Drifter Pale Ale - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

flagmantho

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: hazy golden orange with a one-finger white head.

Smell: hops abond; mostly floral with a little spice and citrus. There is also a hint of the sweet malt underneath.

Taste: sweet and citrusy. Malt is quite well balanced with the hops, which again are floral and spicy in character. I quite like it.

Mouthfeel: medium-thin body with a little less carbonation than I would prefer.

Drinkability: this is a pretty solid beer and I wouldn't mind having another one after this.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2009 16:06:40 | More by flagmantho

Jwale73

Rhode Island

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

12oz. bottle served at 53 degrees in my SA Perfect Pint. Apr 25 11 indicated on the label. Pours a translucent amber with a half inch, frothy, off-white head that dissipates into a fairly consistent skim. Some spots and strands of lacing are revealed during the tasting. Nose expresses caramel malt, a faint citrus character and perhaps a trace of earthy hops towards the back. Malt is much less pronounced in the flavor profile and citrus intersperses throughout. Earthy bitterness comes out at the finish and gradually dissipates between quaffs. Mouthfeel is light-medium with a crisp carbonation that leaves some residual tingles on the roof of the mouth. There's also a slight acidity and a light oiliness to the texture. Overall, a fairly drinkable and accessible APA.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 19:50:38 | More by Jwale73

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

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

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

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

Seems like Widmer has been stepping their game up the last few years and this is a great example of how they got it right in making an APA. The hops are there but so well melded into the malt profile that you want another one before you have finished the first. I really see this beer developing into a PNW classic like Deschutes Mirror Pond . Complex yet drinkable to the tenth degree.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 00:59:04 | More by canucklehead

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Pours a clear copper-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some light lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet caramel malt with some biscuit and some grapefruit and pine hops.

T - Starts off with some sweet caramel malts with some grapefruit hops and a touch of bitterness. Through the middle, some pine hop with some more bitterness comes through with some biscuit malts. The finish is a mix of sweet malts with some citrus hops and some light bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nicely balanced and crisp pale ale. Good hop and malt balance.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 06:01:14 | More by ngeunit1

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Widmer- Drifter Pale Ale

A- Deep amber copper brown with a big thick creamy lacing head.
S- Creamy bready malt with a nice sweet grapefruit and citrus hop twang.
T- Solid sweet caramel malt with buttery biscuit and grainy bread malt. Mildly sweet citrus and grapefruit hops never overpower. Finishes off with a nice fresh hoppiness.
M- Very creamy and smooth. Perfect balance of sweetness. Hops appear fresh and juicy.

Overall- Smooth and fresh tasting. Nice balanced Pale Ale. Widmer's best offering!

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 22:33:40 | More by NJpadreFan

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

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

12oz bottle - from Total wine summerlin las vegas NV for 1.99$

Appearance - Clear copper colour with a large size frothy off white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for over 5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, caramel, hops, grapefruit

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and the taste is made up of caramel and malts mixed with hops. It also has a bit of a sugary apricot flavour with a hint of pineapple and some grapefruit. It ends with a caramel/malty aftertaste with a some bittersweet notes.

Overall - A nice well balanced very drinkable pale ale. The flavours are fairly subdued, but they are good. I wouldn't pick this one up again, but I wouldn't turn it away if offered. There are just too many better beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 23:53:15 | More by spinrsx

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

Heavy orange color, almost amber and a very small head, maybe my glass wasn't clean enough. The smell is very subtle but sticky oranges, not bad. The taste is sweet citrus, a little bread, only a little bitterness on the finish. Overall, not a bad offering from wider brothers.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 03:02:55 | More by ArrogantB

Overlord

California

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

This is ... not terrible. Not terrible, at all. Why can't this be offered instead of their hefeweizen everywhere? While Sierra Nevada pale ale has saved me from a wretched beer selection many a time, this could serve the same purpose when the former isn't available. Alas, I am too often stuck with Widmer Hefeweizen instead.

Pours a bright coppery amber. About an inch and a half of quick dying head.

Smells like caramel and a bit of grapefruit and citrus. Taste is much the same, straightforward, yeasty, caramel malt with a bit of sticky grapefruit to it. The hops aren't so much bittering as they are citrus-ing. Hahahaha that barely makes sense.

Pleasant, quaffable. Darn. I was gearing up for hate.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 08:03:46 | More by Overlord

Reidrover

Oregon

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

New one from Widmer here in Salem.
In appearance, amber,clear with a nice sized frothy eggshell white head.
very strong hop aromas, citric mainlly but a touch of pine.
Again the hops dominate the flavour, making it seem somehow like a lemon flavoured ale!!! Odd. Some small malt in the undertow but not much.
I found that the palte let it down, slightly too thin.
Its drinkable OK..like an IPA lite. I would compare it to Weinhard's IPA from last summer. Good but not great

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2009 01:24:02 | More by Reidrover

cjgator3

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle

A- Pours a nice clear copper color with an off-white head.

S- The aroma is sweet malt and caramel with some floral hops. 

T- The taste has a good malty backbone with hints of caramel and a touch of citric hops in the finish.

M- The mouthfeel is light bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

D- Not a bad Pale Ale, but pretty mediocre compared to some of the other top beers in this category.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2009 02:52:07 | More by cjgator3

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on-tap and served in a pint glass, the beer is a deep, auburn-copper color with a smooth, creamy white head. Decent lacing while you enjoy. The beer has a semi-sweet citrus and caramel aroma, with some floral notes. Light, sweet flavors, with very light spicing. Notes of lemon zest, caramel, and light hops. Peppery and tangy sweet aftertaste, with a spicy and astringent finish. Easy drinker, and great on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2011 00:51:34 | More by GarthDanielson

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, fished from a mixed 12-pack that's been in the office fridge for a few weeks. no markings on the bottle, though the box shows 'Packaged on Jun0409'.

Under the cap: A PROST: To Being Tall Enough for the Ride!

A: Hazed auburn/amber, a gentle swirl of fine silt, really no carbonation visible. Head is minimal, a squat ivory cream that's quickly reduced to a gauzy film and thin ring.

S: Nice aroma: sugared caramel sweetness, roasted nuts and a fairly strong dose of piney and lemony/citrus hops. Actually really nice; the more i sniff, the more wonderful it becomes.

T: Cakey sweetness with a rounding-out hop zest. Quite lemony, not sure what to make of it; an iced scone, maybe? Cereal grain holds a honey sweetness, hops pull their weight but seem subdued but for that tangy lemon zest.

M: Fairly bland feel, not sure whether this is 3 months in the bottle talking (not unreasonable), or just a boring mouthfeel. Going with the latter. Low carbonation, mild zest, sweetened finish.

D: Decent enough; when I first tried this back in late winter/early spring I was more impressed than I have been in subsequent tries. Not sure if the newness wore off, later batches were lacking or what exactly. All I know is it's easy enough to drink, but doesn't do much to set it apart from the pack.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 00:31:41 | More by msubulldog25

flexabull

California

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

Pours a bright orange color with a nice fluffy white head.

Aromas are of hard candies, pretty floral, and of sweet citrus fruit.

Taste is clean and crisp. Some malty tea, light sweetness, caramel, and light bread dough. Finish has an earthy floral hop note.

Mouthfeel is not bad, a bit thin though.

Drinkability is good. This is an easy drinking and fairly tasty Pale Ale. Seems to be kind of British in taste with hoppy American aromas. I like this one. Nice offering Widmer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 04:04:19 | More by flexabull

morimech

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber color with a large white head that had excellant retention. Nice lacing is left on the glass. Has a nice citrus hop aroma. A little biscuit malt sneaks past the hops. The flavor starts out very good. Nice bitter, citrus hop flavor. Hints of grapefruit and orange. The malt is not really detectable. Unfortunately things diminish quickly leaving a medicinal aftertaste. Bitterness is on the high side for an APA. Has a nice body and carbonation. A surprisingly good APA and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 18:46:18 | More by morimech

argock

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. Freshness date on front label. Purchased as part of variety 24-pack from Sam's Club (Charlottesville, VA) for $23.72.

A: Honey-gold with 1-2 finger rocky off-white head with good retention but minimal lace.

S: Delicious spicy orange hoppiness is matched with solid pale and light caramel malt backing.

T: This brew's flavor is substantial with exceptional pale and caramel malt sweetness coupled with a unique orange dominated and spicy, herbal hops component that rounds out this very nice beer.

M: The maltload must be more subtantive that the taste belies as the body is medium-plus with low carbonation.

D: A really good APA with solid malt backbone and a unique hop profile which provides big flavor. This would be an exceptional session brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2009 04:14:59 | More by argock

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

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

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume III, Issue II:

Dark copper color with a perfect clarity. The head retention is solid, with a lacing that holds its own. The blood-orange and evergreen hop aroma is very inviting, especially when hints of caramel and toasted malt reach their height. Super smooth, with a slick medium body. Oh yeah, it's on. The malt and hops are battling it out. Each time one throws a layer of flavor on top, the next one rises to do the same. Big hop flavor of fresh wild herbs, sweet citric and tropical fruit. Malt drops a thick layer of caramel, then more of a toasted grain and then a dry breadiness. Long-lingering finish of hops and malt (more hops though).

Good call on making this one a year-round beer from the get-go--a lovely beer to be had. Looks like Widmer was trying to raise their own bar and accomplished that task.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 12:55:25 | More by BeerAdvocate

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium red coppery amber. Thin white head dissipates slowly to a film with light lacing. Aroma of grassy, slightly piney hops and biscuit malt. Flavor follows, biscuit malt and light grassy hops. Light bodied with decent carbonation. A good sturdy pale ale that looks a bit more like an amber, but the flavor is on style for a pale.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 01:48:48 | More by LiquidAmber

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

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Orange in color, clear, with a smooth whitish head. Aroma is quite potent for an APA, with a strong citric component backed by an herbal, vinous note I couldn't identify until I saw Nelson Sauvin listed in the ingredients. Not a super common hop yet, but it is quickly and easaiy identifiable, and adds a complexity and vinous earthy touch to Drifter, which I'd shaping up to be a good one.

Drifter is a very good pale. Different enough to stand out in a very crowded market but well within the realm of the style. The herbal component is nice, and the citrus notes are prominent. Light and ways to drink, befitting the style. Excellent effort.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 00:10:00 | More by BretSikkink

thekevlarkid

Maryland

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

Out of a bottle this beer was a clear copper color with a little rising carbonation. The one finger of rust-colored head displayed mediocre retention and acceptable lacing. The aroma was wild! Sweet and tropical fruits most notably papaya and guava with only hints of malt behind the gushing, fruity hops presence. The flavors were equally hop oriented but much less fruity and floral. I tasted the hops again first followed by some sweet, doughy malt and a little wood followed by the tropical and citrusy hops that made for a clean finish. The mouthfeel was good, the body medium and the carbonation solid. I enjoy sweeter beers and this definitely was one; for my palate it was sessionable and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 17:48:08 | More by thekevlarkid

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

On-tap at the Rays game, at Tropicana Field.

A - Pours a rich, deep amber hue with a generous white head and copious lace (on the Tropicana Field cup.)

S - It smells of great tropical hoppiness, citrus, tangerine, pineapple, mango, lemon, some caramel as well. Fantastic.

T - The flavor is everything I want in an APA (although on the sweet-ish side): heavily fruity hop notes including essences of grapefruit, coconut, pineapple, mango, and with a slightly piney finish. Outstanding.

M - This part is a bit underperforming, but only relative to the rest of its strengths; it just doesn't have the substantive feel that I want, but it has proper carbonation and relative weight.

D - This is very good stuff, unjustly maligned or underappreciated. Every time I've had it on-tap, I've been very pleased.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 02:52:33 | More by ktrillionaire

allengarvin

Texas

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

Poured into a Chimay glass. This has a dark reddish amber color, with only a very slight head. The aroma is excellent, with a bouquet of resinous, new-turned-earth hops. Surprisingly, for the enormously hoppy aroma, the flavor turns out to be hardly bitter at all. It's got a lot of hop flavor, and a good caramel maltiness, but the taste is more like a moderately sweet amber. Reasonably good, but not expected.

Weird beer--they must have added a huge amount of late-kettle hops after a very light early hopping schedule. It's not a bad beer, but it's vaguely disappointing... I take a whiff of the aroma and expect a nice hoppily bitter beer, but it doesn't ever pay back. I could understand someone else enjoying it a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 01:36:03 | More by allengarvin

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