The Gold Standard - Third Street Aleworks

augustgarage

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hand pump cask at the brewpub 2/5/2010. Served in a Third Street pint glass.

Pale yellow-gold liquid settles to a brilliant clarity, placid as it is largely undisturbed by fleeing bubbles. A small evenly frothed head persists throughout, leaving behind thin lacing as larger tendrils of foam can't maintain a purchase on the sloping glass walls.

Mild biscuity malt intermingles with a low fruitiness (melon?) in the nose. Maybe some light noble hop notes as well...very mellow.

The flavor is clean and biscuity malt with a touch of grain and a slightly bitter finish owing to the English varietal hops.

A light golden ale but with a decent body possibly thanks to the addition of oats. Served nearly warm, and with very little carbonation excepting the crown - this falls into some of the stereotypes of cask ale that I'd never actually experienced myself before. Highly sessionable, and a nice subtle alternative to an ESB or an APA, though it shares some faint similarities to both without having the depth of the better examples of either style. I'd rank the drinkability higher, but overall this is just a little too boring.

Serving type: cask

02-19-2010 00:22:48 | More by augustgarage

Offa

California

3.03/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This is an ok, very gentle, but drinkable beer. It's supposed to be a lighter English pale ale type but I'm not sure how well it succeeds.

Deep, bright straw yellow, the tiniest bit cloudy, it has a medium white head that's decently lasting, slowly shrinking and leaving fairly nice lace.

The aroma is very light, mostly grain, lemon and apple with faint hints of white bread and other fruit.

The taste is also light, being primarily grain and crackers, apple, citrus with a slight grapefruit bent. The finish is clean, aromatic grain finish. However, it lacks real complexity, is very light and a bit bland, with slightly too much of a cracker quality for me. It goes fairly well with food, though.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2008 23:14:10 | More by Offa