Mirror Pond Pale Ale - Deschutes Brewery

fattire513

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For a Pale Ale this one was pretty strong and I tasted quite a bit of hops. I'm not used to having a pale ale that tastes more like an IPA. Again I purchased this one at a Wal-Mart for only $6 and well worth it to. I figured this beer to be a lot more for the price. The drinkability was great being able to enjoy them for the night but not getting too carried away with myself. I could classify this as better than the Sierra Nevada pale ale, one of my favorite beers. Would love to get some more of this and the price is too good to pass up.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2010 00:59:19 | More by fattire513

SamN

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cloudy golden color with a lovely thick head, rocky surface and thick, complex lacing. Quite darkly colored for an APA. Smell is lovely; sweet floral hops, honey like maltiness, some crisp green apples for fruitiness. Less citrus, more sweetness from the abundant hops. Would like it a little fuller, please, though. Taste is wonderfully balanced between the singing, crisp fruity hops and the mellow, honey malts. A sweet beer with lots of fruit character, this is simply delicious. Finish is just bitter enough with a great fading sweetness. Feel is lightly medium-bodied, full enough to support the flavor profile but light enough to not fill you up after a few.

This beer deserves high marks in all areas, especially in terms of drinkability. Tasty, well constructed, highly drinkable and one of the top pale ales brewed in the US, without a doubt.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 23:33:42 | More by SamN

Either_Aether

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For a pale ale, this beer ventures into a realm of comfort and warmth most don't explore. I'm relatively new to the style, but I find this particular pale ale to be rather interesting due to it's complex profile. The hops are noticeable, but they seem to take on an equal playing field with the malts and caramel flavors this beer offers, which is a delightful spin on the pale ale. In one word: rustic. This beer should not be overlooked.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 03:01:31 | More by Either_Aether

stewart124

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Light copper color with a nice fluffy head. Visible carbonation. Great lacing left along the glass.

Plenty of floral aromas and an almost cotton candy note of sweetness. Slight amount of cascade in the nose.

Loads of malty sweetness and caramel goodness with just the right amount of cascade bitterness. This is a very balanced American Pale Ale. Some pear esters to couple with the delicious hops.

Finishes with a nice hop bitterness and a slight citrus lingers. Great mouthfeel overall and very drinkable. Beautifully done!

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2010 03:03:21 | More by stewart124

chickencoop

California

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I love Sierra, had it specifically at my wedding only with the mighty Pilsner Urquell, but this beer, 10 years later is my new pale ale. The malt balance with the subtle hops works for me, is it my age, maybe, but I love this beer, it's better than the always picked up flagship Porter, this is one of the better beers they make.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 07:48:37 | More by chickencoop

CEversole

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a copper, slightly orange color. A bit hazy with a one finger off white frothy head. Good lacing as well.

S: Smells very hoppy, zesty, and grass-like. Definately great a whiff of some floral hops in the background. Great smell.

T: Starts with an almost fruity taste. I'm attributing this to the floral hops. This is followed by some grassy notes, and ends with a lingering bitterness which is spot on for the style. One of the better tasting pale ales I've had.

M: Perfect mouthfeel. Crisp at first, followed by a medium body. Not to heavy as some pale ales can be.

O: Very represenative of the style. I think they did a great job with this one. I would recommend to avid P.A. drinkers as well as newbies, and I know they would both be satisfied.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 21:28:36 | More by CEversole

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Hazy orange amber liquid with good clarity with a 1/4" cream coloured head.

S: Lemon, orange rind and grassy hops.

T: Lemon, orange and grassy hop flavours up front with biscuit malt in the middle and a clean yeast finish. Very delicate, well balanced and beautiful.

M: Medium to thin viscosity and a medium level of carbonation.

O: Excellent drinkability and a very nice hop presence make this one of the all time best pale ales in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 21:22:31 | More by DaftCaskBC

KoG

Nevada

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Orange-amber hue with a small head that leaves little lacing.

Flowery hop aroma complements the malty profile that shines through at the end.

Taste is very well balanced. Starting with a nice mixture of citric and bitter hops and finishing sweet and malty. Very nice.

Goes down so smooth and at 5% ABV, it would make a very nice session brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 03:46:34 | More by KoG

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a slightly hazy light honey color with a rapidly dissipating 1 finger cream colored head. Good lacing and a nice collar.

Oh man, does this smell nice. Freshly cut hay, grapefruit, mowed grass, honey, lime peel and clover...it does not get much better. A bit of a subdued nose is the only knock against it.

An amazingly drinkable Pale. Bitterness is there and does have a bite, but it is not tongue-scraping or unpleasant in any way. More of a grassy hop flavor rather than extreme bitterness. Malts are there only to provide a short burst of sweet grainy balance. This would be a dangerous beer to have on tap as the beer is not sipped, it's gulped. One hell of a beer that everyone needs to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 05:51:46 | More by twiggamortis420

wcudwight

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Hazy golden amber in color with a small white head that retains well.
Smells like putting my nez inside a freshly sliced grapefruit. Me likey.
Same citrus/grapefruit in the flavor as in the aroma. The flavor is quite a bit more balanced. Lot's of toasty sweet malts. Kind of like a toasted sweet bread. Perfectly balanced, light on the palate, easy to drink. The perfect session beer. Deschutes may very well have the best regular offerings of any brewery in the nation.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 02:20:34 | More by wcudwight

Bekke

Hawaii

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

What a pleasant experience to drink this beer - the first taste was quite appealing - good mouthfeel, great taste. Easy to keep drinking. Enjoyable by itself. . .but it goes well with poultry dishes, especially. Tried some of their other beers, too - very good, although not necessarily my preference of style This one's a winner, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2009 07:26:38 | More by Bekke

bondjedi

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I grabbed a 1/2 barrel (full keg) of this for $150.00. A tremendous bargain, as the retail value of this brew is about $30 a case.

The bottled version is tasty, though sluggish and heavy. From the tap, it becomes something closer to Nectar of the Gods. Held up to candlelight, the pint glass takes on a copper hue, the color of the grandest sunset you will ever see. The smell is the weakest point - at best I would call it unobjectionable.

The taste is honey sweet and rich. It overwhelms the front of the tongue with an ambrosia sensation, yet gives a knock-knock to the back of the tongue on its way home. This is some serious pop you're drinking, it wants to remind you.

Highly drinkable. I prepped myself for a binge with a couple glasses of water, and went to bed eight hours later for a good night's sleep. I recall walking to bed and locking the doors, and that's about it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2010 16:47:18 | More by bondjedi

LazyL

British Columbia (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I just like this beer, that simple. It is darn good and caught me by surprise. It shouldnt have though as anything from Deschutes is good. The colour is nice and the nose is good but the taste is fantastic. It has just enough hops to really stand out but not enough to overpower it. Turns out I love the citrusy flavours of Cascade hops.

If you are looking for a nice hoppy ale that goes down real easy, this is a beer for you, and if you havent tried a Deschutes beer, you are missing out. Perfect beer for a sunny afternoon, while you sit in the snow on the top of your local mountain.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 01:56:23 | More by LazyL

mattmuck11

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a average pint glass.

a - pours a beautiful golden-amber color with about 2 fingers of resilient off-white head. Carbonation rises fast and often from the bottom of glass. The beer looks wonderful and lively.

s - Smells of both earthy pine and citrus notes. Rich and almost unique smell for a pale ale. too me, it seems like the difference in smell is appropriate compared to the california pale ales (SN, etc), it just smells like an Oregon beer, ha.

t - taste is bold and follows the nose. Earthy pine and citrus are the main players but there is enough of a bready malt balance to match the hops' strength. Overall, the taste is somewhat on the earthy side rather than being dominated by citrusy hops.

m - was very crisp and light, very refreshing and easy drinking for a pale. smooth taste dissolves with the swallow leaving only a bit of an aftertaste on the palate, almost leaving you wanting another sip. High level of carbonation, almost too much but makes for a really refreshing sip.

o - very highly recommended beer. One of the finest pale ales in America, definitely on the West coast. Oregon, and especially Bend, should be proud of this one. Pick one up if you haven't yet.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 18:59:43 | More by mattmuck11

hodby

California

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

App- Medium amber, pale buff medium thick head.

Smell- Balanced nose of malt-to-hops, having much impact of citrus and floral notes. Caramel.

Taste- Good intensity on entry, but wow the complexity and intensity comes on strongly at mid-palate and on the finish. Terrific balance for a pale ale in that the sweetness of the malts are not entirely overwhelmed by the strong hops. Yes !


Mouth- Medium-bodied. Low carbonation. Seems maybe 6% abv.

Drink- I'd come back to this any time, if it were available in SoCal on tap. Treads a line not heavily traveled by the Pale Ale specialists these days, that is, one of adequately balanced with malts without syrupy sweetness. Heads in the direction of a more elegant version of Sierra Nevada PA, with better malting and more attractive for multiple glasses at a time.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2011 17:21:19 | More by hodby

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: Clear amber. Head is white, and drops to a tiny collar with a spotty, thin cap in short order. Some touches of lacing. Carbonation is lively.

Smell: Some pale malts. Some caramel malts add a touch of sweetness. Bready and a nice big punch of red apple. Coarse with notes of cracker and bread crust. Slight roasted malt edge. Hops are very mellow and hint at orange zest with a floral touch.

Taste: Dusting of grapefruit and citrus layered over a dry, cracker/bread crust. Some sweetness pulls through from the caramel malts. Biscuit dough lingers in the back. Floral hops take a front seat after a few sips. Nice roasted profile with a touch of toasted malt flavor for added depth. Very mellow. A touch earthy and only a touch sweet.

Mouthfeel: Clean. Lively moderate carbonation works over a a lower side of medium body. Incredibly drinkable. A touch of dryness on the back.

Overall: I had the pleasure of drinking a 12-pack of this on vacation. I wanted more. This is so drinkable it's silly. I crave this beer on a near constant basis. And by near I mean always. Drink this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, whenever. It's not earth-shattering, but it doesn't need to/want to be.

Shorthand: Drink this. I want to.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 17:29:35 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great pale ale - nice all around. Pours a bit darker than your average pale ale - brown to orange in color with a nice foamy head. Head is retained well and nice spotted lacing on the glass. Based on aroma alone you would think this is a darker beer - earthy malt. Flavor is nicely balanced with a bit of body yet still light and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:46:24 | More by Oakenator

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This, along with Deschutes' Black Butte Porter, was one of my first craft brews. It definitely brought me into the world of better beer and I've been craving another one for a long time. I needed to try it again since I'm heading back home on the East Coast and Deschutes only distributes on the West Coast.
A - Such a vibrant, haze, dark orange color w/ a fluffy, soft white head.
S - Wow, hops and fruit explode in your nose with the first whiff. Some bready, caramel scents come through as well. Very inviting...
T - Just as I remember it. Very balanced and full of flavor. The hops and bread-like malts are the prevailing flavors, but ripe, summer fruits show in the finish.
M/D - The hops are subtle enough to where this is very enjoyable and not overly dry or hoppy. The carbonation is very smooth as well. I love the balance of hops, fruit, and malt, and every sip reminds me of why this is one of my favorite Pale Ales. Some PA's can get tiring after a pint or two, but this one keeps you intrigued. I wish Deschutes would distribute back East, but I understand why they stay on the West Coast right now.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2007 20:53:52 | More by Gatch

Birmingham

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma: A complex but moderate aroma of floral notes, spices and caramel.

Appearance: The beer is copper color and has a slight haze. The head is tall off white and persistent.

Flavor: Balanced towards the malts with mild bitterness and caramel notes.

Mouth Feel: The beer has medium light body with some cloying.

Overall Impression: Very easy to drink, the first one went down in minutes. I enjoyed this beer a lot, but I would expect more hop flavors and balance more towards the hops in American Pale Ale. That said it is still a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2009 00:35:22 | More by Birmingham

molegar76

New Mexico

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sam Adams beer glass.

Nice head after poured into Sam Adams beer glass, but almost disappears. Little head left which leaves nice lacing.

Nice appearance, hazy medium auburn, smell light floral/ citrus hoppiness. Hopps not overpowering but present.

TASTE: WOW. Really smooth. Taste of hopps but not overpowering like some pale ales. VERY refreshing. While browsing through my ligour aisle at albertsons and taking way too long to pick from my usuals, my impatient 8 year old said, "Dad, pick something new!" This was the one and no regrets. Good stuff maynard!

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 02:51:00 | More by molegar76

EnojysAnyBeer

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A- Clear, light amber colored body with a puffy, off-white head showing signs of hop resin. Great lacing and retention

S- Clean, simple Cascade hops and Caramel malts.

T- Candy sweetness and a citric bitterness. Bread-like malty characteristic and a clean yeast profile.

M- Moderate carbonation and body.

D- An above-average, middle-of-the-road brew suitable for a wide range of occasions.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2009 00:22:10 | More by EnojysAnyBeer

PhxHorn

Arizona

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The color is a medium yellow. The aroma is stronger than you might expect of a pale ale; malt and some citrus in there, too. Taste is a nice blend of malt, citrus, and hints of some spices that are hard to put my finger on. An intriguing pale ale, one of the better ones out there, and one I could drink one after another.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2008 20:03:57 | More by PhxHorn

Jmoore50

Nevada

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I love this beer. I love pale ales and I love this beer.

I am reviewing from a six pack that I just found in my fridge, pretty excited. Just a twelve ounce bottle with some mountains on it, or more precisely Mirror Pond.

The appearance is beautiful for a pale ale, darker than most. Came to a two finger head, with an off white head.

The taste of this beer is really great, a real mild brew. It comes really mellow and stays to give you that great Deschutes hop flavor that doesnt knock you out, its just there for a good time. I have a six pack of these for some reason and I will for sure dust them all off tonight. What a great beer because not only are they tasting great, they have great drinkability.

I always will buy this beer when looking for a good pale ale. Deschutes is the shit.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 07:49:13 | More by Jmoore50

beertunes

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served in a pint glass at Cap Hansens bar in Bellingham, WA. Poured a beautiful, clear, light amber color with an inch of white head.

A solid, but not sweet, malt scent reaches the nose carrying the the subtle and solid floral hop aromas. The flavors follow the scent, as expected. An extremely well balanced beer, this does not fall into the trap of trying to be an IPA-Lite. Enjoyably smooth and tasty, this beer is a reliable companion for most situations.

Worth seeking out, this should be considered a solid go-to beer, suitable for quenching thirst after yard work or introducing someone to the world of craft beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2009 02:42:10 | More by beertunes

BeerRun13

California

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a mostly clear golden color. Small white head fades to a ring and leaves a minimal amount of lace.
Nice citrussy-floral hop aroma.
Has a lighly malty backbone. Good balance with cascade hops both in flavor and in a light bittering. Very refreshing.
Light to medium bodied. Smooth, but with a nice carbonated traction to help dispurse the flavor. The finish leaves a nice flavor throughout the palate.
Very drinkable. I was very happy to see this one at Vons Pavillions. I will definately revisit this one again and again.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2006 00:23:28 | More by BeerRun13