Anchor Humming Ale Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Humming Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9% | IBUs: 65
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass
Anchor's newest seasonal, Humming Ale hit the package market back in 2010 and slots in as the fall seasonal. Fall beers are usually pumpkin related or malty, so it's always nice to see something that bucks the trend like this American Pale Ale.

Humming is actually a well-established beer term with ancient roots. Instead of a specific style, it refers to a strong, effervescent beer with plenty of character, or just a damn good pint.

As for construction of this particular brew, Humming is built with Two-Row Pale malt and is hopped and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops. Nelson Sauvin is a relatively new variety (developed in 2000) out of New Zealand with a fruity profile and can be used for bittering, flavor, and aroma.

Anchor is rather spare with the language when it comes to describing Humming, saying only that it is:

[B]old, frothy, effervescent ale, with hints of citrus.

Perhaps it speaks for itself. Let's get cracking and see if this is is really a humming brew.

Appearance: A golden body capped by two fingers of creamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves great patchy lacing.

Aroma: Lightly spicy and citrusy hops over a mild biscuity malt body.

Taste: Very similar to what the nosed promised, the profile is composed of juicy, delicately spicy, and moderately bitter hops over a calm biscuity malt backbone. Everything is balanced excellently. Husky grain and lingering bitter hops in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and a little creamy with medium carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: Supremely drinkable, Humming is a great accompaniment to an early fall evening.

Verdict: A new Anchor beer is always something to look forward to, and Humming Ale doesn’t disappoint. It has all of the trademark deceptive simplicity, drinkability, balance, and craftsmanship you’ve come to expect from Fritz and the gang.

Grade: A-

Note: While this review is being published in winter, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in fall.

Anchor Liberty Ale Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Liberty Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9% | IBUs: ~45
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Originally brewed in 1975 to commemorate the bicentennial of Paul Revere's ride, Anchor's Liberty Ale is one of the American beer landscape's most important forefathers. Looking at a beer shelf today it might be hard to imagine, but back when Fritz and company first brewed up Liberty, there were simply no hoppy beers on the American market. This was it.

Not only was it the first hoppy American beer since prohibition, it was also the first single-hop beer and the first dry-hopped beer since the dark days as well. Truly revolutionary stuff here.

Anchor call Liberty an IPA, and it may well have been back when it was new, the market has moved on a little since the mid-70's. Therefore, I'm listing it as an American Pale Ale. I'm not alone in this, as its listed as an APA on virtually every beer site out there.

The ingredient list is about as stripped down and simple as possible, with Anchor only claiming Two-Row Pale malt and fresh whole-cone Cascade hops. Certainly can't get much more pure than that.

Here's how they describe the finished product:

The champagne-like bubbles, distinctive hop bouquet, and balanced character of Liberty Ale revives centuries-old ale brewing traditions that are now more relevant than ever.

So, how will the first hoppy modern American beer hold up now that hops are more prevalent than ever? Let's find out.

Appearance: A slightly hazy golden-amber body capped by two fingers of creamy whitish head that feature terrific retention and lacing.

Aroma: Bright, fresh, citrusy, and floral hops over a slightly grainy caramel malt body—I can already tell this is going to be solid.

Taste: Up front, a wave of brassy and somewhat juicy citric hops lead the way. Underneath, there’s an understated biscuity malt backbone keeping everything in check. The end result is a well balanced English-style Pale Ale with some extra American-style bite. Leafy bitterness and biscuity grain in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and slightly creamy with smooth carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: A perfect session choice, this is a beer that aches for repetition.

Verdict: Back in the dark days, I’m sure it took a pretty exceptional beer to get people back into drinking the hoppy stuff. Liberty obviously fit the bill back then, and is still a mighty tasty brew today. Despite the massive changes this beer has seen in it's 35+ years, it holds up beautifully. Respect your elders.

Grade: A

Full Sail Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Full Sail Brewing Co. | Beer: Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.4% | IBUs: 37
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Earlier today, we tried out one of Full Sail's core brews: their IPA. Now, it's time for another of those core brews, the Pale Ale. They're pretty proud of this one, describing it on their site as "the godlike nectar that is our Pale Ale." They also play up the concept of balance, which bodes well for the liquid in the bottle.

Full Sail keeps the the hop bill a secret for some reason, but does mention the malt bill consists of Two-Row Pale and Crystal. Anyway, here's how they describe the resulting brew.

Our Pale Ale has a fresh, hoppy aroma that comes from two (top secret) Northwest hop varieties, while two-row Pale and Crystal malt give it a mild sweetness that finishes clean and crisp.

Well, let's see if it's truly godlike, or a little more agnostic.

Appearance: A crystal-clear, golden-amber body with a finger of off-white head that features decent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Spicy, herbal, and nicely citrusy hops over toasty malt. The hops definitely have Pacific Northwest character.

Taste: It follows the aroma perfectly. Those citrusy and herbal Pacific NW hops on top of toasted caramel malt. The malt backbone is more than strong enough to match the hops, making it a balanced proposition. An herbal and toasty aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with good carbonation and a dry finish.

Drinkability: With mild flavor, alcohol and mouthfeel, this is rather sessionable.

Verdict: While Full Sail Pale Ale may not be the most exciting Pale on the shelves, it certainly works. Overall, this seems like a nice combination of an English Pale Ale with a good dash of Pacific Northwest hop character thrown in.

Grade: B

Deschutes Red Chair NW Pale Ale

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery | Beer: Red Chair NW Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 6.2% | IBUs: 60
Serving Method: 22 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Originally known as Red Chair IPA, Deschutes' spring seasonal beer is now listed as an American Pale Ale and known as Red Chair NW Pale Ale. It's a move I support, as upon first sampling the beer when it was a special-release bomber, I felt it was much closer to an APA than an IPA.

Anyway, name and style aside, let's get into the nitty-gritty. The backbone consist of Northwest Two-Row Pale, Crystal, Carastan, Carapils, Munich, and Pilsener malts, while the hop bill is made up of Cascade and Centennial varieties. Deschutes describe the resulting brew as having "the citrus punch of a big IPA, minus the one-dimensional hop sledgehammer."

Sounds like a winner, lets dig in.

Appearance: A slightly hazy, rich red-orange body capped by over two fingers of creamy, off-white head that features fantastic retention and lacing.

Aroma: Bright, citrusy and piney hops over a caramel malt base.

Taste: Up front, lots of bright hops with citrus, pineapple, pine, and herbal notes. The hops are bold, but not overly bitter. Underneath, there's a biscuity caramel malt backbone keeping everything decently balanced. Just a mild hint of alcohol towards the end leading to a mildly bitter and biscuity finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with good carbonation and a dry finish.

Drinkability: The 22 ounce bottle disappears quickly, making this a great session beer.

Verdict: Red Chair is a very tasty and sessionable brew, another in a long line of impressive beers from Deschutes. I totally agree that this slots into the APA category better than it does with the IPA category, but at the end of the day it's just the same great beer.

Grade: A-

Independence Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Independence Brewing Co. | Beer: Independence Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.5% | IBUs: 39
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

It's time to check in with Austin's Independence Brewing Company again. This time, we're trying their Independence Pale Ale. That makes its full name "Independence Independence Pale Ale", which appears to be one of those self-titled album situations.

Anyway, the beer is an American Pale Ale and was apparently inspired by the unlikely heroes of Texas, hence the beautiful label art featuring Angelina Eberly. The backbone is built from Two-Row Pale and 20° Caramel malt varieties, Horizon hops are used for bittering, Cascade and Saaz hops are used for dry-hopping, and the whole thing is brought to life by American Ale yeast.

Independence describe the finished product as "bright, bold, and hoppy [with] a distinctive citrus aroma and clean, hoppy finish." Sounds right to me, let's crack it open.

Appearance: A somewhat hazy orange body with a finger of off-white head that leavers decent lacing.

Aroma: Mild, citrusy and somewhat grassy hops over caramel malt. A little thin, but appetizing.

Taste: Very similar. The same hop profile (though more intense) over a solid, biscuity malt backbone keeps everything balanced. There's a hoppy aftertaste, stronger than I expected, that is certainly welcome.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and refreshing with ample carbonation.

Drinkability: Very quaffable, as you'd expect from a Pale Ale.

Verdict: Independence is a very drinkable, straightforward Pale Ale. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it will work perfectly for a session. I would prefer the hops to be cranked up just a little bit, but then I'm a certified hophead, so I could say that about most beers. Mild and inoffensive, this makes a great "gateway beer" to turn someone onto craft beer.

Grade: B+

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery | Beer: Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.0% | IBUs: 40
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Founded as a small brewpub in downtown Bend, Oregon back in 1988 by Gary Fish, Deschutes has grown into one of the most talked about breweries in the country. Known best for their big beers like The Abyss, Black Butte XXI, and Mirror Mirror, the company also has a very full protfolio of year-round and seasonal brews.

To start off, I decided to go with their most popular beer: Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Described by the brewery as "the definitive American Pale Ale," Mirror Pond goes through four hop additional during the boil and a round of dry-hopping after. They only mention Cascade hops in their marketing, so I'm unsure what (if any) other varieties are used. As for the backbone, Deschutes mention they use Crystal malts to offset the hops for a solidly balanced beer.

I love a nicely balanced Cascade-driven Pale Ale, so let's get to it.

Appearance: A slightly hazy, pumpkin-colored body. On top, a finger and a half of off-white creamy head featuring excellent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Floral and citrusy Cascade hops over a solid caramel malt base. Classic American Pale Ale all the way.

Taste: A wave of Cascade hops in the front, a little more grapefruity then in the nose. Underneath, a sold caramel malt backbone keeps everything well balanced. Sure, I'd love to see more focus on the hops, but I suppose that's what IPAs are for. The aftertaste retains the balance, with equal doses of bitterness and sweet malt.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. It gets a little watery in the finish, limiting the aftertaste's strength a bit.

Drinkability: This is an easy drinking beer, just what you want from a Pale Ale.

Verdict: Mirror Pond is a great example of the American Pale Ale style. While not the most complex beer out there, this does make for a very solid session beer. I can't wait to see what these guys are cooking as far as IPAs and Double IPAs go.

Grade: B+

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Beer: Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.6%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

One of the key beers in the American craft-brewing movement, and the flagship brew of one of it's most iconic brewers, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is one of the most important beers on the shelf today. It has served as a gateway beer for many budding hopheads and as the savior of many forced to buy their beer from countless grocery stores and gas stations. It even helped define its own style, the American Pale Ale.

Sierra Nevada describe their Pale Ale as a "delightful interpretation of a classic style [with] a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character." The malt backbone is composed of Two-Row Pale & Caramel varieties, Magnum & Perle hop varieties are used for bittering, and Cascade hops are used for dry-hoping. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has won countless awards, including seven gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival.

Appearance: A clear, brilliant golden orange body with millions of particles suspended within. On top, a bubbly white head that leaves above average lacing.

Aroma: Gloriously bright, citrusy Cascade hops over a sweet malt backbone. Mouthwatering, to say the least.

Taste: Decently bitter Cascades up front, in just the right proportion for a Pale Ale. A solid caramel-biscuity malt base keeps everything in perfect balance. Little hints of booze from time to time. Near perfect proportions.

Mouthfeel: A medium body with moderate carbonation. Very refreshing.

Drinkability: Amazingly quaffable, I could run through a six-pack of this without even realizing it.

Verdict: Simply brilliant and perfectly balanced, there's no wonder why this has become the classic American Pale Ale. Like Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is one of the great forefathers of the American craft-brew world that still holds up to anything brewed today.

Grade: A

Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Southern Star Brewing Co. | Beer: Pine Belt Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 6.3%
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into pint glass

I've written about buying local beer before, back when I named Saint Arnold my "local brewery." Well, I've found something even closer. According to Google Maps, Southern Star Brewing Company is located a scant ten miles from my front door, a couple minutes up Interstate-45 in Conroe, Texas. Besides my homebrews, I don't think I can get much more local than that.

The company's signature brew, and the only one available in a non-keg format so far, is Pine Belt Pale Ale. The format is 16oz. cans, the style is American Pale Ale, and the name is derived from the Pine Belt area here in Southern Texas. It's backbone is composed of Rahr Special Pale, Simpsons 30-37, and Crisp 45 malt varieties; while bitterness is provided by Sorachi Ace, Galena, CTZ, and Palisades hop varieties. The yeast strain used is California Ale. The beer is not filtered or pasteurized, so the motto on the can, "Clarity is overrated," really fits.

Appearance: Pours a gloriously hazy honey body with a brilliant bubbly tannish head that leaves great lacing. In a couple of the glasses I enjoyed I found a lot of strange sediment, almost like tornado-shaped drops of oil in water, when I held my glass up to the light (see for yourself below). As I made my way through the beer, it ended up mellowing into a general coarse haziness.

Aroma: Very Cascade-like notes of orange peel and grapefruit from the hops with a solid brown sugary pale malt baseline.

Taste: Mildly bitter and piney hops lead the way with lots of caramely, slightly biscuity, pale malt underneath. Somewhat fruity. There's a lot of malt here for a Pale Ale, but everything tastes good together. Not tasting much of that 6.3% ABV advertised on the can.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with average carbonation. Dries a little in the finish.

Drinkability: Excellent drinkability, quite a thirst quencher. Just watch out for the 6.3% alcohol content, as smooth as this goes down it can sneak up on you.

Verdict: To be honest, when I saw beer from Conroe in my local beer shop, I was excited, yet skeptical. But I'm happy to report that this beer is not only decent, but actually pretty damn good. They've crafted a very solid and balanced, somewhat malty, APA that drinks exceptionally well. I'll have to make the arduous ten minute journey up the road to tour the brewery sometime very soon.

Grade: A

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Oskar Blues Brewery | Beer: Dale's Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 6.5%
Serving Method: 12 oz. can poured into pint glass

The first thing you notice about Dale's Pale Ale is its very plain looking red-white-and-blue can that looks more like a 70's macro than a cutting-edge craft-brew. I'm not about to start judging beer on it's packaging any time soon. In fact, a lot of the time I've found a plain label can be a statement of confidence in the product itself. And after enjoying another Oskar Blues offering, Old Chub, so much, I have some pretty high hopes for Dale's and the other OB beers showing up in shops here in Houston (and my fridge): Ten Fidy and Gordon.

Dale's Pale Ale is Oskar Blues' flagship beer, and, according to them, America's first hand-canned craft beer. Its racked up a number of mentions and awards from many mainstream publications including The New York Times, Details, & Men's Journal. A heaping post-boil addition of Centennial hops pushes this beer into an area that the brewer calls "somewhere between an American Pale Ale and an India Pale Ale." The can chimes in describing the brew as "a huge, voluminously hopped mutha of a Pale Ale." Well, one thing I'm going to be expecting inside this can is a decent amount of hops.

Appearance: A hazy, yet bubbly, carrot-orange body with a one-finger, white head that leaves good lacing.

Aroma: The can didn't lie, this is one heavily-hopped beer. The hops slap you in the face well before you even start pouring the beer into the glass. Grapefruit dominates in the hop department, with orange-peel and pine bringing in the rear. As for malt, there isn't much shining through. This really seems more like an IPA than a Pale Ale.

Taste: Very bitter, citrusy hops off the bat. Grapefruit is still very much the focus, with the pine and orange-peel only slightly more prominent than before. The malt isn't completely choked out by the hops, and has a clean, caramel character. I would have liked to see just a little more of a balance between the hops and malt here, but these hops are good enough to make up for it. The aftertaste is decidedly bitter and, at times, a little soapy.

Mouthfeel: Sticky and medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. The pleasantly bitter aftertaste lingers a long time.

Drinkability: Due to the bitter character and moderately-high 6.5% ABV, only committed hopheads are going to be chugging this all night long. However, this is certainly an easily drinkable beer for anyone who isn't allergic to hops.

Verdict: Dale's is certainly no slouch, but it's lacking just a little bit of malt to be perfectly balanced. To me, and apparently Oskar Blues themselves, Dale's clocks in somewhere between an IPA and an APA. One thing I can say for sure though, this is the hoppiest canned brew I've ever encountered, and that has to count for something.

Grade: A-

Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery | Beer: Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.5%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Here we have Flying Dog's flagship beer, Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale. American Pale Ales are known to be hoppier and dryer than their English counterparts. Doggie Style is no different according to the brewer, as it's "dry hopped during fermentation with shit loads of Cascade hops." A shit load, of course, being a standard measurement in the Flying Dog organization. Cascade hops, an American creation, are known for their mild bitterness and floral-citrus profile.

The label features another apeshit painting by the great Ralph Steadman and a brilliant quote by his associate Hunter S. Thompson: "Good people drink good beer." I couldn't agree more, doc. It also advertises this beer as so good, "you'll lap it up like your hound laps up toilet water." Apparently, someone out there agrees, as Doggie Style has won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival: a gold in 1991 for Pale Ale and a silver in 1999 for Classic English-Style Pale Ale.

Appearance: Rich orange body with brilliant yellow highlights. Topped with an off-white, creamy head that measures two fingers and leaves decent lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy and floral Cascade hops in full effect, with biscuity malt right behind. As you'd expect, this is very similar to the brewery's IPA, Snake Dog, but with a less pronounced hop aroma.

Taste: Intense Cascade hops dominate at first. Not especially bitter, the taste is classic Cascade: clean, piney, citrusy and bright. Underneath all of the hops lies a biscuity caramel malt base. These two elements are brilliantly balanced; while the hops are intense, they are never too much for the malt. Unfortunately, like other beers in the Flying Dog stable, the taste is just a little thin. One notch more on the intensity scale, and this might be perfect.

Mouthfeel: Dry, with a medium-light body and light carbonation, this is spot on for the style. The aftertaste continues the pleasant balance, being both bitter and malty.

Drinkability: Despite having a "shit load" of hops, this beer is not so bitter that it impedes drinkability. In fact, this is a very easy to drink beer, providing you don't completely, totally hate hops.

Verdict: With true-to-style aroma, flavors, and mouthfeel, Doggie Style is a fine example of American Pale Ale. And if you happen to love Cascade hops (like I do), you're in for a real treat.

Grade: A-

Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Boston Brewing Co. | Beer: Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale | ABV: 5.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The Boston Brewing Company, being one of the biggest success stories in craft brewing, takes the art of brewing pretty seriously. A big part of their brand image is the attitude that the company really cares about everyone out there making great beer, including homebrewers. To back this spirit up, every year the company holds a homebrew contest for their employees and the public, with two winners (one from each group) having their concoctions distributed across the country. Click here to watch a cool video the company put together about The American Homebrew Contest.

This review is about the 2007 winner from the employee category, Lili Hess' Grape Pale Ale. The bottle advertises this as an "ale brewed with natural grape flavor and maple syrup added." Well, you certainly have to give Lili points for originality here. In her own words, "It's like you are drinking a pale ale after biting into a fresh green seedless grape." Sounds fun.

Appearance: Rich amber color with a decent off-white head that leaves quite a good amount of lacing

Aroma: Almost smells like a malty apple cider, there's some real brown sugar sweetness lurking here

Taste: A lot more malty than I had expected, it's sweet with some nice tart crispness to balance it all out. I'm getting some fruit, but I can't decide if it's grapes that are coming through though (is it green apples I'm tasting?)

Mouthfeel: Well balanced carbonation with a decidedly light body

Drinkability: Goes down nice and easy, this is a beer in the middle of the spectrum

Verdict: A well balanced malty Pale Ale with a unique twist of sweet fruit. I really love Boston Brewing for putting on this contest, it's a great public service to the world of homebrewing and beer in general. Quite a unusual little beer, Lili Hess' Grape Pale Ale is a worthy winning recipe, athough I bet not everyone would agree with me...

Grade: B