Mishawaka Lake Effect Pale Ale

Brewed by Mishawaka Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Mishawaka, Indiana USA

Bottle. Semisweet rush of cascades wins the aroma. Golden body with light carbonation and a medium, lacing, creamy white head. Strong bitter flavor, bready with dominant hops, dry without a trace of sweetness. Strong pine with some resin, which are what last after the finish. Light-medium body. I have the feeling this would pair extremely well with certain foods, but all alone, it’s kinda rough.

I visited Mishawaka during some recent travels. I thought this beer was OK, but much more like an English-style IPA than an APA. Lake Effect comes served at the brewery in a UK-pint glass. The beer had good head which laced nicely, and was a light amber color. For an APA, I thought it would be a bit darker. The beer was only slightly hazy. Aroma was very faint for an APA, and was of Cascade hops. I thought the flavor was very malty for a pale ale with mild fruitiness that was not really citrusy. Mouthfeel was neither sticky nor watery. I thought this beer was fairly drinkable, but didn’t really scratch my APA itch.

Growler filled @ the brewery, thanks to a co worker: Deep gold w/ a short lived white head. Has the appearance, and aroma of clarified butter! Just a little diacetyl in this one! Supposed cascade presence is absent in aroma, or is being over powered by diacetyl, either way, it ain’t there! Non distinct malt aroma, very flat, but some herbal hops make it through the butter. Hints of green apple frutiness. Flavor is a bit more hop assertive. Herbal hop flavor and a bit of a bitter balance w/ a dry finish. Diacetyl is not as apparent (amazingly enough) as in the aroma. Not really any malt character of which to speak, really. Finish is hop flavored w/ a lingering bitterness. Very high medium level of CO2 a bit biting, smooth once it dissipates in the mouth a bit. Lighter medium body. Not a horrible beer, but the diacetyl gives it some other complexities that lack from the malts.

(Bottle) Pours a clear yellow body with a small white head. Aroma of soapiness and pine. Flavor of bitter hops.

Sweet soapyness in the aroma is hidden behind grass and citrus, possibly amarillo? Light golden body has a dry refreshing taste. Flavours include a thin orange citrus and grassyness.

Pour is clear golden yellow with a thin white head...smell is hoppy with grapefruit and soap...weak watery flavor with some strange medicinal sweetness...

Very light amber--basically in the category of Bud-like lagers in appearance. God perfume note, orange, and a little pine--the way I like my hops in the aroma. The flavor hits with metal, not what I was looking for from this. A thin palate follows the aluminum astringency. After the aroma it’s not great.

Bottle. Grassy hop, perfumy nose. Taste-cereal, very hoppy and grassy. That’s about it. Quite one sided and uninspiring.