Buzzards Bay Pale Ale

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

Date: 02/08/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear amber, whispy head, light sweet carmel malt aroma with floral hops, slightly sweet malt flavor well balanced with solid hop flavor and a light lingering bitter finish

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.8/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

(draft) Clear copper with small off-white head. Aroma is light berry. taste is mild sweet berry, minimal earthy. Light medium body. Inoffensive -- not unpleasant, but nothing to enjoy.

12oz bottle acquired in trade. Poured a medium and a slightly hazy amber color with a huge (4.5 finger) sized off white frothy head. Aromas of caramel, pine and a little fruity. Tastes of caramel, very light pine, and some citrus. Somewhat of a lively body (as also evident with the huge head).

Pours a lightly-effervescent transparent copper orange with a frothy, clingy off-white head. Mildly grainy, buttery, and sweet aroma has a touch of oxidation and a hint of English hops. Body starts with some mild earthy sweetness with a touch of bitterness toward a thinner dull finish. Doesn’t really have any off or unpleasant flavors, just pretty uninteresting.

Neon orange ale with a small, fizzy, white head. The nose has lots of caramel in it... along with sweat, pear and red apple. Well-balanced and nicely bittered. Medium-bodied with a syrupy mouthfeel and soft carbonation. Lengthy, moderately bitter, then bone-dry finish. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Beautiful clear red-amber, orange shine; slim orangey head, creamy, slightly irregular - the perfect glass of ale. At first only malt in the nose, like in a malt silo, grain, worts, but there are noble hops hiding. Some caramel & biscuit. And then the hops come out of the hiding, in the taste. No doubt, there's plenty of cookie malt present, but the hops exert domination in bitterness and hopflavour. Hoppiness even verges on the edge of adstringency. Well-bodied. Hopheads might be put off by the very malty nose - they would be very sorry if it led them to pass this beer. 't Is a very hoppy and pleasing beer - and a very hopped beer needs some good malt underbuild, IMO.

Underlying cantaloups combined with the caramel create a quizzically interesting sweetness...Well-blended with citrusy and grassy hops, they form a nice balance which recall a flowery atmosphere...A good interpretation of a bitter, complex, fresh and very easy to drink...

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.