Buzzards Bay Olde Buzzard Pale Ale - Buzzards Bay Brewing

greengorilla

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I got this in a mixed 12 from a beer of the month club that my wife bought me a membership to for our aniversary. It is listed on this site as retired, but it was just delivered to me.

I poured it from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass. It is a copper brownish color with a nice white head.

The smell is of caramel and malt and pretty good.

The taste is actually a little bit bland. It is not bad, but it is a little disappointing.

The mouthfeel is acceptible and it is drinkable, but overall it is just an okay beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 15:56:37 | More by greengorilla

harpus

Alabama

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%

03-27-2013 19:56:26 | More by harpus

BGsWo22

New York

2.5/5  rDev -29%

03-23-2013 18:17:23 | More by BGsWo22

jfcaa193

Connecticut

2.5/5  rDev -29%

02-19-2012 02:21:06 | More by jfcaa193

Matty1918

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a nice amber color with a nice white foamy head. good amount of lacing and retention.

The first aroma is of sweet malts...a hint of molasses and honey. Some grains are present also.

First sip is of roasted malts.... a slight sweet, nutty flavor very nice. A slight dry buttery bitterness is there as well. A dry bitterness finishes things off. Very nice tasting.

Mouthfeel is a bit watery but nice carbonation.

Very drinkable. Must seek out.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2008 21:54:30 | More by Matty1918

FenwaySquid

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz. brown bottle, I can't tell what the bottling date on the back label is, poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color, lots of small carbonation bubbles rising inside. The head formed 2 fingers thick, and faded down to one quickly but had good retention from there.

Aroma: Floral hops with some fruit in the background, nothing I can place though.

Taste: Caramel malts up front, from there the hops take over. Floral, slightly bitter but not overpowering, they linger through the finish, which is more of the hops but with a toasted malt character behind it now.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, fairly smooth, good carbonation balance.

Overall: A nice ESB, recommended. Get it while you can, though. I toured the brewery a few months ago and they said this one's going to be retired as they're only brewing lagers from now on.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2008 00:31:37 | More by FenwaySquid

paulthebeerguru

Florida

2.9/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter. Burnt amber color with good clarity. White head that drops rather quickly. Aroma reminds me of sauerkraut. Biscuity, cabbage, some soy, which is odd. Cabbagey flavors reminds me of St. Patrick's Day dinner, corned beef and cabbage. Dry mouthfeel with a mild carbonation level. It is drinkable, but the cabbage feels weird on my palate. Would be great with some bratwursts. Could it be a tainted bottle?

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 19:48:11 | More by paulthebeerguru

jneiswender

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On tap as a sample at the brewery.

A-dark yellow with a white head that dissipates quickly.

s--somewhat fruity. mild hop aroma

T--balanced. Some malt up front and a light hop finish.

m--medium body.

d-very safe. Not a very assertive beer. Its not bad tasting but just doesn't seem to be distinctive.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2008 04:17:59 | More by jneiswender

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured a clear medium copper color with nice slightly off-white puffy head.
Smell is a nice mixture of rich caramel and subtle hops.
Taste also presents with a nice caramel character, and the light hops in the background balance well.
Leaves a nice sweet-dry sensation in the mouth.
Extremely easy to drink. Very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2007 22:13:08 | More by tgbljb

arizcards

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received in the August MicroBeerClub shipment.

Beer poured a deep amber color with a minimal white head. Nose is malty, nothing else beyond the malts. Taste is very malty balanced nicely by a decent dose of citrus hops. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly smooth. Drinkability is good. Definitely a sessionable beer at 5.2 abv, this is a easy drinking beer that is worth a shot for esb fans.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2007 22:20:19 | More by arizcards

auxiliary

Rhode Island

3.6/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

appearance - Nice amber-gold color, with a nice foamy head that left some lace behind.

smell - Some sweetness, hops and some malt.

taste - Real bitter beer that I wasn't too crazy about. Good for a hop head though.

mouthfeel: Medium body.

drinkability - Not an easy drinker for me, since it is real bitter, too much hops for me.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2007 19:54:00 | More by auxiliary

CharlieMopps

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep amber and gold color with good lacing, decent head as well.

S: Malty aromas wafting to the nose with a slightly hoppy scent. A hint of a sweet caramel smell is here also.

T: Has an ESB/English pale ale taste, very interesting combination. Tastes of currant and citrus are light, but enjoyable, with a hoppy and dry twang.

M: Great carbonation and a smooth, dry finish over the palate, with the hops leaving a slick and bitter taste behind.

D: Awesome interpretation of the style, which would definitely have me coming back for more.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2006 15:16:20 | More by CharlieMopps

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.03/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap at the Celtic Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a golden brown color with a foamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin but even lace on the glass.

S: The smell isn’t very strong, but contains mainly hops & caramelized malt.

T: Heavy bitterness hits you up front, followed by a little bit of caramelized malt sweetness. As the sweetness quickly fades, you’re left with a hoppy bitter after-taste.

M: Crisp, but not too smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, dry finish.

D: I didn’t find this one to be very easy-to-drink, but it is tastier than a regular B/M/C beer. However, if there’s almost any another micro available, I’d go for that instead.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2006 14:24:12 | More by TheManiacalOne

SteveO1231

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. brown bottle, pours a clear copper with a nice thick frothy off-white head that reduces to a thin film of bubbles. Very big malt aroma, spicy and fruity, hints of green grapes and some citrus fruit. Clean and crisp on the palate, nice caramel malt sweetness balanced by a dry citrus hop finish that makes my tongue want another sip. Very nicepale lae tasty and refreshing.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2006 18:38:09 | More by SteveO1231

RedChrome

Connecticut

3.3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This poured a very nice copper color that showed notes of red when held to the light. Nice slightly off white head was dense and retained for a very long time. A ton of carbonation to see, especially considering the style. Lacing was thin but evident.

Quite a malty aroma wafted off this beer even when away from my nose. A big whiff of this beer provided a note of toffee. No hops aroma, and not a lot of complexity. Just a strong nicely aromatic beer.

A flavor of malt was the first to strike my palate. No note of the toffee aroma, but there was a flavor of slightly burnt caramel that wasn't evident in the scent.

Had a good body during the big sips, but a slightly watery aftertaste took a little away. Carbonation was fantastic and danced in my mouth.

Overall a nice malty brew. A nice beer to have with a plate of wings while watching the game at your local bar, or hanging out with friends and playing poker. Not going to knock anyones socks off, but a solid above average effort.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2006 06:03:21 | More by RedChrome

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a pretty nice beer. Part of a 12 pack sampler, enjoyed this one quite a bit. It was a nice amber color with a medium head. It had a sweet, fresh, grainy aroma. Taste was malt up front, with some very nice hops coming in later. Good hop bitterness that lingered. Good mouthfeel, and very drinkable. Try it.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2006 15:38:03 | More by lordofthewiens

VoodooBrew

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark amber-copper with a decent head. The nose is fruity, malty, with chocolate notes and rustic hops. This beer shows unique depth, particularly in its malt, chocolaty notes, with a hop flavor that slides right into a sturdy bitterness. This lingers on the tongue right into the nice bitter finish. While this "Pale Ale" might raise certain expectations, don't come looking for your usual PNW crisp, citric hops. Instead, you'll find fruity esters and malt depth more befitting a fine English ale. Or at least a fine New England ale anyway!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2006 03:33:59 | More by VoodooBrew

LarryV

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a medium amber color with a fluffy 1/2" head that faded fairly quickly. Aroma is malty with subtle fruity overtones. Hops are barely perceptible in the aroma. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a creamy feel. Taste is big malt with a finish of subdued hoppiness, nicely balanced. A pretty good drinking beer, I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 21:12:25 | More by LarryV

tastybeer

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice deep amber color with a 1.5 finger white head. Aroma of toasted buttery grains with soft caramel and some sort of nuts. Taste is very fresh. More buttery grains and caramel along with nice fresh bitter hops. Finishes with a return of caramel grain followd by a bitterness that lasts nicely. Mouthfeel has a textured smoothness to it. Its needs a good swirl in the mouth to release the awesome.

Nice juicy bitter and very fresh off the brewery tap. A delectable ESB

Serving type: growler

03-26-2006 23:58:01 | More by tastybeer

Hibernator

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Buzzards Bay Pale Ale
12 oz brown bottle
Bottling number is listed on the back label, but I can't read it
Served in a 20 oz tulip pint glass

Pours a copper brown color with clear highlights on the bottom of the glass. Mini carbonation bubbles rise to the top of the glass. Nice patterns of sticky lace too.

Whiffs of juicy caramel malts, faint hops and a pinch of cinnamon.

Juicy caramel malt blast on the palate. Hints of apple sauce and cinnamon sticks. Sweet malty profile and rather straightforward overall. I like the imported hop snap finish.

A rather solid "local" beer from Buzzards Bay. Certain characteristics of this beer remind me of a German Oktoberfest beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2006 01:38:23 | More by Hibernator

LiquidBreadMan

Texas

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This brew pours a beautiful cloudy gold. The bouquet is nothing special, with only a slight hint of lemon. As far as the style goes, it's flavor is very good -- with sharp hops and a hint of citrangequat. This ale is quite dry with a clean grapefruit finish. Good brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2005 14:40:59 | More by LiquidBreadMan

wedge

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Light copper color - a pretty nice off-white head with decent retention. Smells of grain malts and light caramel with a slight hint of alcohol. Smooth, malty taste, with a mild bitterness. Not much flavor from the hops. Medium / light mouthfeel.

Not at all a bad beer - just don't expect an American Pale Ale, this is quite British. Very fresh as the brewery is just a few miles from my place.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2005 02:12:10 | More by wedge

RBorsato

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark gold to copper with a moderate beige head. Sweet smartie-like candy malt aroma yet pretty spicy to boot... interesting. A spicy malt and spicy hop example of the English Style Pale Ale. Not quite the profile I prefer but not bad considering the bite. Medium bodied and smooth with a dry spicy finish.

Pass!

Per BOM club notes:
IBU: 43.0. 5.6% ABV.
Malts: Pale, Caramel.
Hops: Magnum, East Kent Goldings.

Bottling #: 5.238
Tasted: 11/26/05

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2005 21:58:43 | More by RBorsato

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a pale orangey amber hue topped with a thin white head.

Smell: A remote malt scent blended with buttery diacetyl and an underlieing grassy hop aroma.

Taste: Pretty even-steven between the malts and hops, but both particularly muted, weak even. Vague hints of biscuits, toffee, and an herbal bitterness. This beer finishes dry and crisp. There's an ever increasing peppery taste as time goes on.

Mouthfeel: Its thin and unsubstantial on the palate. This makes for a disappointment in the mouthfeel department.

Drinkability: Its light (almost lite) and therefore easily drinkable, but this isn't a beer I believe I'll be returning to in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2005 05:45:27 | More by ChainGangGuy

jmz62565

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A fine looking coppery color,but would rate higher except for the head being small and disappearing too fast.The taste however was very good.In the classic pale ale sense,this was a very very hoppy,dry,and enjoyable.You can almost taste a hint of vanilla and carmel.This is a smooth ale that is very drinkable,and a quality product from Buzzards Bay.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2005 02:46:25 | More by jmz62565