Beer of the Weekend #677: Cardinal Pale Ale
The Cardinals have come back to beat the Cubs the last two nights and tonight may be no different. (The Cubs are holding onto a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.) So it is only fitting that I try a brew Bobblehead bought for me while he was in Nebraska: Cardinal Pale Ale, brewed by the Nebraska Brewing Company of La Vista, Nebraska.
Cardinal Pale Ale pours a clear, golden amber with a chill haze into a pint glass. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head leaves a short trail of lacing, a thick ring of foam, and a patch of skim in the center of the glass. The aroma is a touch weak but all the hallmarks are there: grapefruit, kiwi, a bit of pineapple, pine, lemon peel, orange peel, caramel, and some toasted malt. Bitterness carries the flavor but light flavors of citrus, caramel, and toasted malt are present as well.
Fun facts about Cardinal Pale Ale:
•Style: American pale ale.
•Price: Editing a novel.
•Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
•Food pairings: According to the beer’s webpage, Cardinal Pale Ale pairs well with “American cuisine,” “Mild spice,” “BBQ, steaks, Philly, hamburger.”
•IBU: 42.
•Cardinal Pale Ale has hauled in quite a few awards recently. In 2014 it won a gold medal at the European Beer Star in the English Pale category and a silver medal at the Great International Beer Festival in the American Pale Ale category.
•[Cue the Chris Farley impression.] La Vista is Spanish for “the vista.” Actually, it’s not. According to Google Translate, the translation of “la vista” is “sight.” Which is kind of ironic because I do not remember seeing anything worthy of the word “sight” in Nebraska. (Just kidding.)
•I am unsure why the beer is called Cardinal Pale Ale. I assumed it was named after Nebraska’s state bird, but it is the western meadowlark. Cardinals are cool birds, though.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Cardinal Pale Ale pours a clear, golden amber with a chill haze into a pint glass. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head leaves a short trail of lacing, a thick ring of foam, and a patch of skim in the center of the glass. The aroma is a touch weak but all the hallmarks are there: grapefruit, kiwi, a bit of pineapple, pine, lemon peel, orange peel, caramel, and some toasted malt. Bitterness carries the flavor but light flavors of citrus, caramel, and toasted malt are present as well.
Fun facts about Cardinal Pale Ale:
•Style: American pale ale.
•Price: Editing a novel.
•Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
•Food pairings: According to the beer’s webpage, Cardinal Pale Ale pairs well with “American cuisine,” “Mild spice,” “BBQ, steaks, Philly, hamburger.”
•IBU: 42.
•Cardinal Pale Ale has hauled in quite a few awards recently. In 2014 it won a gold medal at the European Beer Star in the English Pale category and a silver medal at the Great International Beer Festival in the American Pale Ale category.
•[Cue the Chris Farley impression.] La Vista is Spanish for “the vista.” Actually, it’s not. According to Google Translate, the translation of “la vista” is “sight.” Which is kind of ironic because I do not remember seeing anything worthy of the word “sight” in Nebraska. (Just kidding.)
•I am unsure why the beer is called Cardinal Pale Ale. I assumed it was named after Nebraska’s state bird, but it is the western meadowlark. Cardinals are cool birds, though.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
