Schlafly Pale Ale - Saint Louis Brewery / Schlafly Tap Room

pmcadamis

Illinois

2.23/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Clear golden brew with a small white head that readily recedes to a bubbly dishwater collar leaving tiny spots of wet lace on thte glass.

Smells mild, honeyed, and a bit funky. Has a bit of an unpleasant dankness or moldy smell to it.

Tastes mild, but spicy and bitter. Pleasant and gentle on the palate, and pretty unique tasting. I detect a bit aof a soapy flavor that is really throwing me off. I don't really like this....it tastes like when my parents put soap in my mouth for saying F@CK! As the beer warms, this soapy note seems to become less obvious and the beer really gets much better.

Mouthfeel is a bit on the watery side, and drinkability is ruined for me due to the strange soapy flavors and the off-balance bitterness.

---
Upon reading other reviews, I fear that I may have gotten a stinker. It states on the bottle that it was "Brewed with love on Sept 6 2006, and it is now October 20th so age isn't an issue. I got his off of a mix-a-six rack....maybe a bad batch?

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2006 13:27:16 | More by pmcadamis

jujubeast6000

Texas

2.6/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Reviewed 11/14/2008 (Tap Sampler @ Schlafly Tap Room, St. Louis, MO):

Pours a nice golden brown color body, with a foamy white cloudy head, somewhat lasting. Has a malty aroma, some nuttiness. Some graininess too. Has a malty nutty taste. Somewhat creamy, dusty. A taste of light fruit. An English malty taste. Better on tap, fresher tasting. Soft mouthfeel. More hoppy.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2008 06:48:48 | More by jujubeast6000

ChiaPetHead

2.6/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Nothing special about this beer. It seems to have a slight cracker taste that is off putting. much better pale ales on the market. it is better than most of the "American Lagers" but i am not sure it is worth the premium price that most bars sell it at.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 14:12:18 | More by ChiaPetHead

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Even considering that the style is supposed to be a lighter English pale ale compared to the overhopped American version, this beer has a very light mouthfeel which is forecasted in the barely darker than straw gold. Little head that disappeared quickly. For me the least appealing part is the smell is a non appealing cream corn smell with little malt and no noticable hops character. Drinks like a slight beefed up macro that's for an audience that I don't believe I'm a part of.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2007 19:03:25 | More by FightingEntropy

tjthresh

Indiana

2.75/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle
Bottled on Jan 25 2005

Grainy/Straw malt, and light flowery/perfumey hops in the nose. Doughy.

Average creamy off white head. Faded slowly to and ring with some lacing. hazy amber.

Bitter all the way through. A tough a sweetness. Could use more.

Medium bodied. Pretty dry with livly carbonation. Kind of puckering.

Not a fan

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2005 16:27:25 | More by tjthresh

WoodBrew

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Well....its a true English Style Pale Ale...BORING. Seems to be very bland not real hops...almost along the lines as Bass....but not nearly as tasty....at least I don't think. Easy enough on the palate that it is a session for sure!!!! Good in a pinch, but not when there are other beers available.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 19:03:35 | More by WoodBrew

htomsirveaux

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle tried 8 Jul 2007.

Very large blonde colored head. Almost flat. Crystal clear pale sienna color. Aroma of light caramel, cooked rice, asparagus, not a good sign. Lightly sweet and caramel. Some slight vegetal flavors in the middle. Very mild hop finish. Watery body, minimal alcohol.

Perhaps a bad bottle?

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2009 23:18:32 | More by htomsirveaux

thirdeye11

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to jfeger for this bottle in our trade.

Presentation: Poured from 12oz bottle into Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a nice medium orange-yellow that tends towards orange, but no head at all, just a thin layer of fizzy bubbles that's gone as fast as I poured it almost. Some bubbles linger due to the Duvel etching on the bottom of the glass. Mostly clear and some mild lacing when cold/fresh.

S: I don't know what I'm smelling here but it is not hops at all. I expected them, but I didn't get them. This beer reminds me of another but I can't pin it down. Extremely roasted malts which surprised me, almost like a burnt piece of rye bread from a toaster. Not very impressive. I almost disliked it.

T: Taste follows the nose a bit, but no offensive flavors really. Nothing that great either. It's just a middle of the road beer with not much to offer. Some roasted malts here, a slight bittering which doesn't remind me of hops.

M: Carbonation is nice, but fades as it warms. Still acceptable though, and probably the best aspect of the beer. As others have mentioned the feel is a LITTLE thin, but overall no major complaints. The bitter that tends to linger on the palette isn't particularly enjoyable.

D: I suppose it's better than a macro, but not as high as most summer beers that are staples for me. One or two would be enough, but if it was the only thing available I would drink multiples without too much complaint.

Overall this isn't a solid pale ale even English. It just has too much roasted flavor especially in the nose. Falls short in most areas. Mouthfeel and appearance may be its strongest suits; for beer not necessarily a good thing. I won't trade for it again or seek it out with all the other delicious brews out there. Just average for me but glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2009 05:00:07 | More by thirdeye11

GreenWBush

Oregon

2.93/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Autumnal harvest orange. Microscopic head and lace.

Nose is a weird - and not so enticing - combination of cardboardy malt and plastic yeast esters. Rotting leaves. Copper. Toast.

Nice if generic malt flavors reign on the taster, and nothing more than a kiss of the most modest noble hops. Very pedestrian.

They say every brewer makes a pale ale...this example goes to show that even good brewers can - and do - make mediocre pale ales from time to time.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2006 21:47:01 | More by GreenWBush

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.93/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a murky brown to dark yellow with some orange in it, lack of carbonation and head, lacing etc. . . Aroma was miniscule.

Taste, borderline run of the mill, not offensive, but lacked hopping. Some substance, it isn't made with corn or anything it seems, but really, this is right up there with anything from SA Pale or whatnot. Just isn't enough for an extreme beer drinker, and there's so many superior 5% pales out there, this one is hard to justify at the price. Use this beer to bring people under the craft tent if you will.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 16:40:04 | More by Beerandraiderfan

climax

Kansas

2.93/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Schlafly's pale pours a copper hue with a decent frothy head that fades with some sunken craters. Lace and retention aren't bad.

They only claim 25 IBU's, but I can't detect any. I know it's an English pale, but there's just no hop crispness in here at all. It's all caramel and toffee. A bit of fruitiness, primarily grape esters, weave their way in to add a little bit of something.

The flavor has a bit more in the way of my bitter little buddies, but not much. The same toasted malt flavor that denotes the nose continues to dictate the flavor. Just not a whole lotta flavor here.

The slick feel, fluffy carbonation, light to medium body, and low ABV make it easy to session. But I'm not doing that, one is enough. If the label said Oktoberfest, I would understand and accept... it doesn't.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 01:10:31 | More by climax

atjefft

Illinois

2.94/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

01/31/13 Date on Bottle
Poured into standard pint glass

A: pale copper color poured 1 finger of head. Laced quite well for style.

S: weak aroma, some toffee malt aromas. very faint orange aromas. Mostly aroma of C02.

T: nice toffee/caramel flavors. Not much else. Very dry almost gritty finish.

M:Quite a bit of carbonation for style. Slick-heavy mouthfeel was pleasing but ruined by co2 bite.

O: overall, this was a decent PA. Suffered from too much carbonation and lack of complexity. However the flavors that were there were quite good. Not bad just a bit bland.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 01:43:07 | More by atjefft

hwwty4

Missouri

3/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 12oz bottle into my United We Stand pint glass that I stole from a bar. Poured a light golden amber with a nice inch head that stayed with the beer all the beer. Left nice lacing all the way down the glass. Aroma is of mild citrusy hops with almost a wet cardboard after nose. Taste is sweet malts with a bit of a hop profile in the finish. Very mild taste. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with light carbonation. A very a drinkable pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2008 01:51:38 | More by hwwty4

AustinBeerLvr

Texas

3.03/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 12 ounce bottle with a clearly marked "bottled on" date of June 30 2008.

A: Nice deep orange body with a good amount of head and some lacing on the glass as it's being consumed.

S: Nose is some hints of caramel, a touch of lemon and some very mild piney, grassy notes.

T&M: A very earthy like flavor meshes with a light to medium caramel malt flavor and some very mild spiciness from the hops. A red apple sweetness estery flavor blends with the caramel as the beer warms on the tongue. Finishes with just a slight bitter, somewhat weak bitter hop bite. Mouthfeel is really kind of a letdown in this brew, as there is barely enough body for the style.

D&Notes: Overall, this is a decent stab at an English Pale Ale. I had to remind myself while reviewing it that it is an English Pale, as opposed to American Pale, with the former typically having more balance and less assertive hop bitterness. That said, this beer is still just too weak to get a thumbs up from me, as all flavors seem too mild, and the finish too weak. A bit more just all around body, malt, and hops would do wonders for this decent brew. Pretty much a "why even bother" pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2008 01:37:58 | More by AustinBeerLvr

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Nice copper color with a thich cap of foamy goodness.

S: Not your typical Pale Ale has a bit of bite of floral and malts.

T: Taste has a mix of flavors of carmel malts and hop.

M: Medium to light with a light alkalyne after taste. Some lacing noted.

D: Could drink these for a couple at a time, nice with some sharp chedder and crackers.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 00:39:28 | More by nukem5

bort11

Missouri

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a hefe glass. Very nice bright white head, 2 fingers or more. Receded to a medium lace, moderate stickiness. Color is a standard golden-amber. Smell seems off for a Pale Ale, almost lager-y. It's little sour and yeasty. Taste is a very, very mild hops, more sour than bitter. There is also a bready malt notes. Mouthfeel is light in body, almost to the point of being watery. Moderate carbonation. Despite this not working very well as a pale ale, I can see this as a great hot weather beer. Good for working in the yard. I may grab some after mowing.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 04:09:10 | More by bort11

tapman

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

As big of a tawny head as you want, it subsides to a small coagulation of lacing. Medium orange color and filtered.

Bread dough, bitter orange rind and some grape juice notes. Welsch's, I think.

Pale malt, light caramel sweetness, mild earthy hops and a white grape flavor in the middle of the sip.

A little thin with no carbonation bite.

This is the flagship brew, from what I hear, and I am not impressed. Worst of the five Schlafly brews my friend brought back from St. Louis.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 03:46:24 | More by tapman

match1112

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

had this on tap at a pizza joint. looked really good outta the tap with a two finger head on top of a hazy copper body. unfortunatly the smell and taste were underwelming. it didnt smell bad, it just didnt have any aromas or flavors that made it stick out from any other beer. mouthfeel was medium body with decent carbonation and a very small bitter finish. unfortunatly with all the other pale ales out there this one is just average. it will be good for fishing or yard work, but dont expect it to blow your socks off.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2012 16:30:57 | More by match1112

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My good friend went to St. Louis and brought me back a variety six pack. Neat rustic labeling with "Bottled With Love on "AUG012006".

Poured clear & coppery with a nice white head and chunky lacing. Smelled and tasted of sweet and nutty malts with a smallest hint of hops on the nose - but not in my mouth. This is a relatively simple, medium-bodied English Pale - with no real thrills, in my opinion.

I would consider this a decent session beer to enjoy if I lived in St. Louis...

Looking forward to trying the remainder of my sixer...

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2006 03:31:04 | More by beachbum1975

JayS2629

Alabama

3.1/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pale copper colored beer with frothy head that fades fast and leaves ok lace. The smell is herbal, malty, and floral. Hops cuts through with herbal, grassy notes. A bit boring and watery with a malty front and herbal background. Metallic notes, but overall easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 00:22:02 | More by JayS2629

scarfacecrowe

Missouri

3.1/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a bottle to a growler.

Appearance: Beautiful amber color with a wonderful white head that stayed forever. also great long lasting lacing.

Smell: Grain and a fruitiness from the hops, not much else there.

taste: Again, grain with some hops.

mouthfeel: Astringent, not unpleasant.

Overall: I am still not sure about this beer, I had a bottle yesterday and enjoyed it more. Will have to re-evalulate.

Serving type: growler

03-30-2013 22:13:35 | More by scarfacecrowe

budgood1

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours out a deep copper color, the slight head stays and even leaves a bit of festive lace. nice light malty aromas of caramel paired with some spicy aromatic hops. very inviting. medium body, a bit buttery with the light biscuity malts dominating the flavor profile, with a bit of light, gentle hop bitterness. an easy drinking, nice tasting english pale ale. a bit thin and unassuming for my tastes, but quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2002 22:49:11 | More by budgood1

brewQ

Missouri

3.13/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The bronze to orange sunset color is nice.
My bottle poured a full 1 inch head with a fine steam of bubbles.

Found some malt and grain in the noise but struggled, honestly, to pick up hop character even as I let this warm up.

The taste, honestly, was somewhere in that nowhere land as well.
I had a hard time calling this a pale ale; perhaps my own confusion between English and American? It doesn't match up to cross state brother Boulevard pale or certainly to SNPA et al.

This is drinkable but not distinctive- continuing my love and confusion relationship with Schlafly that might only be resolved when I travel cross state to visit her family!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2006 03:47:24 | More by brewQ

beerphilosopher

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a solid amber color with a thin, off-white head and doesn't persist long. Spotty lacing in the pint. Nose is caramel malts and flowery hops. Smells well-balanced. Palate is malty and slightly sweet. The hops assert themselves and save this from being overly malty for the style. Mouthfeel is lighter than medium and there seems to be barely enough carbonation to keep it "lively." A decent English style Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2006 14:30:14 | More by beerphilosopher

boudreaux

Alabama

3.15/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a clear, golden/straw, with a billowy, thick 2.5 finger head; reduces slowly, leaving considerable, sticky lacing

S: dry, malty aroma; some bready/yeast and earthy notes

T: Crisp, refreshing, if not weak and watery; mild and bitter; minimal hop presence; like liquid white bread

M: tinny/metallic, watery and thin; body is weak; smooth and clean finish

O: not bad, but nothing special; reminds me of adjunct lagers, especially the taste and mouthfeel

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 20:58:25 | More by boudreaux