River Horse Hop Hazard Pale Ale

Brewed by River Horse Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Lambertville, New Jersey USA

Pours a dark amber pale with a little white head lots of caramel malt character. The hop comes up small in this beer only briefly and weakly showing up with a little hop finish at the end .... Not a great APA but an easy drinking beer that isn’t offensive it just lacks balance

Tap at Barcade: Deep copper pour with a light tan film of head. Sweet caramel malt aroma with lots of resiny character accompanied by the sweet candied malts. Fairly slick body. The flavor gives off a lot of apparent sweet crystal malt at the fore. The hop flavors are very brief giving a succinct peach note in the middle then comes a long and rough very bitter piny finish that lasts quite a while. The candied malt fore doesn’t really progress smoothly into the aggressive bitter finish. Lacking cohesive flavors and needs refinement.

Bottle. Pours a semi-hazy amber brown with a small off-white head. Aroma of caramel malt, toffee, and floral hops. Flavor is quite similar, very malty (caramel malt, toasted malt) with some bitter hops in the finish, but this isn’t very hoppy at all. Pretty drinkable and a nice session beer. 7/4/7/4/15 Ɠ.7/5)

[Note: I have tried to review this beer several times, but each time I have, it has been spoiled, giving off a very strong butterscotch flavor. I don’t know if this is more of a result of the conditions of storage or the fragility of the beer. At any rate, this one was not spoiled.] Has a really nice, very cloudy dark orange color. Head disappears quickly. The color of apple cider. The smell is some nice woody hops over some mild butterscotch and sour apple. Some toasted, nutty malt. Pungent raisin with some alcohol thrown in. Lots of piney woody aromas. A nutty malt is the first taste, similar to a dry amber. (An unusual peanuty aftertaste?) HInts of raisin and a dash of black licorice. A darker brew than expected. Caramel emerges at the tail end. Dry and a little ashy feel, but also nicely thick. A nice, toasted ale. A pale, but a dark one to be sure.

Pours amber with a thin white head. Smells of earth, tea, caramel. Tastes sweet and refined with some bitterness on the finish.

Situation: A relaxing Friday... Glassware: Yuengling pint... Appearance: Light orange, almost pumpkin-colored body with a steady stream of effervescence--ACTIVE; bubbling clustery head, thick and pillowy with traces of lacing... Aroma: fruity esters awaken the nostril, with the expected pine bite from hops--appropriate... Palate: medium-bodied and tipped to the throatmalts thrown in provide a late balance, but the majority of this beer lingers between the teeth--a bit less easy drinking than I’d imagined! Taste: First sip is hoppy and sharp, arush to the throat; by last sip, this beer could be either a nacho chaser (my plans tonight), a sessioner if you are up for it, or a single drink for any season--quite versatile... Overall: Nice tracings as the glass drains, suggesting a well-crafted pale... do not experience the malts as much as the brewery advertises, but still pleasantly dry... the sum of its parts add up to more than this rating, perhaps...

Poured an amber color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus, toast, a touch of canned vegetables, and floral hops. Taste of vanilla, citrus fruits, pine, caramel, and a dry, moderately bitter finish. Not that great, now I realize why I forgot to rate this earlier.

Cask at Blind Tiger. The aroma is an appealing mix of citrus, and floral hoppiness. The appearance is slightly hazy, deep red, thin white head. The flavor is citrusy, hoppy, light fruits, enjoyable. The finish is an agreeable mix of sweet fruit, and floral hops. Medium/thick, somewhat oily mouthfeel. Good balance between fruity sweetness and hoppy bitterness. Very nice!