23/2013. Pours lightly hazy golden amber color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy cream colored head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice soapy rings of lacing cling down the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big grapefruit, orange zest, lemon zest, orange rind, floral, grass, light pine, bread, light caramel, and floral earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance of hop notes with a moderate malt balance. Taste of grapefruit, orange zest, lemon zest, floral, grass, bread, light caramel, light pine, and floral earthiness. Light floral bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, citrus zest, floral, grass, bread, light caramel, and floral earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and good complexity of hop flavors; with a moderate malt balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly creamy, lightly sticky, and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice pale ale. Good balance and complexity of flavors; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2013 04:48:03 | More by superspak

socon67

New York

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy amber color with a soapy white foam that retains well and laces the glass.

S - Has a light citrus smell and a scent of pale malt.

T - This is a refreshing beer that has a nice contrast of tartness from lemon flavors and a malty sweet taste. There is a lsight amount of bitterness in the finish, but this an easy drinking pale.

M - Good amount of balance and complexity which is hard to do with a standard pale ale. Minimal carbonation present, and light feel. Very sessionable.

O - Really no complaints as this is a solid pale ale that has plenty of flavor. Another staple beer from Victory.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 00:40:02 | More by socon67

Bieniek30

New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-18-2013 03:15:23 | More by Bieniek30

FHSPSU67

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

06-17-2013 12:39:22 | More by FHSPSU67

jaxon53

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-17-2013 08:43:10 | More by jaxon53

SC_Beer_Drinker

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-16-2013 20:36:00 | More by SC_Beer_Drinker

zmusselman

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-16-2013 19:01:02 | More by zmusselman

swinyeju

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-16-2013 16:06:05 | More by swinyeju

Houser

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-16-2013 11:47:37 | More by Houser

Bockerdoppel91

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

06-16-2013 02:28:41 | More by Bockerdoppel91

DukeX13

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-16-2013 01:17:05 | More by DukeX13

billbeers

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-13-2013 23:50:27 | More by billbeers

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-13-2013 22:39:26 | More by doremite

pajonkunz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-13-2013 16:51:27 | More by pajonkunz

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%

06-12-2013 23:35:44 | More by Dave_Treat

csurowiec

Maryland

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-12-2013 20:40:04 | More by csurowiec

JMUbrewz

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-12-2013 17:01:25 | More by JMUbrewz

SpAiReArGsEonNE

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

06-12-2013 01:14:13 | More by SpAiReArGsEonNE

robdip9

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +25.9%

06-11-2013 16:45:20 | More by robdip9

Eazy28

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

06-10-2013 03:30:33 | More by Eazy28

tweezer159

Alabama

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-10-2013 02:26:25 | More by tweezer159

blastoderm55

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-09-2013 18:46:25 | More by blastoderm55

Analog_kid

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-08-2013 01:47:48 | More by Analog_kid

DeutschesBier

Maryland

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-07-2013 16:06:35 | More by DeutschesBier