Half Acre Daisy Cutter Pale Ale

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Current Ratings....
- Untappd: 3.83/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.16/5
- RateBeer: 3.79/5

"Daisy Cutter Pale Ale is one of the first beers we brewed at our brewery on Lincoln Ave.  It began as a special release bomber beer, but caught fire both in and outside the brewery. At the time, 2009, there were some local pale ales that hit with natural power, but not many.  Daisy Cutter’s lush and dank characteristics steadily carved out a place within the Chicago brewing landscape.

Today, Daisy Cutter is a call brand that we continue to keep raw and relevant. Blended pine, citrus, papaya and mango. Dank. Apparent biscuit, lingering, obscenely dry."

Pours out dark orange/copper in color with a transparent body and a finger of white head.

An enticing aroma awaits with acidic grapefruit and black pepper spice. A fair amount of malty sweetness also contributes in large amounts as does pine and sap.

There's quite a hop presence here on the taste, which is impressive for 5.2%. It's bitter up front, bitter in the middle, and bitter in the back. At no point though is it ruining the palate. Like the aroma, noticeable spices and an overall herbaceous quality is present all throughout, but there is some room left for sweet citrus notes of tangerine and clementine. The pine is gone, but the malty sweetness is just as big here, but it doesn't become distracting at any point. Digging deeper I can find some melon and berries, which help combat some of the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is light-to-medium with a calm feel. A small amount of carbonation is in here and it finishes clean.

Daisy Cutter was a hop-saturated pale ale that flexed its bitter muscles to taste and feel bigger than its 5.2% abv. It's hoppy, sweet, flavorful, bitter, and easy to drink. Not much more to say, so definitely grab it if you can.

Rating
8.1/10

Trillium Fort Point Pale Ale

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.26/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.46/5
- RateBeer: 4.04/5

"Our signature American pale ale balances light, crisp, malt character with an abundance of hop-derived aromatics and flavors from the use of Citra and Columbus. The fragrant nose is fresh citrus, tropical fruit, and peach. Bold flavors of pineapple and mango mix with dank notes of zesty citrus and fresh pine needles. With the smooth mouthfeel, gentle bitterness, and dry finish, Fort Point is our standard daily-drinker."

Can you believe with all of the Trillium beers I have reviewed I have never reviewed the standard Fort Point Pale Ale? I've had it on countless occasions, but never sat down to do an official review. Here's to making up for lost time.

Pours a hazy light orange with a murky body and two fingers of white head.

It pretty much smells like fresh-squeezed orange juice. Wave after wave of acidic citrus and bitter hop juice with some notes of pine, orange rind, and lemon zest.

Much like the nose, this is swimming in a mound of orange juice and bitter hop juice. It's hard to believe that this is a pale ale rather and an IPA because the amount of flavor in here so intense, especially the bitterness. The citrus gets a bit sweeter on the taste as I am reminded of tangerines with some mango thrown in for good measure. That bitterness can't be ignored as it acts as an exclamation point at the end of every burst of citrus. The bitter flavor is also what lingers the most in the aftertaste and keeps growing in intensity with each fading moment.

Mouthfeel is full, fluffy, and soft. Drinkability is through the roof with the overload of citrus, smooth texture, and comfortable mouthfeel.

Fort Point Pale Ale is a money shot of Citra hops with superb bitter hop juices. The amount of flavor packed into this pale ale easily outshines any standard IPA trying to accomplish the same. A four-pack of this could easily be destroyed and FPPA is one of the best pale ales being brewed today. There are many variants on this beer, but thanks to the Citra hops, this one is one of my personal favorites.

Rating
9.3/10

Trillium Vic Secret Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.31/5
- Untappd: 4.17/5
- RateBeer: 4.06/5

"This dry hopped pale ale contains the same malt bill as classic Fort Point, but with a dry hop of Vic Secret. Pouring a hazy golden color, Vic Secret Fort Point emits herbaceous aromas of lime, and mellow citrus. Strong grapefruit pith & biscuity flavors wash the palate with the familiar smooth mouthfeel and medium body of our signature pale ale."

Pours a murky, golden orange with a finger of white head.

Strong pineapple aroma with some spices and pine. Lots of herbal qualities and a dash of orange sherbet.

The taste is light and refreshing. The aforementioned pineapple is also big on the taste as is some spicy notes and pine needles. There's a small dank quality combined with noticeable orange citrus and some lemon peel. Think of a lighter version of Galaxy hops and that's what you get here. As it warms, more pine and wow, more dessert-like sherbet start to emerge. There's almost an orange creamsicle flavor happening and I could not be happier. A strong malt presence adds some balance and the finish is almost grassy, but takes on more of a minty flavor.

Mouthfeel is medium with a creamy body. No alcohol presence and the light, refreshing flavors make for an easy drinking experience.

Vic Secret Dry Hopped FPPA is another solid addition to the Trillium Fort Point Pale Ale family. While similar to Galaxy hops in many regards, Vic Secret comes in less intense, but with a lot of flavor regardless. The emphasis on lighter flavors cuts back on the bitterness, but leaves plenty of tropical juices and solid dankness. It's a less intimidating hop variety that allows for easier drinkability while still being bold enough to please hop heads.

Rating
8.7/10

Castle Island & Otter Creek Special Delivery

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.57/5
- Untappd: 3.74/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"The world is full of excellent people. The team at Otter Creek Brewing is no exception, and we had the incredible opportunity to join forces with them on Special Delivery, our first ever collaboration beer. Brewed with locally-grown whole cone Cascade wet hops, that were picked fresh from Addison Hopyard in Vermont and driven down overnight in the Otter Creek van, Special Delivery is more than just a clever name. This wet-hopped pale is fermented with Sacchromyces Trois, a brett-like yeast strain that creates pungent fruity, estery aromas during primary fermentation and leaves the resulting beer crisp and dry. The finished product is funky and provocative, but balanced enough to bring you back for one sip after another. Along with the team at Otter Creek, we raise our glasses to collaboration, creativity, friendship, and excellent people!"

Pours golden yellow with a mostly transparent body, but some haze. I got a healthy 2-3 fingers of pure white head.

The aroma is clean and herbaceous with green tea and mint at the front of the line. A grassy, mossy, earthy aroma is starting to dominate, but there is enough room left for a small bit of melon.

Interestingly, a juice extract was the first thing I got on the taste despite the fact that there was no trace of it on the aroma. Immediately following was a huge pop of bitterness, but on a dime, it switches back to the familiar earthy notes from the aroma. Notes of wet moss and dirt with moments of pine and sap are like a forest after a rain storm. I get some more fruity notes, but it is sweet citrus like blood oranges and tangerines. The finish is rather malty, but pleasant with more grassy flavors.

Mouthfeel is full and relatively calm. Carbonation is low, but the beer isn't flat. The abv is hidden and this drinks easily. Some residual matliness is left behind, but it isn't too bad.

Special Delivery was a great example of a wet hop ale. Lots of earthy notes with a strong malt presence didn't deter the drinkability and it had some good complexity for the style. A good collaboration.

Rating
8.0/10

Trillium Motueka Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: N/A
- RateBeer: N/A
- Untappd: N/A

"This version of our signature American pale ale is dry hopped with Motueka. Hazy and blonde in appearance, the nose conjures melon, lemon drops and pineapple aromatics. Robust hop flavors of cantaloupe and fresh cut grass are balanced by a subtle, bready malt character and mild, subdued bitterness."

Brand new beer comin' in hot! Released just yesterday, this is the latest member of the Fort Point Pale Ale family and is made with Motueka hops.

Pours like a hazy, light orange milkshake with a finger of white head.

The aroma is very melon and cantaloupe-forward with lemon-lime and subtle orange. Faint hints of white grape haunt the background (some scary shit, right?).

This has a very light and refreshing taste. Much like the aroma, this is dominated by melon/honeydew melons. I keep going back to that lime juice and lemon, but without any mouth-puckering sour taste. There's a small herbal quality to this too, and combined with the lime, it's like Mojito Fort Point. The second half reveals more citrus with orange zest coming up big, but tropical notes of pineapple and mango are here as well. An acidic grapefruit quality is noticeable, but the finish has a nice bite of bitterness to finish things off.

Mouthfeel is refreshing and with a light-to-medium body. A good amount of carbonation bubbles dance on the tongue. The loads of juicy flavors combined with light body make this incredibly easy to drink.

Motueka Fort Point is another solid addition to the Fort Point Pale Ale Family. To me personally, this one felt the lightest and most refreshing out of all the variants. The hop bite at the end added a bitter element to a beer that may have been in danger of letting the melon and tropical flavors take over completely. This one might be the best for the hot Summer days ahead with it's lemon-lime taste and crisp body.

Rating
8.7/10

Lord Hobo Glorious

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.02/5
- RateBeer: N/A

No description on the latest release from Lord Hobo Brewing. This marks (I believe) their 5th canned release and I have previously reviewed two of their other beers. Both were heavy IPA's each at 8% or more, so today, let's pump the brakes and go after a nice pale ale.

Pours a hazy light orange with just over a finger of white head.

Lots of orange and lemon on the aroma. There's a faint hop aroma with a tiny bit of dankness and a nice malt base.

Some good earthy hop flavor comes at me first and then there's a tiny bit of pineapple juice extract to help fight off the bitterness. I think the malts are contributing a lot more than expected as each sip retains some burnt toast and bready flavors. Lemon peel and a bunch of citrus are prominent throughout and the finish, in addition to a big malt presence, has that classic Galaxy dankness on the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is medium and full. It has a big enough body to pass for a standard IPA, but also drinks as easy as it should for the style. Some good carbonation is noticeable and there's no warming from the alcohol.

Glorious works as a highly drinkable pale ale. It's complex enough to not be lost in the sea of pale ales out there, but it doesn't reach the upper, upper echelon of many other offerings. That being said, it makes great use of Galaxy hops and is worth a try when you see it on your local shelf.

Oh, and the answer is yes. With each sip, I was playing Bobby Roode's theme song in my head.


 
Rating
7.9/10

Castle Island Juice Patrol

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 7%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.89/5
- RateBeer: 3.45/5 (two ratings)

"Packing an all-star combo of hops, including Columbus, Cascade, and Centennial, Juice Patrol is a style-pushing pale ale with a gigantic citrus nose and a sumptuous texture. Ripe for the picking, enjoy this succulent hop bomb straight out of the can"

I didn't enjoy this out of the can. Sorry, I'm not sorry.

Pours a hazy dark orange with a finger of white head.

Lots of acidity and spice on the nose with pine and orange candy.

I don't know about the name "Juice Patrol" because this is actually a spice bomb. The overall feeling is oily spices and black pepper. The bitterness can't be ignored as it has an amazing amount of bite for a 7% pale ale. It's actually impressive for the style and feels more like a standard IPA. The pine is back from the aroma, but with more of a tree bark and sap character, which, while complex, isn't the smoothest ride on the planet. I think they were going for more citrus juice in the name "Juice Patrol", but it's hidden so far in back, that it's barely worth mentioning. As this warms though, I do detect some grapefruit, but I think that accounts for some of the acidity as well.

Mouthfeel is more like a standard IPA, but that's no surprise since this a 7% pale ale, so the body is right given the circumstances. A lot of the flavors wouldn't go well for a hot day, but they are still good in their own right, and if you dig the hop varieties used, then this will be easy to go through.

I expected something different with a name like "Juice Patrol", but the end result was still satisfying. While not the citrus nuke I was hoping for, the Cascade and Centennial still provided a good variety of flavors that made for an incredibly bitter and spicy pale ale.

Rating
7.5/10

Toppling Goliath Sol Hunter

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.21/5
- RateBeer: 3.82/5

"Gone are the days of experimentation and test-flights. As we voyage into the unknown, we rely on our skill and determination - guiding us safely to the promised land. Our goal is clear: pursue the sun and harvest the power extracted from an equinox. The task is large, but hopes are high as we travel once more among the stars"

Formerly part of Toppling Goliath's "X-Hops" series which highlights different hop varietals (much like Night Shift Morph, Tree House Curiosity, and Trillium's "Street" IPAs), this (I believe) used to be X-Hops Red which showcased Equinox hops. I'm not too familiar with Equinox hops myself, but how am I supposed to grow as a human unless I try everything? Too deep? Yeah, maybe a little bit.

Pours like the label: a firery orange with a transparent body. The pour produced a nice three-finger head.

The aroma has an interesting blend of herbal hops (almost spicy in a way), hop oils, and pepper skin. Not too much in terms of juicy flavors, but there is a muted orange presence. A big garlic and onion presence comes forward as it warms.

The taste is just as oily as Jesse Katsopolis' hair (and you thought I'd never fit a "Full House" reference into one of these reviews). With all of the juice-forward IPAs and pale ales out there, it's actually nice to see something different. Similar to the aroma, there's a lovely herbaceous quality with hints of tea and mint. Like the aroma, there is a lack of familiar tropical notes, but I can pick up some candied peaches if I try hard enough.

Mouthfeel seems dead-on with a full, medium body. Thanks to the high level of oils, this isn't one I'd classify as high drinkable, but I am enjoying the flavors nevertheless. With each sip, those oily flavors linger for a few seconds, but they don't overstay their welcome.

Sol Hunter had some interesting flavors all mixed together and it made for a different experience. I can't honestly say it is something I would personally go back to as I don't find drinkability all that high thanks to such a high concentration of oily and herbaceous hops. If nothing else, it was a nice change of pace.

Rating
7.5/10

Toppling Goliath Galaxy Dry Hopped PseudoSue

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.43/5
- RateBeer: 3.92/5

If you tuned into my DDH PseudoSue review from last week, you may recall a moment where I asked if Toppling Goliath was doing anything new to their PseudoSue Pale Ale in order to keep it interesting. As we see here, it seems TG is hell bent on dry-hopping their pale ale with every hop known to man. I just reviewed Trillium's DDH Congress Street which was one of the best uses of Galaxy hops I've ever experienced, so this baby has a tough act to follow.

Pours a transparent light orange with a finger of bright, white head.

The smell doesn't really scream Galaxy hops as I pick up some resinous notes with maybe a little candied orange, tree sap, and pine.

The taste sticks with the resinous theme with a mouthful of pine needles to get the party started. If I ate a pine tree air freshener filled with sap, I think the results might not be too far off from each other. This one tends to stay on the sweeter side with more of the aforementioned candied fruits of oranges and some peaches too. Not a whole lot going on in terms of dankness, but the hop presence is more of an earthy thud with some decent hop oils thrown in. A dry, doughy malt character is present on the back end and it lingers on the finish for sure.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied, but feels surprisingly thick at time for a pale ale. The surprisingly large pine resin flavors don't equate to easy drinkability, but I appreciate the flavors that are present and I am enjoying sipping on this one. I think it finishes a bit too clean.

I don't think Galaxy PseudoSue does a whole lot for the reputation of the hop variety that it is showcasing. Compared to DDH Congress Street's Galaxy bukkake, this one doesn't stand toe-to-toe. I still enjoyed the big pine and sweeter flavors, but if we're going to compare it to its Double Citra brother, then I will take its sibling any day. On its own, it's a pretty good pale ale that is comparable to a lot of mainstream offerings, but doesn't celebrate Galaxy the way it should.

Rating
7.5/10

Toppling Goliath Double Dry Hopped PseudoSue (Citra)

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.63/5
- RateBeer: 3.94/5 (7 ratings)

If you've been with me since way back in 2014 (first off, thank you), then let me put you in the Delorean and bring you on a trip. I reviewed Toppling Goliath's PseudoSue pale ale almost two years ago. At the time, it was a mega-hyped beer: an all citra-hopped pale ale that was receiving widespread acclaim. I thought it was ok (cue the boos... or "booze" in my case...*rimshot*). Then last year some controversy arose because PseudoSue was being contract brewed out of Florida. The head brewer Mike Saboe left amidst a terrible breakup worse than Zack and Kelly, but then they kissed and made up and Iowa fans did a Lebron/Cleveland 180 and immediately forgave Toppling Goliath for any wrongdoing. Now PseudoSue is available in cans, but have they done anything different to the beer to keep it interesting? Why yes they did!

Last month, Toppling Goliath gave fans blue balls with pictures of a *drumroll please* batch of bombers off the bottling line of...wait for it...Double Dry Hopped PseudoSue. This wasn't some contract brewed bullshit either. This was a 100%, Grade-A, made in Decorah, Iowa, Double Citra Dry Hopped bottle of liquid Viagra!

Naturally trade forums blew a metaphorical load and everyone had to have it. Luckily, I had acquired some heavily sought after Trillium beers and was in a position of power (*evil laugh*) to work some trade magic. So I struck some deals and landed a few bottles of this hype train and I am here to let yo know firsthand that this is without question...pretty good.

Pours a hazy, glowing orange with two fingers of white head.

The aroma is rather mild for a DDH offering. Some orange rind lets you know there's a citrus presence even though it isn't overpowering. It's leaning towards the sweeter side with notes of sugar-sprinkled grapefruit and candied oranges. There's perhaps just a touch of bubblegum/juicy fruit flavors floating around in there too.

A bit more of a citus kick on the taste. It's still remains pretty sweet overall, but a bigger orange juice flavor plus those sweeter, sugary notes reminds me of a creamsicle or cream soda. Sticking with that theme, a dessert-like orange sherbet flavor is here too, but this also has just enough of a fresh mint hop flavor to balance it out. Even with all of the sweet flavors and good amount of hop bitterness, this does taste relatively clean with not a whole lot of it staying back and letting you savor.

Mouthfeel is where it should be for the style. It's full-bodied with no areas of thinning out. I mentioned how the flavors finished clean, but as that translates to the feel, it makes for no unpleasant lingering taste. Thanks to such a flavorful mix, this is going down easy and I would call it a refreshing experience overall.

How much does DDH PseudoSue improve on the base beer? On the positive end of the spectrum, the flavors are bigger, sweeter, and overall more vibrant. Everything bursts out of the glass on a bigger scale. As for calling this one of the best pale ales I've ever had...that is where I'd need to pump the brakes. Don't get me wrong, this is still full-flavored and delicious, but I wouldn't say it is near the top of the heap. If it was a local offering to me, then hell yes I'd go to my local store and grab a bomber when the Facebook page announced its arrival, but I wouldn't drive a few extra miles to get my hands on it. At the end of the day though, it packs tons of flavor and is superior to the standard PseudoSue in every way.

Rating
8.8/10

Trillium Tiny Chicken

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.6%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.34/5
- RateBeer: 4.02/5

"With the New England summer fast approaching we release Tiny Chicken, another edition in our Small Bird Series of lower ABV, hazy pale ales. Deceivingly diminutive in name, Tiny Chicken packs a hoppy punch with a powerful combination of Galaxy and Amarillo. Engaging aromatics pop with notes of bright citrus and peach, while flavors of tropical fruit, melon, and orange sweep over the palate in refreshing waves. Finishing crisp and dry with slight earthy/spicy grain character from the use of locally malted wheat and Danko rye."

Pours a hazy, glowing orange with three fingers of fluffy white head that stuck around forever.

It smells like ripe peaches and sherbet with some orange and mango. There's nothing dank or earthy about this one as it is all juice.

A nice, dank pop of Galaxy hops hit me first on the taste. From there it just gets juicer with peach, mango and ripe melon. When it hits the middle of my tongue, the weed-like dank qualities come back in full force with just enough sweetness to balance it all out. While not earthy on the nose, I do get some grassy notes as this warms up and even some floral hop flavors. An overall hop oil taste blankets the palate in a good way and is present from start to finish.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied and feels bigger than a 5.6% pale ale. It feels like a 7-7.5% IPA and the array of fruit flavors make for high drinkability.

Tiny Chicken has delivered as a hop-forward, flavor-packed pale ale. You might mistake this for a sizeable IPA if blindfolded, but you don't need any form of sensory deprivation to enjoy the hell out of this one. I'm looking forward to the other small batch pale ales in this series if they are as good as Tiny Chicken.

Rating
8.8/10

Wicked Weed Napoleon Complex

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.79/5
- RateBeer: 3.64/5

"Napoleon Complex is a small-statured pale ale with a larger-than-life attitude. Ignoring the industry standard of diminutive hop presence and mild manner, this pale ale will have most IPA’s contemplating their inadequacy. Little beer, big flavor, even bigger ego."

Pours a transparent goldenrod color with two fingers of bright white head.

The aroma is malt-forward with some earthiness. There's a little touch of dankness as well as some citrus.

The taste yields some flavors that were absent from the aroma with the biggest ones being acidic citrus contributors of lemon and some more of the orange. Malty sweetness takes over in the middle of the mouth and it leaves no trace of any of the faint existence of the zesty lemon. Another interesting addition is some noticeable spiciness which is adding to the diverse range of flavors we have going on here. Not that any of these are big and bold enough to blow you away, but they are here nonetheless.

The body is not the fullest I've ever had, but it isn't exactly watered-down. It's a 5.2% pale ale and it feels as such. A nice palate of flavors with nothing unpleasant make drinkability high as does the calm mouthfeel.

Napoleon Complex is a rather basic pale ale without anything harsh enough to belittle it. As far as the style goes, this doesn't pack enough of a hop punch or juice to make it stand out from the crowd, but at the same time, I don't have a problem with it. It's standard, but with a nice variety of flavors.

Rating
7.6/10

Trillium Permutation Series: Idaho 7

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 4.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.92/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Introducing Permutation; our experimental series of pilot-batch, draft only beers showcasing the unique visions and innovative concepts developed by our production crew.

To kick things off we present the highly sessionable Idaho-7 Pale Ale; a light bodied easy drinker featuring a new aromatic hop variety cultivated in- you guessed it- Idaho. Clocking in at under 5% ABV, this brew is crafted for warm weather and lazy days. Hop-driven aromas of lemon, apricot, and white grapes take the lead with similar flavors following through on the palate. Slightly grainy, yet refreshingly dry with a hint of pithy citrus on the finish."

The appearance has that typical hazy, murky New England look, but is pale yellow in color with less than a finger of bright, white head.

Heavy doughy malt on the aroma with some wheat. The biggest fruit flavors I pick up are lemon and a very subtle grape juice.

Lemon is definitely the biggest flavor at the front of the tongue and it brings a tart, refreshing quality to the beer. Just like the aroma, there's a hefty dry, doughy malt character with a lot of breadiness and wheat. I do detect a minuscule amount of white grape, but it's not brought to the table with the same intensity as it is with Nelson hops. The finish still has those doughy malt characters with none of the aforementioned fruity notes.

Mouthfeel is nice and light. It is also significantly dry, but thanks to a light feel and lemon flavor, it is also refreshing at the same time. This one is truly sessionable at 4.5% and can be crushed on a hot day.

I think this one is pretty straightforward. Idaho 7 is an easy-to-drink pale ale that is both dry and refreshing. There's enough lemon to make it drinkable without letting the dryness hold you back from drinking your entire growler without sharing. The low abv might fool you into thinking that the flavor is hard to find, but that's not the case here. It's only available on draft if you want to take it home, so make the trip and sip on it outside as the weather (finally) warms up around here.

Rating
7.7/10

Tree House Echelon Three

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.32/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"The third installment of our small batch pale ale series brings some tropical vibes admist the heart of our winter season. Echelon Three features Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic, and a touch of Galaxy hops. She pours a yellow orange color in the glass, and burst with pungent tropical aromas. Her taste follows suit with flavors of oranges, pineapple and white grape. She's pillowy soft, and finishes as delicate as can be...just how we like our pale ales."

Pours hazy orange with two fingers of white head. Pretty standard these days.

An interesting aroma of grapefruit peel, lemon zest, and fresh mint. Different, but good.

The taste mostly reminds of a dry white wine. The most prominent influence from the Nelson hops is that white grape/wine taste, but not as intense as bigger beers that utilize Nelson. I can't shake that fresh mint flavor in the middle as it clings to every taste bud. It's a nice change of pace to most of the other Tree House offerings which are typically juice nukes. There's also some fresh hop dankness and even bits of pine near the finish in addition to some slightly doughy malts.

Mouthfeel is light-to-medium. It feel standard for a pale ale and has some instances of dryness, but is overall refreshing with a lingering lemon zest finish.

Echelon Three has some nice complexity for a pale ale. This small batch series has produced a beer that is different from the juice-forward pale ales/IPA's that have made Tree House famous. It's an interesting mix of flavors that manage to work together well and is bolstered by high drinkability. It's light and refreshing enough for a hot day, but also a big enough beer to satisfy the hardcore fans out there.

Rating
8.5/10

Trillium Treecreeper

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.1%
Current Ratings...
-Beer Advocate: 4.3/5
-RateBeer: 3.91/5 (mean)

"This lower gravity American pale ale is brewed with rye malted locally in Hadley, Massachusetts (Valley Malt). Hazy orange in appearance with balanced hop aromatics from Citra and Columbus, Treecreeper drinks smooth with an ultra-light, pillowy mouthfeel. The rye malt component allows for a uniquely rustic and earthy take on our standard hop-forward offerings. Flavors combine a dry bitterness with refreshing tones of zippy citrus, orange pith, and lemon."

Pours the typical hazy orange. I got two fingers of white head that stuck around for the duration of drinking.

The best way to describe the aroma is mango juice poured over freshly-cut grass.

Nice juicy orange from the citra pops off first, but that rye malt is makes for an equally big grassy flavor. The rye has almost a barnyard quality; not quite saison level, but still funky (in a good way). Not only orange in this, but lemon with decent acidity. Somehow the acid flavor works well off the rye as it adds to the earthy notes. It doesn't have the hop intensity as a lot of other Trillium offerings, but this works in a different way as it focuses more on a balance between hop bitterness, citrus juices, and grassy flavors.

Mouthfeel is soft and hugs your tongue. I like how it is refreshing due to the relatively low abv, but it is not thinned out at all. The grassy and earthy flavors would try to make this dry, but the citra hops help make it refreshing. This is a incredibly easy to drink.

Treecreeper may not have been the hop nuke that other Trillium IPA's/pale ales have become known for, but that wasn't the goal. The combination of the rye malt teamed with the juicy hops and the bitterness of Columbus hops to make a well-balanced pale ale. To the best of my knowledge (which is obviously never flawed), this offering has never been bottled like so many Trillium beers. I don't know why it has been relegated to a "draft only" status, but if they put this into the familiar 750ml bottles, it would fly off the shelf (and I'd be one of the people making that happen).

Rating
9.0/10

Proclamation Ale Company Derivative (Galaxy)

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.36/5
- RateBeer: 3.99/5

When you think New England IPA's, the states that tend to come to mind are Vermont and Massachusetts with Maine starting to hit their stride as well, but Rhode Island usually isn't one that is part of the discussion. My own personal experience with RI breweries is admittedly limited, but even I have heard buzz coming out of Proclamation Ales. My local store posted on Facebook about getting two variations on the Derivative Pale Ale, so I picked them up and figured I'd see if the Ocean State can hold their own.

The pour is a hazy dark orange. I tried to generate some head, but no matter how aggressive I was, I barely managed less than half a finger.

Earthy and grassy hops burst forth on the aroma with a little orange and grapefruit too.

A bit more of a dank, onion bite on the taste, but they are not the main attraction. A nice splash of citrus immediately follows the dankness and makes the middle of the mouth come alive with fruit hop flavors. After the citrus, the big earthy presence is back in full force as the back end of the taste is all grassy and herbal notes that contain a lot of bitterness. However, the aftertaste hits you with more onion and garlic.

Mouthfeel was relatively standard for the style, but the body felt thinned out at certain point. I wouldn't go as far as to call it watered-down, but it wasn't as full as it could have been. Alcohol is masked nicely and despite the knock against it for the feel, it is still easy-drinking.

Does Rhode Island have the goods to compete with the rest of New England? The sample size is still small for me, but Proclamation Ales is a good start with their Derivative Pale Ale. The beer utilized pretty much every flavor from the Galaxy hops, but I would have liked for the citrus to be bigger than the dank onion and not the other way around. The body could have been fuller as well, but the minor criticisms shouldn't stop you from trying this one yourself. Lord knows I will seek it out again.

Rating
8.4/10

Lagunitas Born Yesterday Pale Ale

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.41/5 (Top 250: #127)
- RateBeer: 3.93/5

It's hard to call a beer "underrated" when its actually held in pretty high regards in terms of its style. That's how I would describe Lagunitas Born Yesterday Pale Ale. It is something that I personally had never sought out or heard people talking about as much as other offerings from smaller microbreweries, but what we have here is a pale ale that holds its own and surpasses many others in its weight class.

Pours hazy for the most part and sits a brilliant orange in the glass with a finger of fluffy white head.

This has a bitter and minty aroma with grass and just enough pineapple and mango to keep you interested. An interesting orange sherbet smell shines as this warms up.

Woah now, the taste has actually dropped most of the bitterness and now the fruit juices are taking over. Both citrus and tropical fruits are represented with big pineapple and grapefruit. Orange juice and pulp follow next as does some white grape. After it passes the middle, the end transitions to some slight wet grass, but a dash of pine and a dank finish add new elements to a style that doesn't see too much complexity.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied with no alcohol presence. There's good amounts of carbonation to help pass everything through the mouth and it just drinks so easily.

In the world of pale ales, Born Yesterday is surprisingly complex for the style and is super drinkable. I think with everyone chasing down hard-to-get pale ales from smaller breweries, this gem gets lost in the shuffle, but it deserves to be mentioned in the conversation with some of the highest-rated of its kind. Truly Rhombus!

Rating
9.1/10

Versus: Trillium Galaxy Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale & Trillium Enigma Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale

The Stats (The Same for Both)
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.60%
Current Ratings...
Galaxy FPPA
- Beer Advocate: 4.57/5 (Top 250: #52)
- RateBeer: 4.06/5
Enigma FPPA
- Beer Advocate: 4.31/5 (two reviews)
- RateBeer: N/A (no ratings)

It's my first attempt at a face off between two beers. As of this writing, the Enigma FPPA was just released today, November 21st. I already had the Galaxy FPPA chilling in the fridge and figured this would be a fun comparison. The base beer is the standard FPPA which is brewed with Citra and Columbus hops. Trillium has cranked out multiple dry-hopped variations such as these two, but also a Mosaic and a Double Dry-Hopped version. Dry hopping is when a brewer adds hops between fermentation and packaging in order to enhance the aroma of a beer. Naturally when you enhance aroma, you will also enhance taste.

I've also never reviewed either of these on the blog, but I have had the Galaxy version multiple times, so I might as well throw in my reviews here while I'm at it.

APPEARANCE

Galaxy FPPA & Enigma FPPA
I mean, for this case, the beers are the same in terms of appearance. It's a hazy orange with a finger of white head.

AROMA

Galaxy FPPA
Fresh hop bitterness, citrus juices, orange/orange peel.

Enigma FPPA
This hop is new to me, but it has a distinct mint or green tea smell to it with even fresh-cut cedar.

TASTE

Galaxy FPPA
The Galaxy hops are bringing a fresh hop juice and dank quality. Some more of the citrus and orange from the aroma shines as well which reminds me of a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. That dankness though is just as big (if not bigger) and gives the sensation of drinking weed. Intense bitterness on the finish with some more lingering dank qualities with a final kick of orange and even some lemon peel for good measure. Very nice.

Enigma FPPA
Like the aroma, fresh mint and tea are prominent, but not overpowering. I previously reviewed Trillium's Polaris which utilized (as the name suggests) Polaris hops. I would call the Enigma FPPA a dialed-down version of those hops. There's somewhat of an odd-tasting sawdust flavor to this. It doesn't turn me away, but it does make me do a double take. There's maybe even just s touch of pine or tree sap hidden in the depths of this one too.

MOUTHFEEL

Galaxy FPPA & Enigma FPPA
Like the appearance, these two are again, basically the same in this category. They are nice and full with perfect amounts of carbonation with no alcohol presence.

OVERALL

Galaxy FPPA
The dank hop qualities and citrus worked together beautifully and made this an easy-drinking experience with tons of flavor. Elements of the standard FPPA were present throughout, but the addition of Galaxy added complexity to a style that is typically just a glass of hops. It's an incredibly hoppy and juicy pale ale worth seeking out.

Enigma FPPA
The flavors I encountered actually worked well in this pale ale, but they did seem to conceal a lot of the orange and citrus that the base FPPA usually provides. Don't get me wrong, the green tea, mint, pine, and bitterness did make for an interesting flavor palette and the beer was still highly drinkable, but I wish it didn't mask the natural fruit juices of the standard Fort Point Pale Ale.

RATINGS

Galaxy Fort Point Pale Ale
9.0/10

Enigma fort Point Pale Ale
8.6/10

Alpine Hoppy Birthday

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.25%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.38/5
- RateBeer: 3.88/5

Last year, Green Flash Brewing out of San Diego acquired (partnered up, etc) with Alpine Brewing out of Alpine, CA. Alpine is known in the craft beer world for making some of the best IPA's on the planet. I've reviewed a few of them myself. The acquisition made it possible for Alpine to not only produce more beer, but it allowed them to give their employees benefits like a 401K. Originally, the Alpine beers made at Green Flash were to remain in California only, but, for reasons unknown to me, it appears that all of Green Flash's markets are now starting to get the Alpine beers made at Green Flash. Even some of my local stores in Southeast Massachusetts have begun receiving Alpine beers.

Needless to say, the craft beer community was up in arms over the acquisition as they immediately thought that the Alpine beers made at Green Flash would not be anywhere near the quality as the same ones made at Alpine Brewing. As I said, I have had several of Alpine's beers before the protested "merger"and they were all fantastic. Today I have Alpine's Hoppy Birthday, which I have never had before (Alpine or Green Flash)  and yes, I do have the Green Flash version.. It markets itself as a session ale, but all sites I've visited call it an American Pale Ale made with six different hops. I'm never one to let the public tell me how to think, so I will just let the beer itself do the talking.

Pours a beautiful, glowing orange which is mostly transparent. It produced a finger of white head.

Aroma has that classic west coast IPA garlic and onion, but also a big pine sap kick and a sweet, candy-like smell too.

The taste is predominantly pine, but it's still not all that flavorful as it doesn't really burst onto the palate with authority. It's present enough to be noticeable, but still slightly faded. The back end actually transitions nicely to the aforementioned sweet, candy flavor reminiscent of Spree or Skittles. That finish helps even out the intense (surprisingly intense for the abv and style) bitterness that is experienced at the front and especially in the middle of the mouth where the dank hops and onion seem to be clinging to my taste buds. Some of the onion/garlic can get heavy at times, but at the same time, it is impressive how big of a punch the hops are for a 5.25% pale ale.

Mouthfeel is full and not thinned out or watery; it's spot-on for the style. Some of the bitterness is getting a tad bit cloying, but again, the sweet finish makes the save and ends up making this highly drinkable.

Hoppy Birthday had a surprising amount of hop bite, but that west coast garlic and onion would have spoiled the party if it wasn't for the 11th hour save by a nice, fruity, candy flavor. This actually drinks bigger than 5.25% thanks to a full body and flavor contribution from all of the hops used. It's nice to see some pine in a west coast beer, but the pine itself could have been a little more intense. Regardless, this pale ale has all the hallmarks of a west coast IPA, but for me, it drinks easier than what I've come to expect from other offerings from out there.

Rating
8.7/10

Mayflower Daily Ration

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 4.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.53/5
- RateBeer: N/A

The newest offering from Mayflower Brewing is a sessionable pale ale coming in at a miniscule 4.50% and brewed with Cascade, Centennial, and Mandarina Bavaria hops.

Pours a hazy, pale yellow with plenty of carbonation and a finger of bright, white, fluffy head.

Interesting aroma of yeast, sawdust, and grass.

For such a low abv beer, this is surprisingly bitter. The bitterness hits the front of my tongue with a thud and grassy hops dominate throughout. Fruits are hard to find, but the biggest one I pick up is acidic lemon or lemon peel. Pale malt is also abundant as is a surprising tartness and some wheat. For such a small beer, it packs in a diverse range of flavors.

Only listed at 4.50%, this drinks heavier than its abv would lead you to believe, but is still nice and light-bodied. The random assortment of flavors surprisingly don't create any lingering unpleasantness. Remarkably, this finishes as dry as a Double IPA.

Beers with an unconventional mixture of flavors tend to be a turn-off, but I think Daily Ration still retains high drinkability despite an unusual combination of hops, yeast, and a freshly-cut lawn. The smell and initial sip had me tentative, but as you continue to drink you get used to, and enjoy, the complexity of this pale ale.

Rating
8.0/10