Seneca Pale Ale
A very pleasing PA leaning strongly on the IPA side. (Review from a fresh growler) Presentation: 16 Oz. draft offering on the brew pub. Menu offers a short description about a balanced brew, warning that this assertively hoppy brew is a bit more bitter and aromatic than an American style ale. Alc. by Vol. noted at 6.3%. Served in a tulip glass. A - Medium amber color with a generous head. Good lacing over a foamy layer and ring. Later servings from the grower show quickly the loss of carbonation in an agonizing lack of foam. But the early pours in a different glassware do improve the appearance quite a bit. S - Resiny feel and citrus freshness. T - It's a differing kind of balance, nice hop resins, grapefruit and a gentle but not that rich malt backbone doing enough to hold the brew but not making itself felt much. M - Smooth and medium bodied with good but not overwhelming carbonation. Like most growler experiences there might be a loss of carbonation as one goes though and while the early servings keep the essence rather well, overnight it went almost flat rendering the ale quite lifeless. D - Very drinkable and stimulating in the same league of some reference IPAs and assertive PAs. Notes: Worth the growler, but be user error, the vessel or the brew itself it did not hold very well for 24 hours but rather for 12. Still a worth catch. Rest of notes remain the same as in the draft version. Not only there was little worth calling pale in this brew, but it seemed that in terms of style it should switch places with the one offered labeled as an IPA, which is the far more nuanced and maybe balanced brew. This one was a rather tasty and pleasing IPA, or PA leaning heavily on the IPA side. For me it wasn't even a borderline decision, but this wasn't a troublesome choice, quite the contrary, being by far the most pleasing brew from Growlers.