Buzzards Bay Pale Ale

Formerly brewed at Just Beer (fka Buzzards Bay Brewing)
Style: English Pale Ale
Westport, Massachusetts USA

This comes across more like an EPA than an APA. The color is a reddish copper, the head light tan and two fingers in height. The aroma is a fruity, caramel malt with some earthy, herbal hop scents. Medium-bodied, it has a bready, caramel malt flavor with a touch of green apples and a nice, earthy bitter finish. Good material for a session ale.

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Almost aromaless...the hint of some malt sweetness is all there is. Transparent amber with a two finger thick head. There is a very floral note to both this and the Stock Ale they make. It is off putting to me in the Stock Ale, but works better here. Breadymalt profile with a floral hop finish.

Bottle: Orangish, slight haze, small to moderate off-white head, settles quickly, spotty lacing, very lively carbonation.   Non-descript nose, very slight wet malt or spent grain nose.   Not really any hop presense.   Dirty ashtray flavor up front.   Not sure why the description lists the beer as an ESB and a Pale Ale.   Certainly seems more like an ESB, but one that I would likely not drink again.   Moderate body and mouthfeel.   Extremely light hop flavor near the exit, light sweetness, picking up a bit more maltiness.   Otherwise, a very uninteresting and somewhat rough beer at the start.   Thanks for the freebie John!

(Bottle) Big off-white head, amberish, orangish body. Bubbly. So-so lacing. Vanilla aroma. Surprisingly sweet. Maltiness prominent. Not a bad beer, although I do think this is just too darn sweet for the style. Peaked my curiosity for more Buzzards Bay beers though.

Poured from the bottle with no head, and a slightly cloudy iced-tea apperance. Nothing special in the flavor-maybe a little light fruit, slightly nutty, maybe even a hint of licorice but its hard to tell. Overall the taste is a bit muddied. A metallic bite crept in at first, but by the end of the glass I didn’t notice it. Nice balance of malt and hops, but neither really takes the forefront. Overall it was bland but drinkable.

The Buzzard’s Bay page is so messed up on this site, I don’t even know to which beer this refers.
But the beer that Buzzards bay is currently producing called "Pale Ale" with a green label is the one I’m reviewing. Bottle, sampled July 2005. Golden, honey-amber pour, clear and filtered, but has some white head, which lasts for a few seconds. Clings to the side and finally disappears completely. Smells of thick, juicy, strong English hops. Moderately bitter and very fruity, with caramel and toffee. Flavor is tons of hops flavor, limes, bananas, pineapples, apples, peaches. Some vanilla and grainy, pale malt with light caramel on the end. Very thick and satisfying body, for how filtered it is. Carbonation is too much to start, being forced, but eases off nicely. Moderately acidic on the end, from the hops. I’m surprised they got this much bitterness from only English hops, it’s almost like there are amarillos in here, yet I don’t really taste the signature grapefruit and I dont really think they are in here. Anyways, it’s very well-hopped, and well balanced with a creamy, honey-caramel consistency and solid body.
Earlier Rating: 5/11/2004 Total Score: 4.1
AOBF 04. Draught. I never really saw anyone get in line for this one, and not being a big name, or an exciting style I suppose I see why. But it’s too bad no one did. This stuff was delicious. Pours a typical light yellow-amber with a firm white head. Aroma is very engaging, dry and sweet at the same time, with a grassy, herbal nature almost. Crisp and bitter on the nose. The flavor is very well balanced of light caramel malt, lots of barley and a smooth, even texture. Hops flavor is phenomenal. Subtle, with floral qualities (light blossoms, flowers, dry mowed grass clippings) and some lightly spicy herbs in there as well (lightly peppery, hints of vanilla). Wow. Great stuff and just shows that you don’t have to brew a difficult style to showcase your talent.

An interesting take on the style with yogurt, citrus and pepper dominating the nose and caramel dominating the tongue. A bit watery and bland, but very drinkable.

Orangish color, not much here. Pretty watery ale. Basically reverse the commercial description and you get what this product is. Oh well.