Kind Beers Pale Ale

Kind Beers
Brewed at Thomas Creek Brewery
Style: American Pale Ale
Charlotte, North Carolina USA

Date: February 15, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Brusin Ales, Asheville NC
Appearance: clear copper, sudsy off white head, bits of lace
Aroma: sweet crystal malt aroma, nice light floral and citrus hops
Flavor: sweet malt flavor is well balanced by the floral hops, just the right amount of bitterness to balance the sweetness, bready and caramel character, light peppery hop spicyness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

12 oz. Clear copper with a lasting inch of creamy foam. Nice aroma of earthy tea leaf, sourish orange, and caramel. Flavors of caramel, citrus, resiny wood, tea leaf, toasted bread, nutshells, a hint of chocolate, and a lightly sour metallic note are well balanced. Medium body is smoothly carbonated, and well-dried with hops. Hard to believe this is 7.3%. Unique, excellent ale that seems to be a hybrid of the best aspects of English and American takes on a strong ale. Probably would get better ratings in the American Strong category on RB. Crunchy lacing all over the glass. Thomas Creek is getting better and better.

Poured an amber with a nice two fingered head. Aroma is hoppy and floral. Flavor is hoppy with a slight bitterness. Nothing extraordinary here, but a well brewed beer. An average pale ale, nothing special.

Bottle shared by Butters @ the Barrios tasting. Poured a nice copper with an off-white head that left light lace. Aromas of molasses fruit and a slight hop background. The flavor had some nice dark fruits with a backing of toffee. Medium body, smooth carbonation, sweet throughout. Nice.

12 oz bottle courtesy of Butters at the Barrios Nashville tasting. Poured a clear red/orange color, with a one finger white, bubbly head. The color on this one was amazing. The aroma contained brown sugar and molasses, but not much of a hop profile. The flavor was caramel and tofee, with not much of a hop profile again. The palate was average, with a clean mouthfeel, medium body and average carbonation. I would classify this as an English Pale rather than an American Pale. Still, a good beer.

Bottle at Barrios’ tasting. Pours a nice copper with an off white head. Aroma of sugary malts and fruity esters. Light approaching medium bodied with a British like texture. Flavor of toffee, caramel, and some faint nuts countered by a muted herbal bitterness. Not bad, but I would say this leans more British that American for a Pale.

Bottle at Barrios’ Inaugural Tasting. Pours a clear reddish amber with fair white head. Nose of caramel malt, alcohol. Malty backbone as the hops seem to have faded from this. Biscuity, a little nutty, pretty decent actually. Very british in nature. Subtle bitterness on the finish.

Bottle. This is your typical gimmick beer. Has a "cool" marijuana leaf on the label and the beer is called "Kind." This beer aint kind. Its schwag. Couldn’t really finish the 12oz.