Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale

Brewed by Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Bloomfield, Connecticut USA

TH Pale has a big creamy light tan head over a deep light amber beer. Light malt aroma. Just a touch of sweet malt before the hops come on. They swell and roll all the way to anicely dry finish. A good one.

(12 oz botttle: Obtained in trade with IMtheOptimator, thanks Andrew!)Not a bad little brew from the state of my birth and childhood. The label says "crisp hop flavor," and I can’t dispute that. Pleasant, mildy sweet maltiness provides a nice base for the crisp, moderately bitter hops. Lots of grapefruit, pleasant, not overdone for the style, and certainly not as strong in many of the west coast hop monsters. Very nice balance overall. The nose could be a bit more aromatic, but it’s reflective of the flavor, lightly malty and hoppy. Medium in body, smooth and round at first, followed by a cleansing crispness from the hops. Light amber color, slightly hazy in appearance. Sizeable off-white head shows excellent retention, gradually diminishing to a thin but complete layer, and holding there for the duration of the session. Much ringed and patchy lacing remains on the glass. This one isn’t going to bowl you over with flavor, but it’s pleasant and easy to drink.

Bottle. Pours an orange color w/ a frothy light tan head which slowly receeds leaving good lacing Aroma is lightly grassy w/ minimal citrus notes. Flavors of oranges, grass and hay. Palate is lightly fizzy.

Pours dark gold with a small head. Smell is of grass and straw. Taste is of grapefruit and mowed lawns.

Small tan head, fair retention with a coating lace. Clear light copper color. Light hop nose with a nice malt backing. Light/medium body. Dry malt flavor, notes of caramel, light pine, grassy and citrusy hop notes. Finish is dry, moderately hoppy and grainy. Thanks SwedeDog!

Bottle: pours deep amber with a medium white head. Light caramel aroma. Middle of the road flavor with caramel, malt, and a decent supply of hops. Moderately bitter finish. Good overall.

Light hop aroma wafting from a moderate white head. Nice full toasty flavor up front, with sweet malt. Sharp hop nip (not a full-fledged bite) develops into a restrained but refreshing fruity hop bite in the finish. Good run-of-the-mill American pale ale with much session potential.

2004 bottle. Golden-pale-white-yellow body belies more caramel and toasted malt than one would expect. Small white head is moderately well retained. Smells lightly flowery and with a bit of honey and grain. Flavor is dry, nutty, smooth and slightly alcoholic. Not heavy or burning, but the light hops bitterness combined with the malty body adds a good strength to the body. Finishes with light fruity pears and tangerines. Thins out a good deal, and gets too dry, but there is an interesting enough flavor up front, just never highly malty.