Pipe Organ Pale Ale - Church Brew Works

rmolledo

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dark reddish brown with a tine white head. small amount of lacing.

S: Nutty, Caramel, Malty, English Hop Aroma, Toffee. milk chocolate. Wonderful Aroma.

T: Very Nutty with caramel flavors. yeasty, biscuity, bready, toasty. lots of malt complexity. brown malt? taste chocolate milk for some reason... subtle english hop character towards the end and hop residue on lips.

MF: low/moderate carbonation. Smooth.

D: A very aromatic and flavorful beer. I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 01:24:20 | More by rmolledo

jameswaldo

New York

1.73/5  rDev -45.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A good friend and neighbor brought this home from Pittsburgh, where his second visit to the Church found the fairly cozy sandwich pub had gone upscale and not pleasantly so.
Poured the 12 oz into a pint glass as is my wont, got very little head that disappeared quickly. No lacing. Nice color and haze, though.
Smells a bit like yeast, a bit like old hops, and somewhat like canned malt syrup.
Tastes like a poor imitation of a craft beer. Uncapping bottle gave very tiny psst, so with that too-quiet opening and dead head I thought brew would be undercarbonated, but thin fizzy tongue pins seemed carbonated plenty enough. Mouthfeel watery, hops aftertaste a larger hop component than it was before swallowing.
I still have a few bottles of this and found it becomes fairly drinkable when I mix it with a very hoppy homebrew I just bottled last week.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 16:09:48 | More by jameswaldo

mtnbikerpa

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from the bottle. I really enjoyed this beer. Has a nice hop forward presence, some floral and citrus fruits. Also well balanced with some biscuit and cracker like malt flavors. The smell gives a hint of hops. Mouthfeel is very smooth. Very drinkable on a hot evening, it would be easy enough to enjoy a couple of these. The alcohol is very well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 23:01:33 | More by mtnbikerpa

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.63/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bronzed orange rind with brighter rust orange highlights beneath a thin slice of decently creamy, beige colored foam that faded much too quickly. It's no surprise that the glass isn't exactly swimming with lace.

Given the ingredients (caramel malt, pale malt, East Kent Goldings hops), it's easy to tell how the nose *should* smell. Trouble is, it doesn't smell like much of anything. Warming results in a whiff of caramel and some musky-earthiness, but that's it.

CBW Pipe Organ Pale Ale is not well-brewed beer. It's undermalted, excessively bitter, borderline metallic, thin and too sharply bubbled. It might sound like the score should be even lower, but it's all a matter of degree. Could this really be how Church Brew Works sees the English pale ale style?

Specifics include unsweet caramel, tangy fruit, bitter tea dregs, citrus zest and a flash of stainless steel. Warming helps round off the initial flavor clash to some extent, though it doesn't make it all the way to flavor cooperation.

The mouthfeel is probably an appropriate size given the ABV. However, the carbonation that was too sharp-edged to start is now softer... and still has a short half-life. Not a good combination no matter how you slice it.

This bottle of Pipe Organ Pale Ale might be old (though raging bitterness argues against it) or it might be from a bad batch. It's hard to believe that any craft brewery would be satisfied putting their label and cap on beer like this on purpose.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2010 11:37:49 | More by BuckeyeNation

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Perfect Pint glass from a 12oz bottle. The aggressive pour yielded a thin, single finger of pearl foam that dissipated quickly leaving virtually no signs of life behind. The body is much darker than I anticipated...orange amber with ruby lowlights.

The nose is rather weak. Some bready characters meet some mild hops. You can also pick up some caramel and malts...if you try really, really hard that is...

The taste is right there with the nose in character and strength. The malts start things off before an earth/grainy center takes over and quickly gives way to a mild, piney hop finish. Pretty much meh...

The mouth feel is light and watery, maybe a little oily...moderate carbonation.

This is drinkable, but nothing I would go out of my way for.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2010 02:43:49 | More by mgbickel

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

P- Barley's and Hops

A- a brownish red hue type of color that is somewhat hazy yet clear. A one finger head that has some sticking but not much.

S- a toasted type of maltiness with some orange peel on the back end. Not a bad nose at all.

T- a charred roasted black type of flavor at first, but then tapers off to a smokey malt with some pungent hops.

M- smokey and coating. Draws some flem and mucous. Goes down smooth though. very crisp and clean.

D- not bad overall and would be a nice beer if you were outside in the winter working on something.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 22:05:46 | More by Dodo2step

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A pretty red hue that is lighter than ruby-colored but close to it. A small off-white head that sticks around for a little bit without leaving behind any lacing.

The aroma combines a lightly toasted malt sweetness with orange peel.

The flavor is fairly unimpressive; I know this is an english pale ale and not supposed to be a huge beer, but this one is a little weak. Low alcohol doesn't have to mean low flavor. The lightly toasted malt is there, and a hint of orange flavored hops.

The mouthfeel is light with moderate carbonation.

Not a bad beer by any means, but not something I am crazy about either.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 16:07:08 | More by Hojaminbag

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a honey amber gold, very mild head that goes away quick. Just a bit of lacing remains.

Smells malty and a bit toasty.

Tastes mostly of hops, but not strong hops. There really isn't much else there but the hops.

Feels full with soft carbonation as it goes down. Kind of "chewy" in the feeling.

Eh, not bad. Perhaps a little underrated, but on the other hand I prefer something in the taste to accompany hop bitterness, and this is just hops, but at the same time its like the held back. I suppose it might be a fun session beer for hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 00:28:03 | More by Cylinsier

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up a couple of these in a recent BIF. Having never had anything at all from the brewery I was thrilled to be able to try something. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one started off the mini tasting with my brother in law on Friday.

The pour was nice, darker then I would have thought for the style with a big head of foam on top that faded quite quickly leaving behind some decent lacing. The aroma was light and heavy on the grain for sure. Lots of bready notes with only a token hoppiness to be found inside. Not really sure where this was going to be honest. As I took the first taste, again not really sure where this was going. Lots of bready and grain notes, hints of light, very light piney hops and a weird, almost grassy taste, it was ok, but not really what I was expecting. Decent carbonation, a little full for a pale ale, but not bad.

Overall I just think the style is off. It was way too malty and the hops are almost vanished underneath of this. Again, not really bad, I just would not go there again.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2009 01:41:48 | More by mikesgroove

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a burnt orange color, near brown, that fades to a medium orange at the bottom of the glass. Very thin head, almost none, with a few tiny, slow bubbles. Little to lacing.

I smelled the malt right away, a subtle caramel character. It reminded me of the Church's Thunderhop IPA, which is a little too sweet & malty for my liking. The malt just gives a little "hi" & then recedes, a more subdued version of the Thunderhop.

The taste is more bitter, just a tiny bit of citrus & not a lot else to report on. That caramelized malt note that's so up front in the smell seemed to go into hiding. Some lemon in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel's on the thin side of moderate, a little watery.

I wouldn't avoid this one, it's fine -- not my favorite offering from CBW by far, but it's got its place. There was really something missing in the taste, which didn't deliver on the aroma.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2009 13:47:28 | More by OneDropSoup

alcstradamus

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received as an extra in a trade with OneDropSoup. Thanks!

A--Nice dark copper color with a full finger of head in my Surly pint glass. Spotty lacing left behind.

S--Relatively empty smell, some faint lemon/grassy hops.

T--Nice balanced taste for an English Pale Ale, good biscuity malt backbone and a touch of earthy hops. Of course, in a world of American IPA's and DIPA's it is really tough to appreciate subtle styles like this. I enjoy the taste, but it doesn't have "enough" hop flavor to satisfy my taste buds. This brew is solid for what it is, though.

M--Medium bodied and creamy, very nice

D--Extremely drinkable brew here, solid all around but not spectacular in aspect. Thanks again for the extra!

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2009 21:08:18 | More by alcstradamus

irish

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice bronze color, with long lasting lace. Nose does not jump out at you like so many over-hopped monsters that seem to be popular with recent beer-ohs. Same with taste--just an easy drinking ale.

I live in the area so I may be enjoying fresher examples than those farther away.

I like this one more the more I have (over time, that is.) A sort of steady friend, from the world's most unique brewing facility.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 23:31:10 | More by irish

LeftyBWS

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. brown bottle into a pint glass. Purchased as part of a mixed 6-pack from the restaurant.
A: Bright orange, see thru practically. Little bit of carbonation, one inch of off-white head that settles to the rim. Not much lacing to speak of, but the colors are lovely.
S: Caramel malts, dry hoppiness and rye. A tad on the weak side, but otherwise alright.
T: Soft and sweet flavors mostly. Bit of sugar and caramel up front, leading into some dryer graininess and a faint hop nip. Finish lets some bitterness linger and then fade out with some roasted sugars and maybe fruit. Better than the smell, actually.
M: Sweet but also dry and bitter, an interesting combo.
D: Fine, reasonably tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 04:19:31 | More by LeftyBWS

grayburn

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +38.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I absolutely loved this beer. Let me preface this by saying that this is my first cask experience, so if my numbers are skewed by this real ale I sincerely apologize.

Beautiful light honey colored with a foamy head comprised of tiny bubbles. Heavy lacing and a wee bit of cloudiness....beautiful.

Smell is hop forward, a slight crisp malt background, what is expected of an english pale.

A good example of a pale, nice and hoppy, I'm quite impressed.

The mouthfeel and drinkability I will combine into one. This is where a cask shines. This is how I feel all beer should feel. Smoother than shite, I am literally in love with beer all over again. I could drink this pint for pint all day, not that I should....but talk about an excellent session. REAL ALE.

Serving type: cask

03-08-2009 03:27:21 | More by grayburn

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

3.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

so I've enjoyed quadzilla a couple of times. It's now time to work through the more regular beers of this brewery.

pours a hazy amber color with a billowy off white head. some bready malts and light hops in the nose followed with a similar taste and a bit more hop bite in the taste and a residual sticky taste in the mouthfeel. Enjoyed over a grilled chicken salad.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 01:19:53 | More by barleywinebrewer

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle acquired in trade with CMUBEERMAN (thanks!).

Opened to a loud PSST and proceeded to pour almost all head. Settled into a medium and see through orange color. Softer aromas of caramel, citrus, and floral. Tastes start of with caramel giving way to citrus. Slightly lively body (I would have expected it to be over carbonated with the way it opened and poured, but it wasn't).

Notes from: 11/24/06

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2009 16:31:52 | More by hopdog

rhoadsrage

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer has a warm copper colored clear body with a sudsy white head of foam that sticks to the glass as it disappears. There is a good carbonation of bubbles gliding to the surface.

S- This beer has a very clean smell with a light white plastic note and a faint green hop hint. Even as the beer warms the smell is a clean.

T- This beer has a soft soapy flavor that gives way to pale malt notes and a soft dry toast hint the comes through more as the beer warms. There is a mellow bitter hop finish with a soft plastic note that turns into more of a melon flavor.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a tight fizzy finish.

D- The odd plastic note increases as the beer warms and the bittering hops are the only real flavors that stand out in this beer. Not much depth to the hops or malt flavors to support it.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 23:12:44 | More by rhoadsrage

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased as part of a mixed case from Wide-Lo Beverage, Somerset, PA, while on vacation.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" beige head over the clear orangey amber brew. Head fades gradually, with plenty of lasting lace. Aroma is is balanced with a reaosnable hop character presence. Flavor follows the nose, actually more hops bitterness than I usually expect for the style. Mouthfeel is smooth, and drinking is nice. Nothing bad to say here. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2008 21:05:10 | More by ppoitras

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A. Pours a hazy dark gold with tons of bubbles floating to the surface and an absolutely massive head (even with a patient pour) with good retention as well. Leaves behind some sticky lace.

S. Bready Malts and some spicy hop prescence. Definately alot going on in the nose.

T. A pretty well balanced beer with a malt backbone and some piney hops to even it out. Its a tad bitter, but not bad. As it warms a sweet caramel note sticks out. Very nice.

M. Medium body that goes down fairly well and leaves a bit of a dry and sour aftertaste.

D. Has an odd creaminess about it. I dig it. At 4.3 ABV its highly sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2008 14:52:39 | More by Stinkypuss

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Patchy foam would quickly assemble, then crumble within minutes. No bubbles no lacing. Sickly appearance. Uneven tones dress the body, which we can consider (mostly) mahogany coloured.

A strongly nutty scent with light caramel from the malts and faint notes of pine via the hops. Weak. Almost fooled me into believing I had a cold.

The mouthfeel has a coarse, mineral texture. Some residual stickiness from the malts that forms a minor aftertaste. Not even enough body to consider this quenching, quickly repeated sips are needed as much as to satisfy the thirst as they are to be reminded of the flavour.

The flavour mimics the aroma with a nutty character as well as light caramel and pine. Bit of butterscotch. These flavours too are extremely faint and nearly non-existent. The texture and aftertaste remind me of fluoride.

This is a very easy going pale ale, maybe too easy going. It's not that it lacks the bells and whistles of other contemporary American examples, it's the fact that this offers the drinker very little to enjoy - no sight worth looking over, no smells to savour and no flavours to relish.

About my only appreciation of this beer is for the man who gave it to me, thanks leftmindedrighty!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2008 02:49:59 | More by biegaman

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Bright copper with a thin off-white head that quickly fades to nothing.

S-Some sweet malt and earthiness, light on all accounts.

T-Sweet cornlike flavours with a bit of spicy hops...a bit. After a bit of warming the last few sips did produce a bit more of the sharp bitterness I wish it had clear through. Mostly bready malty for the most part.

M-Medium-light body with decent carbonation...nothing exciting.

D-This is ok...certainly drinkable but nothing stellar. I was hoping for a more solid English style PA...not here!

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 23:19:37 | More by Deuane

Lordsloth

Wisconsin

3.05/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz. bottle- thanks Scott!

Poured with a medium amber appearance, light head. Smells a bit of light malt, light hops. Tasted like a decent Pale Ale, but with some odd bitterness- different hops than I'm used to? Mouthfeel was all right. Drinkability was on the low side. I could maybe go for one or two of these at a time, not much more.

Not a bad beer, but not great, either.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 16:10:18 | More by Lordsloth

dmamiano

West Virginia

2.25/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

pours a medium copper color, not much head.
smells of yeast, malts...reminds me of a Belgian type of nose.
Taste is bitter, Belgian like. Nots of caramel malt.
Not like any English Pale Ale I have ever had.
Wondering if something isnt amiss with this one

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 01:27:10 | More by dmamiano

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

2.65/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Cloudy orangish color, with a thin white head.

Aroma is mostly nondescript, some hops evident and some interesting yeasty notes but very subtle.

Taste has some caramel notes and slight floral hops with a bit of a bitter hop finish. Not much going on here. Some esters are evident that are slightly Belgian in character. Interesting again.

This pale ale has some body, and it seems unreasonably filling for some reason.

I'm going to have to try this one again, but at this point am not terribly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 00:41:45 | More by ZimZamZoom

mobyfann

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Paid $30 for a mixed case...

The beer pours an amber colored base with a medium white head, good head retention and nice lacing effects on the glass. The aroma is at first floral and spicy (ginger?) with mild hop tones.

The taste is rather light on the mouth, great light hop aftertaste and fairly drinkable if considered a light brew.

Final Thought: Why is this beer rated so low? It's a very standard APA that doesn't seem to scrimp on quality of ingredients.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2007 03:22:57 | More by mobyfann