American Pale Ale - Spanish Peaks Brewing Co.

alehopman

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I immediately noted a strong malt aroma and flavor initially. The hops are more earthy than I have encountered in APA's. I think the ale has more of a British character, oddly enough. I remember tasting Black Dog Ale in the early 90's and occasionally since. This is very similar to that. I hear Black Dog has a new recipe, not sure about that though. I will drink this more frequently, the price is right.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 23:11:20 | More by alehopman

barnzy78

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

12-01-2011 03:15:55 | More by barnzy78

kels

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a bright coppery apricot, very hazy, with a 2 finger topping of soft, foamy white head. The head fades pretty quickly to a watery skim and leaves behind huge, thick rings of white lace.

Not a whole lot of aroma to speak of from this beer. A little bit of honey toasted grains come through.

Taste is light, sweet and refreshing. The malts are slightly caramelly, providing a slight syrupy sweet foundation for the lightest hint of lemony and grassy hops. Grains also have a toasty dimension that adds a heartiness to the beer. Feel is moderate to light, with decently bright carbonation.

Pretty highly drinkable and straightforward. Decent, solid pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 17:41:59 | More by kels

kegger22

Michigan

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Spanish Peaks American Pale Ale was amber in color with tons of floaties, and a half-inch of off-white head that rapidly dissipated to a collar.

The aroma was a modest eau de skunque, nothing else rose above that.

The taste was citrus, lemon, but not very bitter or sweet; like weak lemonade.

The mouth feel was medium bodied with sufficient carbonation.

Drinkability was only fair, due to ambivalent flavor.

Not well balanced. This was one of the weaker APA's that I have tried. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 01:12:06 | More by kegger22

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle in a Nonic. No date on the bottle.

A - Cloudy light amber color with a two finger, loose egg-shell white head with decent retention and a thick, sticky lacing.

S - Incredibly citrusy hop aroma bursting out. Smells a lot like powdered Crystal Light mix. Earthiness and dry straw notes too.

T - Great balance of flavors. A strong malt backbone that doesn't mind taking a back seat to the flourishing hop flavors. Pine, citrus, and light fruits.

M - Medium bodied and crisp with a light carbonation bite to the finish. Just a touch of dry bitterness.

D - I'm only half way through the bottle, if that, and the flavor is becoming overwhelming. I could sip it on a summer day as a refresher, but not an overly drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 23:10:05 | More by BeerFMAndy

racer2k

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Amber colored with decent head and lacing on the glass.

S- A balance of floral hops and malt aroma

T- A basic pale ale session beer with a good hop front and malt finish.

M- Moderate carbonation with decent mouth feel.

D- Good session beer. Enjoyable with some nice spicy BBQ.

Overall this is a good interpretation of the Pale Ale style and a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 16:03:14 | More by racer2k

cheapxceptbeer

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this beer up for 5 bucks at Marty's on Harvard Ave with their ongoing "stimulus package."

I'll start off with the appearance it has a very nice amber color, however it has a strange hanging sediment that is just unappealing, but otherwise looks delicious
Has a very piny, hoppy smell, like an IPA, not much else to say
This is really hoppy for a pale ale, the piny, citrusy qualities really come through, however the malt comes in to stop the hops from overpowering, delicious, nothing like it at this price
The body is medium which is appropriate for the style, definitely fuller than I expected, this is not APA flavored lager, this is the real thing
This beer is light enough that I could drink it all night, I am very happy with this choice, definitely a flavorful session beer

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2009 22:57:28 | More by cheapxceptbeer

PaleAlien2

Nebraska

3.05/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The color of a city sunset: hazy yellow/orange, with an active white head that quickly dissipates leaving behind some beautiful lacing.

Smells fruity, yet dirty--as in earthy.

A little light in the malt/body department. Has some spices in hops in the back end. Pretty good. Not overwhelming though.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 03:10:01 | More by PaleAlien2

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this as part of a mixed Black Dog 12 pack for a sweet, clearance price.

First off, this beer pours a wicked cloudy light orange color with tons of floaties. I've never seen so much sediment in a beer before.. I thought Smuttynose IPA had a lot but nothing compared to this. Taste wise it's a kick of hops in the mouth.. pretty bitter for a pale ale, as its hoppier than a lot of IPA's I've had. Well balanced and very drinkable though, I enjoyed it a lot. A nice find for the price, above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2009 23:09:37 | More by marlinsfan4

jcm845

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I purchased this beer because it was on sale at local midway mart.
I was really enjoyed this beer. It is really well balanced and very drinkable. I found the characteristics of this beer are similar to other reviewers and was really impressed by the flavor and balance. Very good

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2009 16:58:13 | More by jcm845

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a slighty cloudy pale yellow with a small rocky white head that was fairly lasting.

S: On the nose was a smooth citrus aroma, with some grapefruit and floral hopping.

T: The initial flavor was light fresh grains with a slight pine hopping and lemon hints. The hopping was moderate and noticeable leaving a nice citrusy hop lacing on the tongue after the swallow.

M: light-medium, crisp and dry.

D: Not bad, could put down a couple of these, moderately good and respectable pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 23:28:30 | More by beerthulhu

denflyr

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a nice yellow/copper color with a medium amount of haze. A slight head, but not very uniform.

The hops obviously dominate on the nose of this brew. They almost have an orange esther to them rather than what I feel are usually grapefruit type aromas.

The beer had a nice taste to it. It had a nice malt creaminess to it. Not an overwhelming amount of hops. Nicely balanced.

Just the right amount of carbonation. Nice refreshing brew to drink since my palate was not attacked by the hops.

An excellent beer to have around as a go to beer. I could drink this often if I could get this is Houston. Not sure what the ABV was it did not seem high, so a few could be had in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2008 12:10:15 | More by denflyr

danielharper

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Yellow body tinged with orange. Very hazy, quite a few bubbles suspended in the liquid. Forms a thin white head that dissipates to soapscum quickly.

Smell: Sweet, fruity. Notes of apples. Quite a bit of malt, hints of hops buried underneath. A nice aroma, inviting.

Taste: Crisp bitterness up front, slight malty middle, dry finish. Aftertaste is malty, bready. Hints of apples and grains. Strong flavors of grapefruit and a few notes of banana as the beer warms. Overall an excellent flavor for a pale ale.

Mouthfeel: Moderate. Some carbonation, a touch of dryness to the finish. Slightly chewy.

Drinkability: A highly drinkable, well-above-average pale ale. Well worth the spot in the fridge.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2008 01:14:11 | More by danielharper

praufs01

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - This is a beautiful looking beer. Cloudy dark yellow, with a big creamy white head, that leaves a decent amount of lacing.

Aroma - Floral hops dominate with malt in the background.

Taste - Light crisp hop taste up front that's nicely balanced with a malt backbone.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, small bubble carbonation.

Overall - Well balanced, good looking pale ale that would be hard to beat. This ale is exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 22:44:05 | More by praufs01

Shaw

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice light copper in color with a thick light tan head. This beer is slightly cloudy from sediment.

It has an earthy, musty aroma, which I think comes primarily from the sediment, with notes of caramel and hops.

The earthy quality is notable in the taste, too, along with a light bread flavor and a nice bitter hop finish.

The body is fine, with a nice amount of heft.

Overall this is a fine APA. I like that it distinguishes itself from the zillions of others in the style through the earthy notes.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2008 02:42:11 | More by Shaw

dickroop

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Label notes that Spanish Peaks Brewing Company was Funded Bozeman, MT, also says brewed in Frederick MD. (Beerme-dot-com says "Formerly located in Bozeman MT, formerly a microbrewery, formerly a contract company in King City CA, now an office in Polson MT...")

Pours a classic golden golden amber with not much head but a bit cloudy. There's good lacing, and the nose is promising, hoppy to be sure, and a touch of musty richness. (Truth be told, I just finished mowing the lawn, so my examination of the smell was, ah, somewhat *abbreviated*, shall we say.)

The taste is crisp citrus hops with some floral notes, backed up with a solid malt presence, a little bready. There are earthy yeast notes, and it's got a solid clean, dry finish, with lasting bitterness on the palate. A little grapefruit rind in the cheeks before you swallow. The mouthfeel is chewey and nice (maybe a touch of hop oil for added complexity), the carbonation is right on target. For an APA, this seems spot on, not over the top hop-bomb, respectfully paying tribute to British origins, but not at all shy, it stands up well to refrigeration and American preferences.

For me, drinkability is quite high, it would be sessionable, and it's pleasurable no matter how many you have. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2008 22:25:43 | More by dickroop

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this poured into a glass from a 12 oz bottle in Lake Okajobi, Iowa

Poured a hazy orange with a small white head that didn't stick around long.

The smell is floral and mildly yeasty.

The taste is fruit tart, grassy and perhaps slightly medicinal. There's a fair amount of sourdough bitterness in the after taste.

The mouthfeel is average with a good balance between the malt and hops.

I liked the medium+ carbonation.

Overall, I enjoyed this ale well-enough to try more from the Spanish Peaks Brewing Co.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2008 01:27:32 | More by Tucquan

drxandy

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured from 12oz to standard pint glass, pours a hazy redish golden color with a great 3 finger head.

smells of honey, orange peel, hops and malt

tastes bitter, citric almost astringent hopping, honey, malts play in the background, a nice version of an american pale, nothing really stands out as amazing, but a good beverage regardless

mouthfeel is crisp and more hopped than most pale's - a bit of a dry finish, and the hop blend aren't the best match but hey

would be great paired with a meal or just after working out, etc

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2008 18:07:41 | More by drxandy

rowew

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz longneck, black labe on the label. Cryptic date code, and it only says its brewed in Denver, not who is actually doing the contract brewing.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy orange color, decent head. All 6 of these were gushers.

Smell: Very hoppy - lots of grapefruit and some floral aromas. Just a bit of breadiness in there somewhere, but the hops hide most of it.

Taste: Lots of hopes for an APA, grapefruit flavor dominates.

Overall impression: This seems more like an IPA to me, but it is a drinkable beer with some good hop flavors. If you aren't into hops, you probably won't like this - otherwise give it a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2008 01:31:41 | More by rowew

maddogruss

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a 12 ounce bottle of this into a glass mug.

A: Pours a light amber body with a small, white head with no retention and minimal lacing.

S: A sweet, malty smell with slightly floral undertones. Hops are somewhat evident.

T: Slightly bitter, hoppy taste with a slight malts meant to balance I am assuming, but the hop presence overwhelms them a little bit. Malts and hops did not seem to flow well together.

M: An ok mouthfeel overall, but a little bit on the thin side. Slightly watery, but not too bad.

D: Not too drinkable. The taste was not too enjoyable as the balancing hops just did not flow well with the hops to balance it; kind of an awkward pairing. This taste combined with the watery mouthfeel did not make this beer enjoyable overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2008 01:55:27 | More by maddogruss

MOShepp

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Small head with some lacing. Deep golden hazy color.

Aromas of pineapple and floral hops.

Some caramalized bready malt, but the hops overpower the slight sweetness. Slight hint of black pepper, maybe some citrus.

Even throughout, but not that smooth, mostly bitter with a slight bitter aftertaste.

Not a bad beer, but there are other APA's I'd rather drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 19:20:18 | More by MOShepp

SurlyDuff

Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is the first time i've ever heard of this brewery. A 6pack was actually 4.00 (1/2 price sale at the store), and for that price it's certainly the best damn beer i've had. For an $8 beer, it's fine, but not stellar.

Pours a dark golden amber with a decent head and nice lacing. Trailers of lace hang to the sides of the glass nicely.

Balanced and enjoyable aroma. bready malt and a small hop presence.

A nice body here, without leaving any holes or anything missing from the beginning to the finish. A rather creamy texture, which adds to the drinkability.

Full hearty malt and a hoppy citrus flavor. Nothing special or out of the ordianry, jsut a really solid drink. A fine example of an APA.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 04:18:40 | More by SurlyDuff

Strix

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours amber-orange with a large, long-lived head.

Smell somewhat weak, but of floral hops.

Taste is well-balanced, with sweet malts and hops. I'd actually prefer a little more hop kick on the back end of this one, as the bitterness fades out pretty quick. Also evokes some other sorts of flavors..orange, even a little pumpkin?

Mouthfeel good, doesn't stand out as particularly amazing or deficient.

Overall drinkability on this is good. Not a hop bomb, but enough to keep it interesting. I won't crave it, but will gladly finish the other 5.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 03:02:49 | More by Strix

ViveLaChouffe

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Still more notes from the Great Midwest excursion. Damn, I bought a lot of beer...

It's a lightly hazy copper, yeast in suspension with a fluffy ivory head. Sweet, sweet hops in the nose, sweet pale malt too.

The sweet hop aroma does not hint at the herbal biting bitterness the hops deliver. It's like a turbo charged English style pale ale. Mouth is dryish lots of herbal hops in the finish and aftertaste.

Something about this beer doesn't mesh well, the hops (Crystal, Mt. Hood, Horizon) are not right for the malt profile or they overpower it too much. Whatever, it just doesn't work for me. Only fair.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 02:02:55 | More by ViveLaChouffe

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dispensed from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. I was unaware this was an unfiltered beer, so I got lots of yeasties in the beer which made it cloudy and sort of foreign looking. I dont really mind it, but it doesnt look good and could serve as a detractor for some. Nice white head and some decent lacing.

Aroma is very fruity and hoppy. Grapefruity and lemony. I cant quite put my finger on it, but there are some other fruits in there as well. Alomost like a berry or melon. Anyway, decent aroma.

Nice flavor profile as well. Malty and somewhat sweet. Lots of fruity esters. The hops dont come through as much in the flavor as it does in the aroma. Nicely balanced, but could use a touch more hop bitterness, imo.

A nice beer. Glad to have a sixer of this one. The next beer I will decant a little more carefully in order to perserve the appearance. Certainly recommended if you like the sweeter side of the style. I prefer the hoppy side.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2007 21:22:35 | More by SaCkErZ9