Hopworks Organic Crosstown Pale Ale

Brewed by Hopworks Urban Brewery
Style: American Pale Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

Appearance: Pours a clear, darkened gold body topped with a medium-large, white, reasonably long-lasting head. Smell: Nicely pungent, aromatic hop nose smelling of fine floral, citrus fruit peelings, and dank herbaceousness with a minimal malt backing in the, er... back. Taste: Fairly soft pale malt base with only a snippet of ill-defined sweetness, then it’s hop time: fresh floral tones, fresh-picked herbs, citrus pith, and, of course, the medium-high bitterness. If the malts started mild, you can’t expect them to crash through the window like a SWAT team this late in the game. Finishes dry with a lingering bitterness. Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: Thankfully, this isn’t one of those mealy-mouthed, cinnamon-chapped ass pale ales you occasionally run it. While it is true I’d normally prefer just a skosh more maltiness, it’s only because many brewers, in the name of perceived haute brewing, skip the whole aroma and flavoring hop thing in lieu of focusing entirely on the bittering hops, leaving up with a caustic pint of bitterness, bile, and vengeance. Not so with Crosstown! While the malts are mild, at least the hops and subsequent bitterness aren’t ghastly and gack-inducing and you get a nice range of hop flavors.

Pours a hazy amber with a large off white head. Nose is floral and citrus hops. Tastes just like it smells. Floral hops, lemon, grapefruit, pears, bread, and some crystal malts. Body is light, carbonation is medium to moderate. Surprisingly tasty and way under-rated!

Bottle... Poured a vibrant orange with a nice white head. Hops on the nose with a little bit of cracker-like malt. Refreshingly crisp and well-carbonated palate. Floral hops up front with a citrus fruit sweetness before the malted balance in the finish.

22oz bottle. Aroma of honey caramels. a bit of citrus hops. flavor is a sharp, crisp bitterness alongside a caramel malt. Light citrus. So sessionable. Very worthy of my belly.

Pours golden amber with a good two finger white head. Copious lacings. Aroma is of dark earthy hops. Taste is pine, leather, some initial fruitiness and a good malt backing. Altogether somewhat too bitter for the style. This was not a problem for just a tasting note. I believe this was a very fresh bomber as it was the first HUB product I have seen at the place of purchase. Very fine organic Pale Ale that will really deliver on the full bitter end of the spectrum.

Bomber from Liquid Solutions. Pours orange gold with a frothy off-white head. Floral/citrus aromas. Medium body with frothy carbonation. Pretty fair amount of hop bitter, with some backing caramel. Quite pleasant. Floral notes stick into the finish. A good bitter beer. Not harsh, but not wimpy.

Taster - Hopworks Urban Brewery - Portland, OR
Aroma – Nice malt and hops balance in the aroma.
Appearance – Golden in color, Nice head and clear.
Flavor – A nice well balanced beer with great malts and the hops where very subtle.
Palate – Nice Mouthfeel, great texture with a good dry finish.
Overall – Very nice beer good recipe this was a great beer for a warm day. Nice light beer for the masses.

GABF 2009, Light to medium yellow/orange pour, Medium bitterness, nice bitterness. Caramel malt flavor, nice sessionable pale