Beer of the Weekend #511: Tallgrass Pub Ale

Whoa. Another Quiet Man flash drought. I have barely touched a custom sixer I bought at John’s last week and my next LV recommendation is due a week from today. Yikes. I need to start drinking.

The beer tonight is Pub Ale, brewed by the Tallgrass Brewing Company of Manhattan, Kansas.


Serving type: 16-ounce can. The “DRINK BY” date printed on the bottom of the can is “10/12/13.” Good thing I am drinking this tonight.

Appearance: Served in a nonic pint glass. The color is clear mahogany. Two fingers of dense, buttery, tan-tinted head settled slowly and unevenly.

Smell: The aroma is subdued and light but offers quite a few characters. Toasted malts, dark chocolate, butterscotch, a little caramel and toffee, raspberry, plum, and both maple and dark cherry syrup.

Taste: The mouthfeel is thin and light and the flavors are distant. Toasted caramel, toffee, cocoa powder, hints of dark chocolate, butterscotch, and cherry licorice. It also has a faint nuttiness.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, but I am unsure why this has a dedicated following. Given Tallgrass’ superb lineup, I think this one is better left retired.

Fun facts about Pub Ale:

-Style: Tallgrass calls it “Mild Brown Ale,” while the beer is classified on BA as “English Pale Mild Ale.”

-Price: $2.99/can at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Alcohol content: 4.4 percent ABV.

-Want some nutritional facts? Bam!

-According to the beer’s webpage, “This Ale was the first beer ever brewed by Tallgrass Brewing Company, however the can was redesigned in 2012 with a ‘retro’ look to better reflect the beer's pub ale roots.”

-The videos for Tallgrass beers are high-quality and thoughtful, but often way too long. This one for Pub Ale, though, is clever and perfect:



The MSTie in me is a sucker for snippets from B-movies and retro educational shorts.


The Quiet Man’s grade: C.

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