Alpine Beer Company Tuatara

Brewed by Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: American Pale Ale
Alpine, California USA

Served on tap at Port Carlsbad. The appearance is a light gold hue with a lacing white head. The flavors and aromas are full floral hopes with a yeasty/bready backing. The mouth is pretty dry. This is the only way I usually like a wheat beer...hoped up!! Real nice!

On tap at OBriens. Great malty, grassy, hoppy aroma. Smells great. Med bitterness. Insanely easy to drink. Yellow color. Excellent.

Tap at O’Brien’s. Not bad. I thought of it at the time as ’Duet Light’ because it has the same cheesy Amarillo hoppy character that is muted some. The wheat doesn’t come through as much, just holds the cheese at bay. Dece, IMO.

Growler, courtesy hopscotch. Pours a clear golden amber color with a small, foamy white head. Some mini spots of lace are elft behind. The aroma is pretty hoppy showing floral and bitter citrus hops atop the light, sweet caramel malt base. The flavor follows suit with bitter grapefruit hops and crisp floral notes to go with the slightly sweet caramel malt. Medium-light bodied with good carbonation and a clean, crisp finish. Everything leads to a great session style beer. Really nice pale ale.

On tap, Toronado. Pale gold in color. Aroma of grapefruit, lemon pith, leafy hops. Quite fresh. Flavor is a bit of a let down. There’s just not enough there. Reminds me of a fresh Firestone 31, but not as well balanced. Inevitably, the hops come through but without enough malt backbone to make them particularly interesting. At least it tastes fresh.

On tap at O’Brien’s in San Diego. Awesome clear golden color with a foamy white head and some lacing that fades to a ring. Aroma is somewhat mild and a little odd, almost like the smell after a rain, along with some citrusy hops. Flavor is lots of fresh rough citrus hops, some grain, and a little pale malt. Tasty. Palate is medium light with hoppiness lingering. A nice session pale ale overall, great for the style. EDIT: Had this again at Pizza Port Carlsbad and it was awesome! Great fresh hop aroma and flavor. Incredibly sessionable.

My 1st beer of SD Beer week 09, at O’brien’s. Pours Orange with a stable tan head. Nose is sweet and fruity and hoppy. Taste is citrussy at the base but has to much pine and resin heaped on top. Ok but too much resin and pine.

On tap at PP Carlsbad a few weeks back. Interesting concept, but not great for me. Color was a clear, rich gold. Aroma of citrus, crisp wheat and fruit. better aroma than flavor. Flavor was very wheaty and dry for me. With some earthy and citrus hops. Unusual and just ok for me.