Fresh Hop Pale Ale
22oz bottle (bottled 9/29/09) received as winnings in the SNF squares BIF from kiltedtxn. Thanks. Poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass. A - Pours a bright amber orange with a thick finger of cream colored head on top. Crystal clear - easily can see right thru this one. Head has excellent staying power, probably helped by the steady stream of bubbles coming off of the laser etching at the bottom of the glass. Good looking pale ale. S - Rich and citrusy. Lots of oranges and grapefruit up front with notes of cut grass and some tropical fruits. A touch of pine in the background. Some sweet and slightly caramelly malt blends and balances nicely. T - Nice and bitter first impression. Grapefruit is up front and stays throughout. Bitterness turns a bit and ends up being a bit medicinal like. The overall fruitiness in the nose is not really present in the flavor. A bit of bready/biscuity malt appears as the beer warms up a little. Overall, an enjoyable beer, but the somewhat harsh medicine bitterness detracts overall. M - Medium body, perhaps a bit on the thin side. Carbonation is moderate as well. Bitterness coats the mouth entirely and just stays there forever...way after the last swallow, this one leaves something to remember. D - The medicinal bitterness detracts from the drinkability of this one. This is about 4 months old, so maybe some of the fresh hop goodness has left this one. Not a bad beer, but one bomber is plenty. It's going down without any problem...I just wish it was a little bit smoother on the hop character.