Edenton Horniblow's Tavern American Ale
Edenton Brewing Company

Edenton Horniblow's Tavern American AleEdenton Horniblow's Tavern American Ale
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From:
Edenton Brewing Company
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
7.1%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 10.62%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
40
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 22, 2012
Added:
Mar 21, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by mortarit:
Photo of mortarit
Reviewed by mortarit from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Keep in mind that I am in NC so were still at 6.0 ABV.
This beer is at 5.9.
I came across this beer by accident and lucky for me I think I am changing my fav. this one.
This American Ale is really doing it for me.

I have had this in the bottle but I went to the brewery to buy the growler today.

The color is really clear amber.

Head came and went, which isn't a big deal to me.

Taste is full and refreshing.
If I had my choice I would choose the bottle format.

I am learning more about rating these beers.

Bear with me, I want to create a template so it would be easier for me critique.

Anyway one of the better beers that NC has to offer.
May 09, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by carrollmel7 from North Carolina

May 22, 2012
Photo of eballard
Reviewed by eballard from Washington

3.77/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This beer poured a cloudy amber brown color with a slightly off white head that stuck around. It has a malt sweet bread kind of smell with not a lot of hops aroma. It is a sweet smell that really is inviting. It has a bitter hops taste with a nice balance from the sweet malts that you could smell so clearly. It has a nice bite to it but in all it is well rounded. It has a heavy feel that slides down your mouth. It has a lingering taste coating the back of your mouth with a bit of a hops spice. It all this beer goes down smooth and has a nice taste. It’s not the most wonderful American Ale I’ve had but if you have the chance give it a try.
Aug 28, 2007
Photo of tastybeer
Reviewed by tastybeer from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Nice looking hazy amber glow, especially when held to the light. Head has that tight oily, soapy hop look to it too. The lace seems too wet to stick a whole lot, but there are some spotty bits. Nose is soft, but full, with a fully British malty smell and just enough hops to balance it. Taste is pretty good too. The hop types in this are pretty good and nicely appropriate. I think they got the aroma hops and the bittering hops close to right on, but they need to get the flavor hops going more to stand up to the nice malts. Good but could be even better. Mouthfeel is very pleasing and body is suprisingly full for the style (though not for the maltiness). There's a good texture too and the drinkability flows.

A good call, and more so if you're looking for an English beer. Nice fullish-meduim body, which I tend to always prefer even in pale ales.
Nov 02, 2006
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Reviewed by WeisGuy from New York

3.77/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
a - pours a deep copper color, smallish off-white head with little retention, not much lacing, some sediment/slightly hazy

s - good balance between floral hops and toasty malt in the smell, slight hint of alcohol as well

t - very sweet up front with maltiness, pronounced hoppy bitterness on the finish with a trace of alcohol, I'm not sure what kind of hops were used in this brew, but it is quite distinct from most other other APAs I've had

m - moderate carbonation, light-to-medium bodied, finish not too dry

d - could be a session beer if it was slightly lower on the abv, but the alchol really isn't that evident

I'm glad I tried this offering from the local brewery. I guess I had a little higher expectations because I love Edenton's Big Boss IPA so much. This is a decent pale ale, but I certainly wouldn't pass over Big Boss for it.
Oct 26, 2006
Photo of ByTor2112
Reviewed by ByTor2112 from North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured an almost copper color. I was drinking from my solid ceramic pint glass so it was hard to tell. Thin head with some lacing. Sweet aroma with mild hops. First taste is malty sweetness with a nice caramel flavor, then gives a sharp bitter finish. Usually the other way around going from hop bitter to malt sweet. A good froth intesifies the hops. It did not taste like a 7% alcohol brew. Very tasty and I am glad I got the Edenton sampler case!
Oct 25, 2006
Photo of daliandragon
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
They advertise this APA on the label as an "English style ale". Somewhere there's been something missing in translation. Cloudy maroon body with minimal head. Nose has wisps of yeast alongside a solid sweet malt backround and copious broad hoppy hints.

Dry, refreshing taste with well balanced taste and bitter character. Metallic notes in the aftertaste mar an otherwise natural tasting beer. Maybe the water is a little brackish.. Handsome lacing adds a half point.

I can see this under the right conditions but wouldn't swim the Atlantic for it.. A bit more cloying and inauthentic tasting when compared to a classic English Ale and not quite hop driven enough to be a true APA, this is a decent mystery beer. Will try again.
Sep 04, 2006
Photo of veech
Reviewed by veech from Tennessee

4.32/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I didn't have big expectations for this beer, but very pleasantly surprised. This was a very well rounded, enjoyable ale that was bigger in its flavor profile than I expected. Complex flavors and aromas throughout with a clean finish and crisp aftertaste. This is extremely quaffable and I will seek this stuff out on my next trip to Raleigh.
Sep 04, 2006
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.61/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a hazy nedium apricor color with attractive white puffy head. Nice lacing as the glass slowly was emptied. Smell is a bit xstrange and not overly pleasant. (All of Edenton's ales seem to have the same smell, somewhat like an off herbal scent) Taste is much ore enjoyable than the smell with a nice frim maltiness balanced dy a light bitterness. Finishes nice and dry with the hops taking the lead from the malt. Very drinkable, but nothing spectactular.
Aug 19, 2006
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. No freshness date. Pours a slightly hazy dark burnt orange color with a small, off white head and has nice retention.

Aroma is deep caramel malts and a chewy bready aroma. Smells like a meal. Not a whole lot of hop aroma here. Maybe a touch of low alpha hops. Not quite as hoppy as other APA I have had so far. But I really love this aroma.

Hops do come out in the taste. Fairly bitter, but not overly. A very nice balance in the bitter hops and the somewhat sweet malt body. Distinct biscuit and caramel with a touch of fruitiness. A great tasting beer if you ask me.

Mouthfeel is a nice medium body. Really fills the senses and coats the mouth. Nice and chewy. Again, unlike other APA. The hops do linger around for a while in the back, as if observing everything. This is an extremely drinkable beer. Not really inclined tgo give 5's in anything, but this is a wonderful beer in the drinkability category. My first taste of Edenton, but I likes whats I sees! I bought a mixed case of six beers with four samples of each. Cant wait to bite into the other five.
Jul 28, 2006
Photo of rtratzlaff
Reviewed by rtratzlaff from North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
This beer was a golden amber beer with a nice billowing head that left the most lacing down a glass that I have ever seen. The smell was hops and a good amount of malt. The taste was very similar to their IPA in hop character. Mouthfeel was medium. Drinkability was pretty darn good.
Jul 02, 2006
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Reviewed by rodrot from North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer poured a reddish amber color with a small 1/4 inch head that went away after a few minutes. Aroma was sweet and malty with some winey notes in the nose. Hop aroma was in the backround. Taste was primarily malty and caramelly with some fruity flavors of cherry and citrus mixing in. The beer had a light-medium body and was very quaffable. I was surprised to see an ABV of 7.1% printed on the label. Overall, this was a pretty tasty beer that reminded me more of a stock ale than an APA. My taste buds did not detect the hop character that APAs are known for. A solid offering from Edenton Brewing.
Jun 26, 2006
Photo of sabrills70
Reviewed by sabrills70 from North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle with no freshness date present. Pours a hazy amber withlots of suspended sediment, a huge head and very pretty lace. Lots of citrus smells but not a huge hop boquet. Fruity and a hint of vanilla. Citrus hop flavors are clearly evident but decently balanced with a fair amount of caramel malts. Good APA hoppiness, but maltier than expected - it really works nice in this case though. A good beer that fits nicely into the Edenton family.
Feb 19, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

--Abraham Lincoln


Initially murky, speckled apricot with pale tangerine trim. The head is somewhere between dark cream and light ecru, with a creamyfirm solidity that promotes longevity and a stickiness that results in a pretty impressive lace display. This is a serious looking APA that could easily be mistaken for an IPA.

After learning of the hop bill (Cascade, Centennial, Columbus), I expected truly great things. Although the nose isn't what I'd call great, and doesn't do that murderer's row of hops justice, this is still an enjoyable sniffer that says 'American APA, take it or leave it'. I'll take it.

There's no doubt that Horniblow's Tavern is a robust APA. Even though there are more hops present than in most beer of this style, I'd still never confuse it with an IPA. There's more caramel malt than I usually like, with the result being a diminution in the brightness of the hops. Hopheads will still rejoice, but the (borderline harsh) bitterness may put off the casual drinker. Alpha acids on parade.

I'll finding that I like the beer better as it warms. The rough edges that were present at 50 degrees have been softened to some extent at an estimated 60 degrees. I'm now able to appreciate the white grapefruit pithy and orange fruity flavor. I'm delighted by all the hoppiness and now can't wait to crack open the Big Boss.

The finish is lingeringly bitter and features white grapefruit echoes seemingly without end. Like the rest of the beer, the mouthfeel is generous for the style. It's a good thing too; any lighter and the flavor profile wouldn't have been able to be appreciated in its full glory.

I'll have to check, but I believe that Horniblow's Tavern American Ale is my favorite Edenton beer to date. No surprise that it's also the biggest and the hoppiest. If my local tavern had this stuff on-tap, I'd be a happy man. North Carolinians should be proud of this one.
Jan 27, 2006
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Reviewed by buckiflyer from North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 ounce bottle an oranish copper color. Massive white fluffy head full bottle did not fit into pint glass in one pour. Interesting citrus and spice smell. Lacing throughout, with heavy carbination. Interesting spice and citrus taste, not the hoppy finish I antcipated. Does not seem to be a true APA? I have enjoyed the beer on draft at the brewery and it seemed to taste different, then again I was sampling many of their offerings at the time.
Jan 05, 2006
Photo of RBorsato
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia

2/5  rDev -48.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Hazy golden color with a full light beige head, very active carbonation, and lots of suspended sediment. Oxidized/Infected peppery aroma and flavor -- very much like Yard's TJ's Tavern Ale. Medium bodied but seems light due to overcarbonation.

Sorry Edenton -- Talk to your distributors about old brews (assuming it's old based on the bottle codes below) or bone up on the Quality Assurance.

Per EBC website: 5.9% ABV
Pilsner and Caramel malts.
Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus hops.

'3263' lasered on bottom ('03' emb on bottom)
Tasted: 12/25/05
Dec 28, 2005
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12oz bottle from hoppedup as part of the East Coast 6-Pack & Shirt BIF. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" beige head above the slightly cloudy light copper brew. Head fades slowly, with hearty, sticky lacing. Aroma is balanced fruity hops and grain. Taste is spicy bread with a light hoppy close. The somewhat strong spicing made me think of winter warmer, not APA. Mouthfeel and drinkability are not bad, smooth, but dominated by the spiciness and bitter close, which knocked things down a bit. Not a bad beer, just not what I was looking for here.
Dec 25, 2005
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Reviewed by blackie from Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
appearance: The pour into my imperial pint glass creates a .3" off white head that gradually recedes until only a thin layer of bubbles is left. The beer is a lighter copper color.

smell: Moderate malt sweetness, light tropical fruits, and a fresh, green, big hop aroma. Nice.

mouthfeel: Carbonation is slightly less than medium and the body is a light medium.

taste: Nice, lightly fruity malt sweetness up front. The hop flavor and bitterness kicks in almost immediately to balance it out. The finish is of a lingering bitterness.

drinkability: tasty and drinkable
Dec 16, 2005
Photo of JISurfer
Reviewed by JISurfer from Utah

4.11/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Big thanks to fellow BA, silver0rlead, for this one.

The head on this beast was crazy! It was super thick, with a pillowy/fluffy texture, similar to a cloud. When it flattened out, it was still fairly thick and lasted the whole time. This is easily one of the best heads I've seen in quite a while. The smell was pretty impressive as well. It had hints of melon fruits, some spices, oakiness, some malts, and faint hops. One of the impressive things, was that there was hardly a hint of alcohol in the smell. The taste was just as complex. The melons were a bit more upfront and pungent, with the spices and oakiness not far behind. Again, the alcohol is hardly detectable, which makes this a very dangerous beer. This beer was very exciting and left me wanting more. I'm not a big fan of melons, but this beer somehow changed my view on them. If you can get your hands on this one, definately give it a shot. It's worth every cent.
Dec 07, 2005
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Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Thanks to AlexJ for this one...my second offering from Edenton.
Pours a bright worn copper color w/ a full finger of bright white head...sticks around for a minute or so with a very thin layer remaining.
Faint aroma...sweet malt with some floral hops and just a touch of spice in the end.
The taste is decent...a touch more of the hops in the flavor than in the nose. A bit unbalanced, as the malt is a bit on the light side...but the bitterness in the finish makes it enjoyable enough.
Medium bodied mouthfeel and the alcohol is very well hidden...surprised to see the abv is over 7%.
I would enjoy this pint and gradually reach for something with a bit more to offer...still glad to have the chance to try another one from EBC.
Nov 04, 2005
Edenton Horniblow's Tavern American Ale from Edenton Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 40 ratings