Drifter Pale Ale - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Halcyondays

California

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a dark amber, with a soft white head, solid lacing.

S: Pink grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, a nice pungent aroma.

T: Rather strong bittersweet malt note, lemon/orange zest, good balance of flavours.

M: Soft body, light carbonation, resiny.

D: A real nice surprise from Widmer, I think I like this one better than Sierra Nevada, well done, certainly worth a purchase at a $7.99 six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2009 17:22:24 | More by Halcyondays

ThePeskyDingo

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured into a pint glass. yielded nearly no head, but it was a pretty gentle pour. Copper in color.

Smells kind of orangey, with hints of hops.

Tastes smooth, a tad orangey, malty.

Mouthfeel is smooth, light carbonation, medium bodied.

Goes down pretty well, easy to drink overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2009 01:45:06 | More by ThePeskyDingo

woemad

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased at Huckleberry's for $1.19. (sale price - normally $1.39). Bottled-on date of January 27th, at 3:53 in the afternoon for anyone interested. First Widmer beer I've had in years!

Poured an orangey-coppery color, with 1 ½ inches or so of off-white foam. Moderate amount of lace, and the head was easily agitated back to life once it dropped.

Lightly citrusy hop aroma, along with a toasted bread maltiness. Doesn't smell like a flavor bomb, but it smells nice.

Taste is like the nose. This is a restrained version of the typical west coast pale ale. It's hoppy tasting, but it's dialed back enough to match the malts, which take on a slightly more caramelish flavor than came through the smell.

Mildly coating, oily mouthfeel that matches well with the fairly light body.

Were this beer not knocking on 6%, I'd say it was a great session pale ale. Definitely something I'll be buying more of as the weather warms up, and I just might go grab a sixer of it tonight. I really hope Widmer makes this a regular offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 23:54:53 | More by woemad

Immolation

Arizona

1.1/5  rDev -70.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Wow, This is a Horrible Beer.It tastes like it was Fermented in Dirty Socks,with Body Order added for Flavor.The Date on the side says Feb 10 09.I don't know if thats the "Born on Date" or "Expiration Date".? Widmer Dropped the ball on this one.I liked everything else they produced.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 09:46:29 | More by Immolation

Magpie14

Michigan

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

A: enticing mix of red, crimson, orange, and yellow mingling together. The rim and base house the lighter pale shades with the darker hues hanging in the middle. Head is safely white in color with a few dabs of soft yellow. The glass housed intermittent strings and blobs of lace nicely, good look overall

S: bursting with a juicy fruit basket of smells: lemons, grapefruits, sweet oranges, and a ring of pineapple, and some pine notes. Subtle candied/honey dipped pine cones, otherwise fruity. The smell is rather delicious!

T: hhmm, no real hop bitterness, no oily residue on the tongue, strange? Smells are deceiving in this sense. Otherwise, the hops have nice initial pop of citrus with floral tea notes. After the sip it houses a clean, dry at times, flavor with a maltiness that is steadfast and even. Sweeter notes round out the flavor profile and make even the flavors. Nothing over the top about this one and pretty well rounded

M: good snap of carbonation rouses the tongue with a mild body. Feels like a good APA

D: easily a all around drinker. Has a nice standing and drinks smooth. I still found the hop flavors a bit timid for what the nose presented...still a winner

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 01:07:25 | More by Magpie14

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought as part of a mixed 6 pack.

This pours from the 12oz bottle(bottled or best by Jan 2109?) a bright clear copper colour with a 1 finger head of foam.

The smell is very hoppy....floral and citrus notes abound. I smell a very faint sweetness here but that was a tough chore to pull it out. I don't think the nose will be the best feature of this brew.

The taste has the hops up front though not as assertive as in the smell. A plus, I think for an APA. Much better presence of malt as well. Good sweet caramel tones with light bread and a touch of earth. Caramel is starting to grow the more I sip. Good. Much closer to being balanced.

Close to medium bodied with a lighter than I expected amount of carbonation, it finishes just slightly bitter. Decent head retention and with some spotted lacing.

Drinkability? On par for the style me thinks. It surely goes down easily enough and is tasty enough. Widmer did a good job with this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2009 23:02:19 | More by Bitterbill

cswhitehorse

Oregon

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

The Drifter pale poured an amber color with a good 1-2 finger foam head. It had some nice webbing on the sides of the glass and retention was moderate.

The smell was good and reminded me of the brrr. It must be the same hop profile coming to mind. Brrr was a great surprise and led me to buy some more Widmer products. I am thinking it is the summit hop which seems so new to the nose. You get grapefruit light aroma.

The taste was light and had a decent malt profile with a light tinge of bitterness. It is listed at 32 ibu's and doesn't make much of a fuss that way. It was lemony on the tongue with that grapefruit and well carbonated. Overall a unique and pretty darn good APA.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2009 01:24:47 | More by cswhitehorse

Dubbercody

Washington

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

Really tasty beer. Nicely hoppy for an APA...has a moderately astringent quality that wipes off your tongue leaving you wanting another drink. Brings a citrus vibe in both the smell and the flavor. This beer can double as both a cold day and a hot day quencher, I think the balance and dance between the hops and malt help make this dualistic appreciation possible.

Probably my new favorite Widmer in a bottle. Thanks Widmer.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2009 01:09:10 | More by Dubbercody

mtrentm

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass

A: Nice amber/bronze color with a 3/4" off-white head that sticks around.

S: Hops...A sweet hop aroma, pine & citrus dominate & i get a faint hint of honey/honeysuckle.

T: The hops lead in with their citrus flavor. Followed with a little spice, but not too bitter. Finishes with that slight honeysuckle flavor. A great example of a west coast pale.

M: Medium-bodied, silky smooth, just the right amount of carbonation.

D: Very drinkable. This will be another go-to APA for me right next to Sierra Nevada

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 20:15:21 | More by mtrentm

jonbad19

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pleasantly surprised to find this kind of output from widmer. I poured it from the bottle into my chalice. The head didn't stick around for that long, the beer had a nice clear, slightly ruby hue. The smells were the highlight of the beer for me, without looking i would guess it was some combo of west coast hops. Very nice. The taste was nice because the hops came through initially but it was a surprisingly balanced pale. The nose prepared me for a near ipa style, but it was nice to have the balance between the hops and the malt. The mouthfeel definitely fit the style, and i felt like i could definitly drink a few more of these upon finishing. Spot on widmer...spot on.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 05:30:31 | More by jonbad19

rowew

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz longneck, standard Widmer embossed bottle. Bottled on date and ABV are clearly marked.

Appearance: A bit more red than I expected from a pale, average head, decent retention.

Smell: Very floral aroma, lots of hops - almost a bubble gum aroma.

Taste: Lots of hops, the same bubble gum flavors and some citrus flowery hops - but almost no bitterness.

Overall impression: Interesting beer - tons of hop flavor and aroma with no bitterness - pretty drinkable. This is a nice gateway hop offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 00:15:56 | More by rowew

climax

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

poured a copper color with excellent clarity, a finger of even head never quite disappeared and left some sticky lace

real refreshing nose on this one. strong sharp citrus and pine, a bit floral as well. sweet malt occupies the background. IPAish

taste is an extension of the nose...which is a good thing. spicey pine and citrus. a nice malty finish

mouthfeel is a crisp and clean, quite a bit of carbonation, somewhat dry and sticky aftertaste. a bit more body would have made it excellent for it was a bit light

a very drinkable beer. i think this is by far the best selection from widmer brothers.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2009 02:59:52 | More by climax

MEsquandoles

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$7.99 6 pack from the grocery store. Bottle Jan28 (5 and a half weeks ago). Apparently this was the Spring Seasonal a few years ago.

See-through dark copper. Great head retention.

Strong hop aroma of citrus and pine.

Tastes like peach cobbler with some mandarin oranges and a little lemon. Unique hop presence and flavours. Very citrusy. Must be those Summit hops. Caramel too.

Must be pretty dry-hopped because there's a strong aroma but not much bitterness.

Thick and silky. Oily.

Unique and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2009 01:58:57 | More by MEsquandoles

Docer

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12-pack from Fred Meyer.. poured into a tumbler glass.

-Nice amber color.. dark copper.. minimal to no head with slight lacing.

-Great smell.. a very citrusy and piney hop.. with a sweet caramel sent of rich malt.

-Tastes much the same as it smells.. not very bitter, but still is to a slight extent.. with some pine and citrus. Took that dry-hopping to get it i'm sure. Nice malt character and well balanced. I suppose it's the 'well balanced' that doesn't make this an IPA?

-Malty aftertaste and doesn't leave too dry. A bit on the weak side.. so a bit watery.. but it's a pale so... very drinkable and quite good. Would love to see a summit hopped Imperial IPA. Reminds me of the 3-time dry-hopped Workhorse IPA from Laurelwood... but much more mild and store-shelf ready.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2009 22:20:40 | More by Docer

KeefD

Minnesota

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

Pours a nice amber color with a one finger head and some light lacing. Aroma has a nice citrus character, mostly orange, some light pine and a certain malty sweetness. Taste is very similar to the nose. Plenty of orange juiciness, bitter grapefruit, and a solid malt backbone. Medium bodied, light carbonation. This is a pretty good pale ale, though it's not an everyday drinker like SN. Very drinkable and enjoyable, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2009 22:00:20 | More by KeefD

TexIndy

Texas

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

Got from lonestarbev - many thanks! Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Front label had the bottled on date (Dec 16 08). Cool bottle. It was a hazy orange amber color with tons of carb and good lacing. It had an average off white head that settled into wisps and a collar.

The aroma was good and was citric and pine from the Summit hops. The taste was pretty solid. Starts off strong and then finishes with a good hop bite. Doesn't tear up the tongue so could have a couple per sitting. Good carb in the mouthfeel as well.

Overall, a pretty good beer. Probably the best Widmer that I've had yet. Nice change up in the APA space for me. Not sure I'd buy many six packs but could see grabbing a few singles or having on tap or taking one if offered out of someone else's stash. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2009 02:38:14 | More by TexIndy

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Sam Adams Sensory Glass.

Pours about a 2 finger, slightly tanned head, decent retention with great lacing. Color is an amber copper. Pretty decent appearance.

Smell is similar to an IPA. Heavy floral and citrus smells. Taste is some-what hopped up as well. Not as much as the aroma. The taste is more of the pale ale category. Honey and citrus zest.

Mouthfeel is somewhat bitter, but smooth. Goes down pretty easy, but leaves a sticky aftertaste. Low carbonation.

Overall, I really enjoyed this pale ale. It smelt a lot like an IPA which was pleasant. I could definitely have another.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 04:58:14 | More by mothman

RJLarse

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I bought a six-pack of the new Drifter Pale Ale from Widmer Brothers in a grocery store. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a deep copper color and is clear. A tight creamy off-white head forms, and is fairly resilient. Curtains of lace are left on the glass.

The smell is strong, sweet and fruity. There is an evergreen (pine or juniper) scent and some citurs aromas.

The taste is very good. Citrus (grapefruit) flavors, with a little sweet malt along side. There is a mildly bitter hop finish. A complex and interesting taste.

Mouthfeel is crisp and clean.

This is a very drinkable beer. A nice multi-dimensional pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 01:13:26 | More by RJLarse

Spikester

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Full amber with a modest white head from a gentle pour. Fair amount of lacings. Aroma of citrus hops. Taste is citrus orange pinapple with a sweet caramel malt. It does have a moderate amount of hops bitterness and an IBU of 32. A very drinkable, slightly sweet Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2009 03:49:38 | More by Spikester

PintOHops

California

3.38/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance/Smell - Appears amber with an orange hue, and a thin head that's basically just a ring. Quickly reduces to a broken ring as well, has lite-medium carbonation and leaves some spotty lacing. Smells of pungent to mild pine and citrus notes, but more on the mild side. Wonderfully fruity pineapple and raisin aromas. Lots of hops, and some nice orange zest. A little dry as well.

Taste/Mouthfeel - Tastes of zesty citrus like hop bitterness, finishes with a wonderful pineapple fruitiness. Malts on the finish as well, and the hop bitterness lingers on the palate just a tad. Some orange peel, again pretty balanced. Mouthfeel is smooth but a little thin, with some lively carbonation on the palate. Has a lite-medium body.

Drinkability/Final thoughts - Not my favorite APA but affordable & extremely drinkable. I could enjoy about 2-3 of these on just about any day. I liked the zesty fruity flavors of this beer. Pretty sessionable, not bad. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 00:56:09 | More by PintOHops

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.53/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12 oz picked up today at the Coop... poured into my Chimay goblet...

3/4" head with nice lace and a firm cap atop a clear orange amber brew....

The nose is resounding citric... tangerine even..

Flavor is the same... zesty orange.. some doughy maltiness adds a little bit of sweetness.. with a light smack of caramel.. really balanced yet you still know this is a fresh PNW pale ale... medium body with a lively carbonation... even the burps taste like tangerine juice essence..

This is actually pretty damn good pale ale... I could see drinking this one for a while in the long run, and it makes me wish I would have picked up a 6'er today to have a fridge beer...

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 05:13:19 | More by JohnGalt1

Zorro

California

4.18/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark amber colored ale with a small tan colored head. This is a shade of amber I could call Bronze.

Smell is strongly of northwest style hops, very much a pine and grapefruit scent. Very strong hop resins, the malt is just a honeysuckle trace this is very much a hop beer.

The taste starts out neutral in sweetness and very hoppy, grapefruit in the first taste. Tropical fruit flavors and pine, just like the scent this is a hop beer. Little bit of lemon shows up after a while, wonder how many IBUs this is.

Mouthfeel is good.

Quite a bit better than expected. Website says 32 IBUs seems stronger than that.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 03:20:19 | More by Zorro

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a clear bright ruby color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes into a small cap of lacing. The aroma is of floral hops, tea, hints of citrus. It is very nuanced. The taste leans towards the hops, but it is quite balanced. Tea, flowers, cirtus, and nice caramel notes throughout. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with lively carbonation, and a smooth texture. Overall, this is a very good APA. I was really not expecting something this good from Widmer Brothers so kudos to them. I will certainly drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 23:32:55 | More by KarlHungus

djeucalyptus

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a surprisingly rich bold amber hue with hints of gold and ruby. A strong one-finger head of an eggshell color erupts seemingly from nowhere and has impressive retention, deflating to a foamy cap leaving impressive spongy lacing down the glass.

strong citrus hop aroma with green, floral and herbal notes. almost reminds me of simcoe hops... I suppose it's the summit hops? vanilla, cakey malt... rich and slightly sweet. Smells intoxicating.

Taste is delciously hoppy with that same cakey malt... almost banana bread and vanilla muffin malt backbone, with some amazing grapefruit and herbal hop notes. a light but delicious clean bitterness. Deliciously bright juicy citrus hop profile without being overly hoppy - the pale and caramel malts balance almost perfectly, yielding something not all that far from perfect, and more citrusy and vibrant than your average APA.

mouthfeel is smooth, a touch thick for the style, fairly creamy with ample carbonation. Truly enjoyable to drink, it goes down smoothly and has just enough crispness and light drying to keep things feeling light and uplifting.

I'm sold. this may be my apa/ipa six-pack choice for a while. Enjoyable on all levels, with enough character and pop to make each sip enjoyable. definitely one of my favorite recent bottled offerings from Widmer (by a long shot, actually). Definitely worth a try if you have any appreciation for balanced hopping what-so-ever.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 18:08:00 | More by djeucalyptus

wagenvolks

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into a Dogfish Head Off-centered Pint Glass. (best by Jan. 27th 09)

Pours a burnt copper hue with good clarity and a sizable tuft of off-white head. Good retention and excellent lacing...liking the looks of this one. The smell is even better. Dare I say it? Fuck yea'. This is the best-smelling American Pale Ale I've encountered. Pungent, skunky-green & citrus hops (Simcoe & Centennial?) burst forth from the pint, balanced perfectly by a juicy, sweet caramel malt presence and tropical fruits. Mouth-watering, to say the least.

On to the taste...unfortunately it's a slight letdown. The hops start off with a spicy-fresh burst of greenery, but the malts pursue with somewhat of an off-putting flavor of burnt caramel and nuts. A slightly sour finish lingers too long. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium (a bit thick for the style), but with a good carbonation level. I do like the bitterness on the beginning, but unfortunately this beer doesn't hold up in the long run. Still, it's a decent brew that deserves at least one try from the hop-lovers out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2009 02:45:03 | More by wagenvolks