AleSmith Lil' Devil - AleSmith Brewing Company

UCLABrewN84

California

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Instant Replay in Canoga Park, CA.

Pours a slightly hazy golden-yellow with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, yeast, spices, and some citrus-like aroma. Taste is much the same with a citrus zest finish. There is a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is very citrus-forward and pretty drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2012 01:44:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.61/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap at the industry - served in pint

Clear golden color with a pale white crop of head. Webbed lacing rings the glass with thin retention.

Slightly floral in the nose with orange and lemon peel. Citrusy with cracked pepper and coriander, refreshing with soft bread, yeast and sweetness.

Brush of floral hops up front with citrusy tones and lemon peel. Soft spiciness from pepper and coriander. Mild backbone, biscuit and toasted grain with light sweetness. Belgian yeast with lingering hops towards the finish.

Lighter body, well carbonated, bubbly and crisp on the tongue. Drinkable and refreshing, although this would be more suited for the summertime.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 00:50:42 | More by xnicknj

kojevergas

California

3.28/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on-draught into a plastic sampler cup (per Alesmith's preferences!) at Alesmith's tasting room. I was shocked at the presentation. Alesmith ought to know better. Reviewed from detailed notes. Expectations were high given the brewery.

A: Pours a one finger head of slight cream, fair thickness, and good retention. Colour is a semitransparent copper. No visible yeast. Appealing.

Sm: Hops - mainly floral with little bitterness. Some citrus aromas; orange peel is a highlight. Very pleasant and fresh. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Honey, pleasant clean floral hops, citrus fruit esters, and clean unobtrusive malts. Balanced and enjoyable. Not quite refreshing. Well built. Quite fresh. Quite simple for the brewery, but nice nevertheless. No alcohol or yeast comes through. I do wish it were more complex and subtle.

Mf: Smooth and wet, suiting the flavours nicely. Slightly creamy. Neither too thick nor too thin.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. Hides its ABV well. Refreshing and nice. I like it, but Alesmith has far better offerings. Give it a go only if you're a big fan of the style.

Low B-

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 00:16:01 | More by kojevergas

pmarlowe

California

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at AleSmith tasting room.

A: Pours pale straw color with a half finger of dull white head. Very fine bubbles. Pretty good retention and some lacing.

S: Lots of pale malt and Belgian fruit--banana and clove, which makes this more like a hefe.

T: Similar, with the banana a little more in the forefront. A touch watery. A little fruity yeast, but faint.

M: Super smooth mouthfeel which I've come to expect from Alesmith. Medium-light carbonation and body.

O: Refreshing, lighter beer that's good for hotter weather. I guess I was hoping for a little more fruitness or something. Good but not great.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 03:45:58 | More by pmarlowe

notchucknorris

California

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Stone's 15th Anniversary

A: Slightly hazy pale golden color with an eggshell colored head.

S: Honeycrisp apple, cinnamon and a touch of wheat.

T: Green apple, pale malts and a bit of lemon on the finish. Pretty light body which works well with the flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2011 16:13:59 | More by notchucknorris

HopHead84

California

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

8/10/2011

On tap at Tap Room.

A: Hazy straw colored with a small fizzy head that quickly fades.

S: Aromatic coriander with orange peel and flesh. Belgian yeast blends with well integrated candi sugar. Malt is faint, imparting a bit of biscuit.

T: Coriander, orange, and a perfumy floral flavor with a distinct tangy quality. The beer is moderately sweet with grainy notes. Bitterness is light. There's a candied aspect to the sweetness.

M: Lower medium body with lower high carbonation.

Overall: A pretty good Witish Belgian Pale, but not something I'd want a pint of.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2011 21:02:00 | More by HopHead84

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice amber-gold color in the tall tulip with some chill haze. Yeasty, celery taste, quite herbal and vegetal for a Belgian style. Even a cheesy hint. Not very strong flavors, more like a restrained Saison. Mellow with modest acidity. Malt is there but soft and submerged. Quite mild, a light mouthful, watery even. Fruity spicy nose. Goes down very easy, a pleasant quaff with a sausage and coleslaw.

Enjoyed at the Linkery, San Diego.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2011 05:17:00 | More by mactrail

armock

New York

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

On-tap at the brewery

A - Poured a golden color with a white head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is sweet and fruity with Belgian yeast

T - Follows the nose starts of sweet and fruity and finishes with the Belgian yeast

M - This beer has a light body with medium carbonation to it

D - This is a very good beer at a decent abv making it so you can have more than one in a sitting worth picking up sometime to give it a try

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2011 23:04:11 | More by armock

pennywhistle

California

4.68/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is really pretty in the glass. Light, yellow colour, thick white head. Nice amount of carbonation. A sweet, light beer, sort of lemony - it has orange peels in it, which give it a nice citrus blend. A perfect beer for when it's sunny outside.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 21:31:01 | More by pennywhistle

fbinla

California

4.2/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Got this on tap at 1739 public house in Los Feliz, great aroma, smooth mouth feel with great Belgium flavors really easily drinking but with lots of that wonderful Belgium funk from the yeast. I wish i had this on tap at home. The Belgium Pale Ale is such an overlooked style, great job.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2010 01:04:52 | More by fbinla

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Alesmith

A: The pour is a hazy pale golden color with a fluffy white head and lots of lacing.

S: There is plenty of spice, particularly coriander, along with some fruity banana esters. Like most Belgian style beers, the nose is dominated by the yeast with some sweet malt coming through.

T: As you would expect from the nose, plenty of Belgian yeast character and the typical coriander and orange peel flavorings. The sweetness from the malt is restrained which I was happy to see.

M: The body is a bit on the light end of medium with full carbonation.

D: A decent enough Belgian pale ale, but fairly typical and nothing fantastic. There are certainly better offerings from Alesmith.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2010 08:53:07 | More by womencantsail

nickd717

California

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the AleSmith event at City Beer (well, actually at Triptych across the street).

Very nice appearance. Cloudy golden-straw color with a thick white head and very good lacing.

Aroma is Belgian yeast, wheat, sweet malt, banana, and citrus. Smells great.

Flavor is a lot like Horny Devil, just toned down as the description says. Wheat, pale malt, Belgian yeast, spices, banana, and orange peel. Mild floral hop notes.

Body is medium and carbonation is fairly lively.

Drinkability is high. Overall a really good beer. Another winner from these guys.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 02:28:42 | More by nickd717

bulletrain76

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Draught at The Red. Hazy orange with a small white head. Spices, orange, and lightly sweaty yeast in the aroma. The flavor has lots of orange, light spices, and light malt. Light bodied with low carbonation. Not a bad beer with some food when you don't want the beer getting in the way, but there isn't much interesting going on with it on its own.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2009 04:54:11 | More by bulletrain76

HalfFull

California

3.45/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a tulip glass, the Lil' Devil shows a clear golden orange in color with an inch of white head. Retention is too brief however.

Has a nice yeast and candi sugar nose, with apple and pear dominating. Candi sweetness is light and doesn't interfere or overwhelm. Nose becomes harder to find as the carbonation settles. I really think this beer would benefit from bottle conditioning as the CO2 bubbles are too large to stay in the liquid.

Taste follows the nose and delivers a clean fruit and yeast flavor with the expected light amount of sweetness. Offers a decent feel and drink as well though it becomes a bit juice like towards the bottom. Again, a result of the outgassing of the carbonation. Decent, but would be improved from all angles with better carbonation retention.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2009 01:34:39 | More by HalfFull

WaXHeLL

California

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ Alesmith's Brewing facility. 4oz taster. Tasting notes from 5/1/2009.

Appearance: Translucent yellow. Slightly cloudy. Minimal head. Nothing to write home about.

Smell: The aroma of Belgian sugar and hops come out immediately. This is well balanced with a blend of spices -- nutmeg, clove, and a hint of cinnamon. Overall a nice smelling American-style Belgian. There is a nice floral aroma to this beer -- probably mainly from the floral Belgian hops.

Taste: The spices and hops come out real well to start -- especially with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. The Belgian hops are readily apparent throughout, but not overdone. There is a slightly tart taste to this beer that is well executed. Finishes hoppy and slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel: A little bit too fizzy / carbonated. The Belgian hops and flavors come out pretty well, even with the light body.

Drinkability: Definitely drinkable, and could be a sessions beer. The carbonation hampers the drinkability a bit. Could use a little bit more ABV for my liking.

Final Thoughts: Not too complex, and pretty straightforward. Pretty good, but not exceptional.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2009 07:21:58 | More by WaXHeLL

tpd975

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Alesmith.

A: Pours a hazy cloudy orange hue with a nice creamy white head.

S: Nice sweet fruit aroma with hints of apple and peach. Hints of banana esque Belgian yeast as well.

T: Nice sweetness with a touch of bitter. Apples, pears, and peaches dominate. Belgian yeast makes a big prescene as well. The finish has a touch of bitter grapefruit along with a touch of floral hops.

M: Light and fruity. Tasty.

D: Good, a nice draft only brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2009 15:54:58 | More by tpd975

charlzm

California

2.8/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Consumed 11/01/08 at Blue Palms, Hollywood, CA.

Dark honey/orange colored beer with no head and no active carbonation.

Aroma is sweet flowers and esters.

Slightly oxidized flavor (hello, hint of wet cardboard). Thin wood character, light white pepper on finish. Really grasping at straws to come up with anything to describe the flavor.

Lack of carbonation, and this beer's thin, watery mouthfeel combine to make a less-than-awesome drinking experience.

I had this fresh at the brewery a couple of years ago and I recall it being far better than this.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2008 15:44:57 | More by charlzm

SShelly

California

3.7/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a straight yellow with small head that fades quickly to slight lacing. Slight belgian fruity esters in the aroma, a little banana, a little green apple. Heavy cloves on the pallet. a farily refreshing belgian, could probably use more abv, and less cloves, 2 of us made it 3/4 of the way through the growler and stored the rest. Overall not the best Alesmith offering, but a serviceable begian i would get on tap if I wanted somehting fairly easy drinking.

Serving type: growler

09-29-2008 23:34:19 | More by SShelly

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Light golden yellow with a large fluffy bright white head that left behind copious lacing.

S-Light but typical Belgian yeast esters and bit of sour apples and a hint of spicy hops.

T-All flavours light with notes of lemon zing, sour apples and a bit of floral hoppiness.

M-Light bodied and very zingy. Kinda like a beer spritzer.

D-Light and easy going but for me a bit too light. Needs a little beefing up to make it more interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2008 06:42:15 | More by Deuane

DoubleJ

California

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Draft Picks Pizza Pub (La Habra, CA), on to the beer:

Pale orange in colr with hues of yellow, the head is thin but creamy, and leaves good lacing on the glass. Before we move on, ask yourself this: do you like peaches? If you do, you will probably like it. The aroma is phenolic with fresh cut peaches, more of the same juicy peaches in the flavor. There are other bright colored fruits mixed with the peach to create a very fruity tasting beer. Very easy going in the mouth with no harsh carbonation or flavors. A pleasant session beer from AleSmith.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2008 04:28:46 | More by DoubleJ

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

Poured a slightly hazy golden color. There was a decent white head to it. The aroma is more reminicent of a tripel than a Belgian ale: Somewhat yeasty with banana and corriander. The taste is quite good, with a slight wheat taste. It leaned more toward the Belgian side for sure but it was exceptional.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2008 04:35:38 | More by barleywinefiend

illidurit

California

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Red in Santa Cruz. Bright orange-gold with a great white head that sticks like flypaper to the goblet. Aroma is primarily yeasty, with some ester and spice. Taste is unripe banana, some refreshing lemon, witbier spiciness, and of course a lot of yeasty dough pinning it all together. Crisp and light on the tongue.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2008 07:24:40 | More by illidurit

Floydster

California

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pint from the Tap Room in San Diego

Pour was a golden brown color, had this after Lost Abbey Devotion, so did not really measure up to that, but still very good

Smell was more ctirus and had faint zestiness to it

Taste was fairly bitter for a Belgian, but this was a good thing

Could drink a lot of these

Hopefully Alesmith bottles this sometime too

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2007 21:09:53 | More by Floydster

tonistruth

Nevada

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

on tap @ Stone's Bistro in Escondido, CA

A- clear golden straw, taunt 1" white head with good retent, tight tiny bubbles, elegant

S- clean, floral and malty

T- semisweet malt, grain husk, clean, elegant, grassy, hints of lemon, simple and mellow

M- medium body, carbonation felt but blends beautifully, crisp

D- mellow and tasty Belgian brew, not a fan of Belgians but this is a wonderful brew, sessionable

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2007 05:29:07 | More by tonistruth

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach, CA,

A: Pale, golden yellow, with a thick, white head, poured into a fluted goblet.

S: Yeasty esters, with pears and apples, very fragrant.

T: Tasty, and yeasty, lemon is the predominate flavour, pear esters, with some noble, floral hoppiness.

M: Smooth, dry and spritzy, quite thick for a Belgian Pale.

D: Light and easy to drink, as compared to some of Alesmith's other offerings, a good example of a Belgian Pale, I liked it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2007 02:05:19 | More by Halcyondays