Sierra Blanca Pale Ale

Brewed by Sierra Blanca Brewing Co
Style: American Pale Ale
Moriarty, New Mexico USA

Date: 06/20/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: clear copper, wispy off white head, bits of lace,
Aroma: sweet crystal malt aroma with lots of floral hops,
Flavor: sweet crystal malt flavor, well balanced with lots of tasty floral hops, light lasting bitter finish,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

I wasn't entirely impressed with this brew. Maybe that's because I used it to chase Sierra Blanca's excellent Pilsener and Nut Brown. The Pale Ale is just not nearly as impressive. Not at all a bad brew, though. Creatively and nicely hopped. Very good body. Nice finish. Different, but very enjoyable.

Clear medium oragne. British malt-syrup aroma. Lightly hoppy, some pine and scotch. Nutty flavor with an even palate with some slight hop bitterness in the finish. An above average APA. Thanks to TannerTavernboys for the trade.

Pours a pellucid bronze color with a sticky looking head and little lacing. Aroma has lots of diactyl [again] but with hints of musky hop. Flavor is also sweet and buttery with not much hops shining through. Tastes very similar to their nut brown but with less of a body. Not bad tasting, don't get me wrong, but as a homebrewer I don't see diactyl as a good thing.

Clear amber hue with fading frothy head and very good lace. The aroma hints of light caramel, buttery biscuit, toasted malt, floral hops, and dusty yeast esters. The taste is straight forward with a zesty bitterness and sweet malty balance. A hint of fruit and bready taste as well. The finish is hsort, lightly bitter and has a dry chalky feel. A run of the mill APA, but worth a starter. Thanks Eric.

Medium orange amber color. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is big biscuty malts and brown sugar. A medium bodied American Pale Ale. Malts are fruity, caramel and sweet. Hops are piney and herbal. Lots of earthy flavors. Kind of not to style for a APA, it peaty and malty more like a scottish ale. Still a nice beer and the malts shine out. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Deep amber with an orange hue and a thin head. Soft malts. Slight sourness. Flowery, herbal hops. Low to medium carbonation. Finishes with a sour herbalness. Not too bad though. Strange, but enjoyable nonetheless.

The beer after evacuating the 12 ounce brown bottle pours an unclouded amber color with a moderate in size head that is spumous in texture and a light tan color, as it quickly erodes the residual lace forms an adequate covering upon the glass. Nose has mild malt sweetness, fresh and crisp, not much else going on here, start is sweet with a fair to middling malt presence, the top skimpy in feel. Finish is benignly acidic, the hops adequate in their spiciness, dry aftertaste.