XP Pale Ale - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue II:

Brewed with both English and American malts and hopped with Centennial and Cascade--typical American varieties for this beer style. Burnt golden-amber color, good clarity. The head retention is something to admire with a white puffy lace that clings to the glass very well. Clean aroma of biscuity, bready malt, citrusy herbal hop nose. Moderate body is a tad fluffy and very smooth. Hop bitterness is at a perfect balance with the malt, with soft citric and floral flavors throughout. Clean palate with a faint nutty yeast, a hint of pear-like fruitiness. The malt backbone is of fresh baked baguettes and a hint of light caramel. Finishes on the dry side.

XP is basic and very a drinkable Pale Ale. No raging complexities here, but definitely spot-on for the American Pale Ale style and it's more than just a benchmark for the style. We'll throw it out there that this is a great session ale as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 19:28:47 | More by BeerAdvocate

Jason

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz brown bomber with no freshness date.

Appearance: Mildly hazy weathered copper colour, a thin head but the lacing is superb.

Smell: Nutty powdery yeast, sharp citric note and some biscuity grain.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Lots of dough malt, biscuity grain and nutty yeast. Hops are a bit lively with a stern bitterness and semi-soft citric flavour. Mild fruitiness with a faint alcohol in the back. Lots of hop flavour in the finish, a heavy hand of citrus rind.

Notes: A bit more than you typical West Coast pale ale, nice layers of citric hop with a sturdy malt backing.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2003 03:05:48 | More by Jason

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-13-2013 22:44:29 | More by doremite

RBassSFHOPit2ME

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-04-2013 01:00:43 | More by RBassSFHOPit2ME

RickS95

Indiana

2.61/5  rDev -32.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.25

22 ounce bomber

Very orange, a bit darkish for a pale ale, though today, who knows? Just seemed a bit dark and orangey to me. It's very clear. Not Budweisery clear, but orangey clear. The head starts off fairly thin and has only moderate retention. Each swirl creates a white top and slight lacing.

Smells like a pale lager. It's got a bit of citrus, but also some pilsner smelling malts. Ever so faint pine smell.

Not what I was expecting or even like. Very pilsnerlike, Earthy taste. I'd not guess this to be an ale if the label didn't say so. I don't get any of the citrus from the nose, just some pilser malt flavors.

Very watery, feels like a macro. I'd not guess this to be a craft beer. Light bodied, no alcohol presence, and the hops leave a lot to be desired.

Not impressed. It was fairly cheap at the beer store and I can see why. Not what you think of as an APA from the left coast. Skip this one, or just buy a Bud and keep the change.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 02:43:56 | More by RickS95

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%

05-23-2013 01:15:52 | More by mikeincharleston

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-22-2013 15:26:59 | More by InspectorBob

Bromine

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +16%

05-16-2013 23:00:50 | More by Bromine

chinchill

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber served in a snifter. Pours orange-amber with a light white head. Modest head retention; spotty lacing.

S: Grassy and herbal hops with some faint citrus. A solid malt base.

T: Nice fruity-grassy flavors from the hops grab attention from the underlying sweet malt with its hints of toffee. Orange is the most obvious component of the citrus character.

M: Light/medium body; mild carbonation, but enough to keep it alive; smooth; exceptionally dry finish for style.

O: An exceptional example of the APA style from a very reliable brewer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 22:53:00 | More by chinchill

drummermattie02

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-14-2013 18:19:17 | More by drummermattie02

CBlack85

South Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a New Belgium globe glass

The beer pours a light copper color with golden highlights. An aggressive pour yields a smallish white head that recedes quickly leaving behind a small amount of lacing.

The aroma is comprised largely of sweet caramel, and to a lesser degree citrus hops. Not quite what I expected from a west coast pale ale.

The flavor follows closely with the aroma, a bit too sweet with some bready notes. The hop profile is pleasant; mostly citrisy with some piney notes as well. While it is slightly less than I am used to in most APA's, it is not outside of style guidelines.

The body is a bit full for the style, combine that with the sweetness of the flavor, the beer becomes a bit hard to drink. While it is good, it is not suited to consuming multiple pints in one sitting.

Overall, XP is good, but with so many superior examples of the style I cannot see myself purchasing it on a regular basis...

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:48:17 | More by CBlack85

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%

05-10-2013 14:48:55 | More by twenty5

2beerdogs

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

05-09-2013 04:37:58 | More by 2beerdogs

waddellc2

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16%

05-08-2013 20:06:16 | More by waddellc2

tswater

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-28-2013 06:30:47 | More by tswater

EFR94

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-27-2013 22:18:27 | More by EFR94

marct

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-27-2013 03:13:19 | More by marct

LSx

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

04-24-2013 19:47:43 | More by LSx

twax

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-21-2013 03:18:02 | More by twax

ZJPierce

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +16%

04-18-2013 01:04:24 | More by ZJPierce

babaracas

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-17-2013 03:42:35 | More by babaracas

Rick778

California

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%

04-15-2013 00:37:06 | More by Rick778

nickfl

Florida

3.64/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours with a small head of white foam on top of a clear, copper colored body. The foam settles at a moderate pace and leaves little lace.

S - Sight citrus with notes of lemon and shiny of grapefruit, backed by toffee and bready malt notes.

T - Grassy hops up front with some sweet malt. A bit of toffee in the middle with moderate bitterness emerging and a finish of spicy, lemony hops and light caramel malt.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - Just a bit on the thick side for a pale ale, which hurts the drinkability a bit. The hops aren't as pungent as they could be, though they taste fresh. Lemon and toffee are the dominant characteristics and somehow it just doesn't come together in the end. Decent, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:04:13 | More by nickfl

tbryan5

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-01-2013 23:21:20 | More by tbryan5

jsanmarco

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-31-2013 01:28:19 | More by jsanmarco