United Nations of Beer

Flathead Lake Pale Ale

by Bret
(Las Vegas, NV)

Flathead Lake Pale Ale (5.5% ABV)
Flathead Lake Brewing Co., MT, USA
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What more can I say, I drink A LOT of beer and love to write about it. As the name says, this is a Pale Ale and there is nothing weird or different about it, kind of like AC/DC, you hear the name you know what you are going to get.

This Pale ale starts off with a nice strong nose full of hops and earthiness, a little bit of pine with some citrus back notes. There is a a mild sweetness from the malt and yeast, but not overwhelming. Pine and hops become more apparent as the beer warms. Just like a good Pale Ale should be.

Alright, the color of this offering is a little different, pale bronze with an orangish hue with no haze or cloudiness. There is a mild carbonation which creates a thin foamy head that dissipates quickly and laces the glass as the beer is consumed.

The taste is definitely Pale Ale with a strong taste of bittersweet hops and a piney aftertaste. There is a citrus and yeast sweetness which come in as the beer warms in your mouth and blends it all together. Finally, there is a mild taste of the malts, not too strong, but just enough to give it some character and not take away from the hops.

The mouthfeel is smooth in texture and coats the palate with a strong bittersweet film and flavor of piney hops that lingers in your mouth. It is light and refreshing with very little carbonation but medium bodied and easily drinkable.

Overall this was a very good beer. Very much your typical Pale Ale but it has its own character. The color is unique from many of the Pale Ales I have tried in my time. Also, the aftertaste leaves this piney sweetness on your tongue that cannot be matched. I could kill a half dozen of these on a warm summer night and be perfectly content with myself.