Pangaea Liljas Pulling Boat Pale Ale

Brewed by Sand Creek Brewing Co. (Pioneer/Wisconsin Brewing Co.)
Style: American Pale Ale
Black River Falls, Wisconsin USA

Pours a soft-hazed golden/amber, I’d say about 8.0 Lovibond, with a soft, creamy white head that only holds for a short time. I find a touch of berries in the aroma along with mild, sweaty yeast, broth, a dab of shoe polish and some dry hops (not to be misunderstood as "dry hopping" in its traditional sense, but more as in how dried oregano loses some of its potency and character). I find it interesting that the hop flavor I encounter is not like the citric nor piney PNWs I’m accustomed to in American IPAs, but rather bitter and herbal as in a German Pilsener. Soft in the mouth, this bitterness proves gentle yet solid and finishes with a twist... those berries I found in the aroma return for a final touch of fruitiness. I agree with the current percentiles which have this beer ranking low as an IPA yet fairly well overall.

<font size=-4>Single 12 oz. bottle from <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/illinois/plainf Plainfield, IL 60544</font>

More like a flat APA than an IPA. The body’s a golden amber with a small, quickly vanishing head. The aroma is quite mild, grainy malt with a light citric smell. Flat, and I can find no "Best By" date on the bottle. The taste is balanced like an APA soft malts with a grapeffruit bitterness. Dull.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Plainfield, IL<font size=-1>

Pours hazy gold color with smallish white head that dissapates to a thin film. Slight smell of hops with some grainy notes. Bitter flavor that does not overpower nor impress. Not much hop flavor. The bitterness sticks around. I expected more. If this is considered an IPA it needs to do more in both the hop flavor and malt department. But maybe the brewer covered him/herself when he/she claims on the label that it is "traditional Wiisconsin..." I think this might be an okay beer to introduce someone who is beginning to experience craft brews. For the price I was a bit disappointed. Give me Red Hook products at $5/six over the $8/six for this.

Clear golden pour with a smallish white head. Aroma was only a bit piney which is not very common for the style. Mild bitterness and well balanced malt backbone. Nice citric finish. I thought this was an APA and frankly it is a much better APA than IPA an my honest opinion.

A little bitter with ok fruit note and dryness and fairly light body with plenty of carbonation. ok

Light amber with an off white head. Aroma of pine and citrus hops. Some malt sweetness for balance. Nice lacing. Very nice.

Not sure I’d call this an IPA, but whatever. An all-around pleasant beer, with a primarily citric hop aroma that seem more earthy in the flavor. Seemed to have a lively body, but mine might have been shaken up a bit. Nice toffee, caramel malt flavors, finishing nicely bitter. Fresh, well-made; straightforward and pretty good but not too special in any way -- just a nice drink overall.

Also bottled under Svea verses Pangaea. Lightly hazed light copper color with a diminished off white head. Earthy malt and hops aromas, with a touch of strength. A light herbal and floral component. Light honey and malt sweetness abounds. A nice balance of light pine and citric hops. Likely more a american pale than an IPA, but a nice balance malt and hops ale.