 glkaiser (1173), Seattle, Washington, USA
| 4.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 10/10 | 5/5 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 19/20 |
Oct 12, 2009 Updated: Nov 12, 2009
This rating is for the 2009 FRESH HOP version of Mirror Pond, which has been combined here with the regular Mirror Pond now. The regular Mirror Pond is a light, drinkable pale ale with good balance, but it does little to blow me away these days. This fresh hop version is brewed with fresh cascade hops and has a completely different flavor profile (we did a side-by-side at the pub). The aroma is perfect fresh hop decadence. The green hops coming out of this glass made me want to run around and rip my clothes off (thankfully for the pub’s other patrons, I did not). The taste follows with intense earthy fresh hops that are a little more toned down and balanced than the aroma, which works out well. It doesn’t get too “funky” from the fresh hops, and there is a little bit of citrus thrown in. You still get all of that hop flavor, yet the beer is still just as drinkable and light as Mirror Pond. Finishes with a stronger bitterness than the regular Mirror Pond, but it’s not even close to being overly bitter. If the fresh hop flavor would have been much stronger in this, it might have just put it out of balance. Overall, I’m just not sure that a fresh hop beer can get any better based on what I look for. Thank you, Deschutes, for making my weekend and giving me a beer that goes straight towards the top of my all-time favorites.
Earlier Rating for regular Mirror Pond: 2/28/2007 Total Score: 3.3
It’s beers like this that I drink all the time, but just never get around to rating....I’ll get them eventually, I guess. This is one of my favorite stand by beers in the PNW. Light and drinkable with decent fruity hops. Grain malt finish. Pretty thin, which makes it a good beer to drink all night.
mcbeyond (45), Newport Beach, California, USA
| 3.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 4/5 | 6/10 | 3/5 | 13/20 |
Dec 29, 2009 This is what I order when my local pub runs out of Stone. I can only rate it by comparison. Less aroma, less balance, more distracting bitterness. All in all, it just doesn’t have that integrated "it" factor that a great quaffer must have.
Maverick34 (729), New York, USA
| 3.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 6/10 | 3/5 | 13/20 |
Dec 28, 2009 bottled. Pours amber. nice floral hops aroma, taste is sweet with some hops to finish, well balanced stuff.
jimhilt (1691), Bow, New Hampshire, USA
| 3.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 |
Dec 26, 2009 Pours a three finger off-white head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Clear amber color. Piney almost grapefruit hop nose. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Favor is mild grapefruit hops with hints of sweetness. 12oz bottle - gift from Portland, OR.
zach8270 (2137), Henrietta, New York, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 |
Dec 24, 2009 (bottle - 12 oz) Orange pour with a very thin white head and light carbonation. Aroma is sweet with a lot of citrus, resin, and flowery hop notes. Slightly tangy and flowery at the beginning with a mild citrus and grassy hop middle. Dry and bitter at the finish with a very mild, lingering aftertaste. Incredibly well balanced.
poisoneddwarf (222), Rathdrum, Idaho, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 20, 2009 12 oz bottle. Aroma is grapefruit citrus, pine, grain. Pours golden amber with a decent head, decent lacing. Taste is just slightly bitter for this style, not sweet. Could be bigger-bodied. Finishes a little salty. Not bad at all--but not exactly fantastic either.
Chickencoop (35), California, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Dec 14, 2009 I love Sierra, had it specifically at my wedding only with the mighty Pilsner Urquell, but this beer, 10 years later is my new pale ale. The malt balance with the subtle hops works for me, is it my age, maybe, but I love this beer, it’s better than the always picked up flagship Porter, this is one of the better beers they make.
nate2g (1140), Brisbane, Australia
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 13, 2009 Bottle. Pours dark amber with creamy beige head. A pleasant aroma of biscuit malt, tropical fruits and hops. Tastes great, and the Cascade hops sure do their thing - this is one very sessionable ale. Good hop bitterness with a fruity finish. Awesome APA.
philbertk (110), Seattle, Washington, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 12, 2009 Remarks
22 oz. Bottle. 5.0% ABV according to Label and website. 40 IBU’s. $2.59.
Thin lace trace fizzy off white head.No sediment.Clear thin bright twny amber color.Rich floral Cascade hop front.Mild sweet bisquit caramel mild pine citrus hop resin creamy malty mild fruit body.Clean balanced refreshing hop spice end.Classic NW Cascade Hop Pale Ale.
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