Firestone Walker Pale 31

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: American Pale Ale
Paso Robles, California USA

This beer looks very soft. Extremely low visible carbonation coupled with a golden orange body and silky fat bubbles. Head retention is minimal, lacing miniscule. Orange and lesser apricots usher in a hop-forward aroma. Lightly toasted grains are evident. Alcohol is very light, though steadily apparent. The nose is fresh and airy. Flavor is still very citrusy, joined now by a lemony astringency that pairs well with the hops and much lighter malt profile. Bitterness is mild, sweetness as well. Malt is indeed very light, very doughy, sometimes too light. Mouthfeel is adequately carbonated, light bodied, slightly syrupy nonetheless, smooth and fizzy/poppy. The finish is balanced and short, though more of an oily ending than a crisp one. The nose is quite relaxing, the flavor and overall feel of the beer are just above average.

Amber color. Smell of hops, caramel, pine, bread and sweet honey. Taste of hops, pine, malt, citrus, caramel and a wonderful bitternes at the end. I like this a lot. Very refreshing. Thanks to brewblackhole.

Bottle sampled from shigadeyo at the Dilly Deli. Poured clear pale color with an average frothy white head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate smooth sour citrus hoppy aroma. Medium body with a slick texture. Moderate bitter flavor with a smooth medium bitter finish of average duration. Solid drinkable brew.

(12oz bottle) Crystal clear light amber body topped by medium off-white head. Aroma is medium sweet, floral/orange, some caramel, light grapefruit. Taste is medium sweet, orange/grapefruit, some caramel, light pineapple, bread. Light-medium body, quite drinkable. This is straightforward, but flavorful and well done -- fits squarely within the APA style. On some days there’s a decent chance I’d call it boring and give it around a 3.2, but for whatever reason, it works well tonight.

From bottle. Pours a light amber with thin white head. Citrus, grassy hops in the nose with the flavor following with some lemon. Light malty body. Nice.

12oz. bottle. Gentle aroma of lemon, flowers and maple sugar combined with a light dosage of grassy, piney, spicy hops. Clear medium golden color with a slight, fading head. Predominantly dry, citric flavor, lightly bitter and very brief on the palate, fading quickly into hop spiciness with a dash of faint, grainy malts. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, body is fairly light. I never would have realized this was oak-aged by sampling it. Highly quaffable, ultimately. Cheers to Brian.

Pours golden with a medium head. Doesn’t retain well. Strong citrusy flavors along with strong hops. Very refreshing beer.

Aroma of perfume and grapefruit. A little breadiness. Pours golden with big bubbles. Flavor is alot different than aroma. Very bready with medium bitterness. Easy drinking. Refreshing even. The aroma is quite a bit better than the taste, but the taste is by no means bad.