Alchemy Ale - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

powerss13

Kansas

3.74/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

ST: Bottle poured into a glass

A: Dark golden hue or light amber (your choice of words); small light head; clear body

S: Light floral aromas; has hint of citrus

T: Light floral notes, has good lemon notes. Hops do come through at end adding a nice dry finish.

MF: Light body with some dryness to it. Doesn't linger in mouth.

O: Good solid pale ale. A session beer with deep flavors. Wouldn't mind having some more.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 21:58:30 | More by powerss13

Halcyondays

California

3.83/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a light amber with a small white head, some good lace, solid head retention/

S: Floral citrus, lightly sweet, not a lot of malt.

T: Notes of pineapple and lemon zest, citrusy, but an easy drinking floral bitterness. Flowery at times, a pleasant effort.

M: Soft crisp carbonation, medium-bodied, creamy.

O: A good sessionable pale at a good price, what's not to like. Widmer's clearly been stepping up their game lately.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 06:35:41 | More by Halcyondays

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Alchemy's not all that impressive. I mean, who can't turn lead into gold? Anyway, this stuff pours a clear sunrise amber topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises light white grapes, light honey, flowers, mild grapefruit zest, and the slightest possible intimation of biscuit way in the background. So far, this spotlight of the Alchemy hop ain't half bad. The taste brings in more of the same, but there's a firm succession of waves of grass throughout the second half, which sorta clashes with the rest of things and ruins what is otherwise a solid little hoppy thing. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a drying finish. Overall, can't say I'm much of a fan here, though it's mostly pretty solid. I'm thinking about blaming the new hop, but I'm unsure if that's the whole story here. Whatever the case, I'm passing in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 19:36:40 | More by TMoney2591

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.71/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A-Pours a clear copper color. Mild head. Barely any lacing.

S-The aroma from the Alchemy hop is unique. It's citrusy and floral like most hops but it has its own little aromatic niche. Accompanying the Alchemy is a sweet, bready malt with caramel nuances.

T-The Alchemy hops are not very intense. I do enjoy their overall flavor though. A floral, dried citrus flavor is how I depict it. The finish is actually just as nice. The long, wet doughyness and sweetness sets in and lingers.

M-Easy drinking with low bitterness and good carbonation. A bit watery.

O/D-Could use a bit more 'oomph'. I did enjoy what it did bring to the table in the end. Alchemy Ale has its own flavor profile and I can see why its a 'take it or leave it sort of flavor'. I'll take Drifter Pale Ale over this any day...I heard this beer is the replacement though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2013 00:56:15 | More by VelvetExtract

vkv822

Oregon

3.66/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz : tulip
bottled on 03/11/13

Pours a clear, coppery orange with a thick, craggy, white head that clings to the glass.

Fruity, citric hops, with a smooth caramel malt backing.

Medium body, mild foamy carbonation.

A well done APA. Fresh, cruity, citric hop profile well balanced with lightly sweet caramel, malts.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 09:04:21 | More by vkv822

smakawhat

Maryland

2.81/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. So this is the Drifter replacement? We shall see how this turns out.

A very crystal clear body, with lots of cola bubbles. Many stick to the sides, and there's also lots that rise very quickly. Head is off white, a little styrofoam consistent, makes three fingers tall and settles though to about two fingers. Sort of mish and mash of really good and bad physical characters.

Nose is odd. Strange, woody pine hop burnt needles, and soily mulch and stinking dirt. Just a bizarre smell of a strange hop angle and not even any malt presence. There's a slightly off pleasing bitterness coming from this.

Palate is just nothing to write home about here. Surprisingly, there is a very simple and nice tolerable sweet biscuity sense and caramel on the aftertaste, but that is nowhere to be found on first sip or in the mid palate. Palate has a hint of wetness but not horribly bad, and not much off putting carbonation either. Unfortunately, there's just nothing going on here, and the subsequent sips bury the malt sweetness with a real distracting hop bitterness that isn't that enjoyable.

Overall, this is a just a dumbed down beer, and not even hop wise, I am talking malt backbone and sweetness. This isn't offensive, unpleasant, or rank (except for maybe smell), it's just lifeless and boring. I'll pass, and if this is a replacement for Drifter, well that's sounds like a real bad direction this brewery is heading. So many better American Pale Ales out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 02:59:18 | More by smakawhat

merc7186

New York

3.1/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into snifter

A: Amber/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Crackers, Mild Floral

T: Crackers, Mildly Floral

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Watery

Overall, Im still trying to figure out the hop character but whatever it is, they didnt use enough of it to warrant a hop flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:24:49 | More by merc7186

Frankinstiener

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm plesantly surprised by this brew. Pours a deep golden color with nice white head. I'm impressed by how clear it is, good looking beer. Nothing too crazy on the nose, a bit of mild earthy hops . This beer is perfectly balanced, tasty, and smooth. Just enough hops to allow a crisp bitterness to barely overtake the caramel malts on the finish. This beer is SMOOTH. It is perfectly balanced. Despite being 5.8% abv I could drink a few of these in a row.

I can't review this beer without mentioning that it replaced Drifter Pale Ale in Widmers year round line up. Drifter is one of my all time favorites. I'm upset that that Drifter is gone and I do prefer the Drifter, but Alchemy can hold it's own. Comparing it to Drifter, this is much more of a typical pale ale but still well done. They are both well balanced but Drifter has a very distinct flavor and aroma from Summit and Nelson hops. They do have some similarities in the malt bill and you get a sweet caramal malt flavor. Looks like they toned down the darker of the Caramel malts used in drifter, then used Alchemy hops all the way around, and likely less total hops. I would bet they are trying to appeal to a wider audience with this one.

The best part about this beer is that it's sooo smooth, and sooo drinkable. I won't be buying case after case of it like Drifter, but at $6.99 a six pack this is still one of the better beers in the price range.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 21:02:45 | More by Frankinstiener

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.59/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Amber/auburn colored liquid, impressive for its hefty appearance and slightly off white head that is almost 1" in depth. Aroma was a unique one in terms of the hop aroma. Alchemy hops you say? Never heard of 'em. Nor had. Smells like Cascades to me.

Taste reveals a grapefruit like bitterness, solid amounts of caramel. Nothing real out of the ordinary. Tastes like a substantial malt, solid cascade hopped india pale ale. Carbonation is high, abv is just right. Solid stuff. There's something else going on, like it has a lager yeast or tea in it. Can't quite pin it down. This beer was shared with me by Freddie from beverages4less. Generous of him, helped me chill out and peruse the selection.

As it warms, the mouthfeel gets a little accustomed to the hops and bitterness, and more and more of the caramel malt flavor comes out. Not much in the way of sweetness, this one is all bitter and caramel, which ends as a smoother moreso than dry finish.

Solid stuff. I imagine I'll buy a 6 pack of it when it officially launches today. Always thought Widmer is some solid mass produced stuff at a great price point.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 22:21:39 | More by Beerandraiderfan

TheFlern

Idaho

3.64/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice sweet smelling and tasting ale. A little big for the taste but it's not bad. Hops meld with the malt for a sweet taste and aroma. Reminds me of lagunitas sucks or stone pale ale in that respect. Not bad but not great. If you've never tried it you might as well but I wouldn't seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

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

KBomb

Minnesota

3.46/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Great, clear copper color capped with a finger of fizzy head that doesn't stay long but still has enough lacing to notice.
Smell is very faint. A little bit of grassy, tea-like hops perhaps, but VERY mild. Could mistake this for water if you didn't pay close attention.
Taste is slightly more interesting. Some toasty, caramel malt provides some sweetness and grain flavor that is satisfying. There's some bittering hop on the finish and a faint note of pine, but mostly just slightly sweet malt.
Mouthfeel is a just a touch on the dry side of average. Has a kind of refreshing character one is looking for in the warmer months.
Alchemy tastes a little like a Vienna Lager mated with an extra light Pale Ale. If the ABV were a little lower it'd be sessionable, but flavor and aroma aren't really exciting enough for its gravity. C+.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 04:06:43 | More by KBomb

mudbug

Oregon

3.91/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the bottle dated Mar 12 13 into a standard pint glass results in a golden body with remarkable clarity topped with a decent bone white head that leaves some lacing as it recedes, small bubbles rise continuously, a very appealing beer.
Aroma is subdued, slight astringent leafy hoppiness, some grain, very clean smelling. not much going on here.
Taste is kind of lagerish with a grain note up front, slightly bitter and dry a tiny bit of malt sweetness creeps in. Nothing stands out but I guess that was what the brewer tried to achieve an incredibly balanced brew that is more on the refreshing side rather than the flavor side, almost no aftertaste.
This would be an excellent choice for a hot summer day and I think straight from the bottle would do almost no harm (GASP!)
Refreshing and easy to drink I can see having more of theses at the BBQ.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 01:07:43 | More by mudbug

csiewert

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a light amber color with one finger of white foamy head that clings very well. Smells of sweet malt, but not very apparent. The taste is malty with a very slight amount of hops. They technically call it an extra pale ale and is brewed with uncommon alchemy and tea make hops. Mouthfeel is smooth and finishes clean. Overall lacking a lot of flavor but a decent beer to try.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2010 21:44:57 | More by csiewert