Drifter Pale Ale - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

beer348

Oregon

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

my beer ratings are kind of dull. either i like the beer or i didn't . so i am still new to this and not that picky with the ratings. LIke here I gave all 4's becuase i liked it. I guess i could of varied it with a 4.5 here or there but oh well.. wow i keep needing to write more on these things jeez.. isn't it enough already ??

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2009 00:42:23 | More by beer348

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a standard shaker glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a clear bright copper color with a slightly off-white ¼" head that recedes slowly but relatively soon to a ring around the glass with some foam in middle. By the end this is pretty much gone. Sipping initially leaves some nice sheets and speckles of lacing, but soon sipping yields only some speckles of lacing on the sides through most of the beer.

Smell: The aroma is clearly citrus hops with some piney character as well. This is backed up by a nice rich caramel malts component.

Taste: The nose pretty much predicts the flavor, with its caramel malt backbone and sweetness balancing the citrus hops. The flavors are quite crisp, clean, and well balanced as the malt backbone supports the hops and gives them a rich counterpoint without either malt or hops overpowering the other.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied with good carbonation throughout most of the beer. The fairly long finish begins in the balance of the hops and malt stretching out to and ending that is dry and just bitter enough.

Drinkability: I'd say this is good solid APA. I'd be happy to have another and may if it is still on tap next time I'm here, but on the other hand there are some other APAs I'd prefer given my choice

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 02:05:54 | More by drtth

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pleasantly surprised to see this on tap at the Atlantic Beer Garden in the Seaport District. Served in a normal pint glass. No head whatsoever. Dark orange in color. Nice carbonation. Can definitely smell some hops. Pronounced hop flavor, but balanced nicely with a touch of malt. Not overly hoppy like an IPA, but I think a decent take at a pale ale. Not overly impressed with the mouthfeel, but I found myself ordering two at dinner. It was just good enough that I didn't mind another. Paired well with barfood apps and a burger.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2009 23:37:55 | More by morebeergood

beertunes

Washington

2.73/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in straight pint glass. Poured a clear, light brown color (not any of the shades of yellow or gold as expected for the style), with a clean, white head that had some retention and medium lacing.

The nose is greeted with a very sweet aroma containing no hop presence. The taste was very pleasant, not too sweet and had just a slight tinge of hop on the finish.

The body was good, full without being heavy, and well balanced. This is a very drinkable brew, having several of these easy, well balanced, very enjoyable brew would not be a problem. Overall this is a good beer that is in the wrong style category. The appearance, smell and taste would all rate higher if the brewers chose not to call this "brown" beer a PALE ale.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2009 20:30:36 | More by beertunes

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap in a plain pint glass at Boru's in Waterbury, Conn.

A: Poured a dark amber color with a slight head of tight white foam which reduced to a thin lace.

S: Smells a little sweet and spicy due to some oily hop resins. A light aroma, but more substantial that what I expected.

T: Taste is a little thick and sweet at the get-go, with roasted caramel malts and burning, unbalanced hop resins clogging the palate, but it smooths out a bit towards the finish as the sweeter malts thin out the slightly chemical hop flavor which dissipates.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied for an APA and not really the easiest to drink.

D: Perhaps something was afoul with the tap lines here, but this Drifter was one to let pass me by. Not bad to try, but I'd be hard pressed to session the motha. Not terrible, but buyer beware.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2009 05:58:16 | More by Gambrinus1184

projectflam86

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a deep bronze amber color with a thick fluffy white foam that leaves nice rings of lace.

S- Some light floral hop aromas and caramel malt.

T- Nice crisp hop bitterness initially with some light citrus and floral flavors. Some fairly noticeable sweet malt in the finish that balances nicely.

M- Medium body with ok carbonation.

D- Nothing spectacular but a nice easy flavor and feel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2009 02:57:53 | More by projectflam86

Boto

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draught: This one pours a clear amber color with a decent sized off-white head. It leaves some lacing down the side of the glass. The aroma is interesting. There are grassy, earthy hops and another aroma in there it too. Others have said spruce, but I think it almost smells like a whiff of mint. The same characteristic translates into the taste. It is slightly bitter, with a decent body. The earthy and grassy hops are there, but so is the other hop note. Maybe it is psychological from the aroma, but I get a faint taste of mint.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2009 00:07:36 | More by Boto

Durge

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was very surprised to find this on tap at the down and dirty (but always entertaining) Cousin Larry's cafe in Danbury, CT. This poured cold into a pint glass with a cloudy dark amber color and a goodly light tan head with good lacing. I got a decent grapefruit/lemon aroma with some bready malt. The flavor takes on a sharper but less flavorful bitterness. It warms up with more bready malt, oak and some salty grass with nice, tastefully refreshing carbonation. It is mid to light bodied, quite decent stuff and plenty drinkable. Generally a reasonable pale ale for sure, not the best, but better than most I would say.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2009 13:37:07 | More by Durge

raninator84

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap @ Cork & Vine in Dayton Ohio. Drifter is a surprisingly solid pale ale, solid but not amazing. Pours almost amber and darker hue than most PA's I've drank. Smells of hop infused with a bit of a caramel and bitters but the smell is weak. Tastes like a traditional pale ale. Hops aren't overpowering and malt character although not perfectly balanced is present. Overall a solid Pale Ale Session brew.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2009 02:58:16 | More by raninator84

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 7/10/09 at Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light coppery brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of caramelized malts, hops and fruity citrus.

T: The taste starts with a strong fruity citrus sweetness that remains dominant the whole time. There's a decent hops presence that comes in but the sweetness continues with a caramel flavor in the background. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy. The after-taste is also sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, the sweetness kind of over-powers everything else in the beer, but overall it's a fairly good beer that is worth drinking for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2009 03:25:52 | More by TheManiacalOne

armock

New York

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured a copper color with an off white head that fades quickly

S - Is of piny hops on a decent malt backbone

T - Starts with citrus hops then gets balanced out some by the caramel malt

M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it

D - Not the first beer that I'd order but at those bars that only get things from AB distributors its a good stand by

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2009 19:03:28 | More by armock

PapaJ

Oregon

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from mobile tap at the West Bank Summer Solstice Festival in Independence, Oregon, the afternoon of 20 June 2009.

a: clear amber with thin head which quickly subsided
s: hoppy aroma with complex citrus references
t: complex/light mild hop taste with grapefruit finish; distinctive/unique
d: very drinkable, particularly out-of-doors on an Oregon Summer afternoon

Overall I found Widmer Bros. Drifter exhibits a complex/distinctive taste and was very drinkable on tap; I would drink again when offered on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2009 13:37:57 | More by PapaJ

drunkboxer1

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddish amber color. Small head disappears into a thin lace. Smells sweet, a lot of citrus. Maybe some lemongrass. Tastes strongly of grapefruity american hops. Its medium bitterness is enough to balance any cloying sweetness from the caramel/bready malt backbone. Pretty decent, the grapefruit stands out for me in this one.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2009 15:19:09 | More by drunkboxer1

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deepish orange color with a small white head. Nose is on the mellow side of citrus notes. Taste is a little hop forward with some citrus and floral notes. Mouthfeel is nice, bubbly and pretty good. Nice ABV makes it a good session brew. Very drinkable indeed. Surpsise by Widmer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2009 00:08:19 | More by barleywinefiend

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.7/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at a bar in my hometown. Hadn't heard of this before so I didn't know what to expect, but given the selection at this bar, I was not optimstic.

Beer was served in a 20 oz. glass. The beer was amber with reddish tones and had a small beige head with little retention. The aroma was fruity, particularly citrus and grapefruit. There was a slightly noticable caramel undertone. The taste was citrusy. The grapefruit notes didn't appear to be from the hops though, as the beer was not at all bitter or piney. Some caramel undertone. The taste was nice, but felt somewhat artificial. Mouthfeel was medium bodied with a nice bit of carbonation. Drinkability was high due to average ABV and light flavor.

Overall, a decent beer with some nice light fruit flavor, however I would not consider this a Pale Ale. A decent, sessionable beer though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2009 04:46:55 | More by Gosox8787

PerzentRizen

Mississippi

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a fluted pint glass at a local seafood restaurant this beer wasn't half bad. It was between this and Bud Light and I think I picked the right one. The head was decent (around 1 inch) and overall the beer was a deep reddish brown.

The nose was rather bland - no hops at all are present in the aroma. There is the smell of malt and metal. I thought for sure this was AB - and ended up being right but I honestly had no idea when I bought the two of them tonight.

The taste was surprisingly refreshing. The first thing you notice is the malt and the length of the flavor. There is minimal hops - basically this is more in line with an English Pale Ale but who really cares - it's not bad beer at all.

The mouthfeel is light and a bit thin for my taste in pale ales - I think it was a touch overcarbonated, but that could be the bartender's fault. He really didn't seem to know much about beer.

The drinkability is decent. I did end up having 2 decently sized pints (16 oz) and had no problem finishing them both. Overall I'd say this beer was a decent surprise at a location I figured I would have to order wine in order to be happy.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2009 03:13:37 | More by PerzentRizen

MisterClean

California

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the west coast beer festival

A - Poured copper with a 2 fingered off-whte head. Dissipated moderately and left no lacing.

S/T - Honey, grass, and light citrus.

M - Full-bodied and hop dominated.

D - Good, but couldn't taste much in the form of malts in this pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2009 19:04:06 | More by MisterClean

beer2day

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep amber red. Thin head with faint retention. Decent lacing.

The nose has a lot going on. Pine, citrus. but mainly a floral aroma.

Hits very bright and citrusy. Grapefruit and pineapple are present. Full bodied for the style. Very full finish with nice, nice bitters.

A keeper.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2009 00:03:02 | More by beer2day

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark copper body with a thin, fine, white head.

Smell: Lightly grainy pale and caramel malt nose with a earthy, fruity, particularly citrusy hop scent.

Taste: Unassuming pale and caramel maltiness with a medium level of sweetness. Tiny tinge of grains. Earthy, citrusy hops imparting a taste of infused citrus peels, though the overall bitterness remains light. Drying finish with a mere hint of lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A decent, simple, but easily accessible American Pale Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2009 16:29:41 | More by ChainGangGuy

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at The Tavern (The Essex Resort):

Comes off the tap a medium-amber color, looking much like an English ale/bitter. Very little head with no retention. White bubbles round the edge.

A hugely aromatic, but somewhat simple nose. Lots of citrus, grapefruit, lemon, gooseberry. Very similar aromas to a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc. It's medium- to light-bodied, and leaning on the crisp side from the hops, but there is a nice malt presence too. The flavors are dominated by the hop character, but the beer is not overly bitter. Lots and lots of grapefruit, with underpinnings of cereal and lightly toasted malt.

An interesting beer to be sure. Drinkability suffers a little because it's really focused on that grapefruit note and it builds up sip after sip, but was really surprised at how much I liked it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2009 15:40:00 | More by SFLpunk

soupermirl

Mississippi

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Good beer. Grapefruit flavored hops with a really sweet taste and almost sweet hops with a grapefruit aftertaste. But still sweet and hoppy. Odd. I like it. Crisp and clean. Nice. Mostly no head but a constant very little ringer left. Smells grapefruity sweet, again odd. Mouthfeel is good, full of flavors, hops, maybe different kinds of hops, not sure what. Very easy to drink, good beer...

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2009 23:21:42 | More by soupermirl

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery in a shaker pint.

Body is a clear, very light amber. A quick 2 fingers of off-white head that quickly reduces to a thick, creamy skim that sticks around til the end. Decent lacing.

Nice citrusy and fruity hop nose, with a just-right sweet malt and toasted bread accompaniment. Quite tasty. Juicy orange and pineapple hops (in moderation) with a touch of grapefruit. Perfectly balanced by some honey, caramel, bread and nuttiness.

Moderate body and carbonation. Feels pretty smooth. There's some bitterness that attempts to linger, but it's chopped off by some nice toasted breadiness.

Drinkability is off the charts. Great balanced pale ale, and sure to be a summertime staple for me. This beer makes me want to buy a kegerator!

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2009 22:27:50 | More by PDXHops

Redrover

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap at their Gasthaus in Portland. What a great place!

The beer is bronze with a thick beige head. It has awesome lacing.

The aroma is of citrus and Pine backed with caramel

The taste is very piney and nicely bitter. It may be a bit out of balance but I like it. Citrus taste emerges mid sip. The three hops give it a great kick (Summit, Nelson & Alchemy). I'm not expert enough to know what each hop adds to the flavor and aroma, but the brewer has hit on a good combination.

The mouth is smooth and benefits from great low carbonation and slightly warmer serving temps. Easy drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2009 18:36:07 | More by Redrover

SirChugsAlot

Washington

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very nice pale ale brought to us by the widmer brothers.

A. Pours a nice burnt copper color with a finger and 1/2 white head that hangs around for a bit

S. Sweet malts and hoppy. with hints of citrus

T. Hoppy and sweet nicely done with Malty finish that makes you want more Also, a hint of nuttiness?

M. Medium body with lower-medium carbonation. goes down smooth and crisp

D. I wish i had a keg of this on tap. well balanced with the hops and malt

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2009 22:54:45 | More by SirChugsAlot

geomedic

Texas

4.93/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Presentation: Draft in a chilled "pounder" pint glass.

A: Clear amber. Poured with a half-inch head that dissipates quickly but leaves lacing all the way down the glass.

S: Sharp odor of piney, flowery hops. Very fresh. Sweet, malty undertones... way-undertones.

T: Primary flavor is fresh, piney hops, very floral. Sweet maltiness nicely counterpoints this flavor without diminishing it. This beer is for hops lovers. The local availability of fresh hops would account for the very bright floral character of this beer.

M: Light mouthfeel, medium carbonation.

D: As a hoppy pale ale lover (note beer-style bias disclaimer) I consider this a session beer. Those that do not share a similar taste for lots-o-hops may strongly disagree. I would expect this beer to compliment many foods with shellfish topping my list.

O: Excellent Pale Ale. The fresh, bright quality of the predominant hops flavor makes me envision the Widmer brothers harvesting the Oregon Cascade hops right outside the brewhouse.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2009 02:53:51 | More by geomedic