Review Date: 18/3/2022
Brewery Name: Birallee Beer & Brewing
Beer Name: Best American Pale Ale
After a number of weeks to mature and settle in the keg, the flavours have all mellowed and balanced out a little meaning it's time to give our latest brew the formal review treatment.
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| Our Best American Pale Ale in the Craftd Freddy glass |
General
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 6.0% (Standard)
Serving Style: Draft/Tap
Region of Origin: Pacific (Australia, New Zealand)
Style Family: Pale Ale
Malts/Adjuncts: Pale, Pilsner, Gladiator, Aurora
Hops: Centennial, Amarillo
IBU's: 50
Appearance
Colour: Deep Gold
| Brilliant | Clear | Slight Haze | Hazy |
Collar of Foam & Head Retention
| None |
Poor |
Moderate |
Good |
| N/A | Thin | Fluffy | Mousse-Like |
| None | Slow | Medium | Fast-Rising Bubbles |
Alcohol Aroma
| Not Detectable | Mild | Noticeable | Strong | Harsh |
Aroma & Flavour
Esters Aroma: None
Phenols: None
Alcohol Taste:
| Not Detectable | Mild | Noticeable | Strong | Harsh |
| Mild | Moderate | Strong | Extreme |
| Restrained | Moderate | Aggressive | Harsh |
Malt Sweetness:
| Low | Medium | High | Cloying (Excessive) |
Astringency:
| Low | Medium | High |
Palate/Mouthfeel:
| Light Bodied (Thin/Watery) |
Medium Bodied (Light + Full) |
Full Bodied (Round, Rich & Creamy) |
Palate Carbonation:
| Low | Medium | High |
Length/Finish:
| Short (Up to 15 seconds) |
Medium (15 to 60 seconds) |
Long (More than 60 seconds) |
Overall
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall Impression: 6/10
Notes
Although by all rights this beer is pretty good, I cant help but feel a little disappointed. It just hasn't got the hop presence I was hoping/expecting it to have. In hindsight I should have dry hopped it, even just a little to get some more of those fruity hop flavours up front. This may have pushed it into IPA territory with a high IBU and ABV already, but that doesn't matter. Perhaps this is how it should be for a pale ale and my tastes have evolved to want and expect big hop presence like what is found in an IPA now?
We exceeded our efficiency expectations in the brewing process (which is good), and meant we had a beer with a higher ABV than expected. It's still balanced, but the extra alcohol really has a kick to it and is noticeable on the nose, and on the palate. Another indication that perhaps some more dry hops were required to mask it a little.
Also wondering if our process of using a hop spider in the brewing process is perhaps holding back some of the hop flavours, especially with the large and late whirlpool hop additions?
Don't get me wrong, there is definitely still some hop presence, but it's subdued or moderate at best and doesn't really shine or stand out amongst the bitterness and alcohol. It's got quite a bit of dankness on the nose, but thankfully not so much on the palate.
Mouth feel is very good - very thick, and as you can see from the photo at the top of this post, it has a nice, thick, white, "pillowy" head. Best of any brew so far and I'm attributing this to the Gladiator malt in the grain bill.
Colour wise, it's come out darker and much hazier than I expected. The colour in poor lighting conditions almost looks like it's oxidised, but it definitely isn't. And the haze is very prominent - not sure if this is from the yeast, or the hops, chill haze or some factor or combination of factors - will be interesting to see how much it clears up over time, if at all.
For 50 IBU's, it isn't over the top, as it also has the alcohol presence to back it up. It's good, but not exceptionally great. I think next time I do an American Pale I'll go with crystal malt to give it some more of those classic caramel flavours that are synonymous with the style
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