Beer of the Weekend #357: U.S. Pale Ale
The proper beer of the weekend is a little something I picked out especially for this Memorial Day weekend: U.S. Pale Ale, brewed by the Capital Brewery of Middleton, Wisconsin.
I could have bought a lot of other things but thought U.S.PA was fitting — especially since the front label says “Disarmingly drinkable.” When I saw that I knew it was meant to be.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. There is a batch code printed on the neck but no freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is half copper, half straw; it is light amber, basically. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated quickly to leave a thin lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: A semi-sweet mixture of pale and lightly toasted malts. There is a lot of sweet caramel and a little cocoa. There may also be some adjunct grain in there, too, as well as a little grapefruit or tangerine citrus. It is definitely not a bombastic, hop bomb.
Taste: It is a weak and even balance between the sweet/pale malts and the hops I was expecting from the smell. Caramel and light grapefruit/tangerine citrus. It leaves a light, bitter aftertaste coating the mouth after each sip. As it continues to warm, though, the hops become much more prominent and drastically change my opinion of the beer.
Drinkability: It is a decent little brew. It is not big or bombastic, but adequate.
Fun facts about U.S.PA:
-Style: Both the brewer and BA classifies it as American pale ale.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Pan Asian cuisine, earthy cheeses, nutty cheeses, tangy cheeses (like BRICK!), salad, and poultry.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
I could have bought a lot of other things but thought U.S.PA was fitting — especially since the front label says “Disarmingly drinkable.” When I saw that I knew it was meant to be.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. There is a batch code printed on the neck but no freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is half copper, half straw; it is light amber, basically. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated quickly to leave a thin lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: A semi-sweet mixture of pale and lightly toasted malts. There is a lot of sweet caramel and a little cocoa. There may also be some adjunct grain in there, too, as well as a little grapefruit or tangerine citrus. It is definitely not a bombastic, hop bomb.
Taste: It is a weak and even balance between the sweet/pale malts and the hops I was expecting from the smell. Caramel and light grapefruit/tangerine citrus. It leaves a light, bitter aftertaste coating the mouth after each sip. As it continues to warm, though, the hops become much more prominent and drastically change my opinion of the beer.
Drinkability: It is a decent little brew. It is not big or bombastic, but adequate.
Fun facts about U.S.PA:
-Style: Both the brewer and BA classifies it as American pale ale.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Pan Asian cuisine, earthy cheeses, nutty cheeses, tangy cheeses (like BRICK!), salad, and poultry.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
