Mackinaw Brewing Peninsula Pale

Brewed by Mackinaw Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Traverse City, Michigan USA

on tap in Traverse City. Nice summer day. Went perfect with the cherry/oatmeal/beef burger (surprisingly good).

On tap at the brewery. Murky dark amber with small white head. Aroma is light herbal hops with dry caramel malt. Flavor is off-dry caramel malt, some nuttiness, a little metallic with herbal hops. Medium to light body with active carbonation. In style.

On tap at the brewery. Pours a mostly transparent, coppery amber color with a finger of off-white head. A moderate, citrusy cascade hop aroma is balanced by a graham cracker and caramel malt sweetness. Medium bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel. Reminds me a lot of SNPA, but with a bit more citrusy hop character and diacetyl. Butter is not an enhancing trait, but remains at a relatively low level. A bit sweet up front, with toffee malt sugars and toasted caramels. A pleasing citrusy hop bitterness lifts this sweetness off the palate with flavors of grapefruit zest and red pine. Eliminate the diacetyl issues, and this would meet my expectation level.

Draft sample at Mackinaw. Poured dark amber color with an average frothy white head that mostly diminished with fair lacing. Moderate tart citrus hop aroma. Medium body. Medium bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of short duration. My expectations were not met.

Very limited malt profile and then a layer of hops over this. No real complexity to speak of here. A good drink, but nothing to rave about.

Light on everything, thought the Cascades are noticeable and the sweetish malt action stands up once and awhile and bows sappily. An APA to accomodate mass tourism, the city hallmark.