Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: American Pale Ale
Bend, Oregon USA

On draft at Yard House (San Diego, CA): Pours a light to medium golden color with a bit of haze, and lots of lacing. Nose is of light fruits, light citrus, and some florals with a drop of honey. If only the flavor was anything comparable. A primarily hoppy taste, past it’s prime, along with toasty malts, citrus, and some pine. Thin mouthfeel. A bit watery. Drinkability: Tastes processed and not all there. Pairing: Chicken nachos, large, served at Yard House. Rebuy: No. #327 on 08032010, DG.

Translucent orange colored brew with moderate carbonation and a full, frothy white head. Great lacing. Light malt aroma with light hops, much like a lager. Flavor lightly hopped, lacking any real character but totally unoffensive and alot less "lingering" hop flavor than I expected given the commercial description. Well-brewed and a decent drink, though. A good American pale ale, but overall a little bland for my palate.

12-oz bottle Spec’s, Houston, TX - Aroma: pines, resin, floral; Appearance: clear to hazy, orange-golden color, off-white head, some laces; Flavor: sweet, salty, bitter; Mouthfeel: medium bodied, thick texture, average carbonation, bitter finish; Overall: beautifully looking and nice (average) aromatic pale ale beer with a bitter finish.

12 oz. bottle from ?: I remember liking this much more the first time I tried it. Crisp and bubbly with a clean finish, but tastes and smells a little metallic (like it came out of a tin can). Kind of flat and flavorless.

Draft @ St. Augustine, Vancouver. Hazy amber-orange with scant off-white cap. Decent lacing. Aroma is very flowery! Hibiscus, even jasmine with some strawberry too. Pretty quaffable. Flavors travel from fruity to earthy, retaining some of the flowers but not as much as the aromas. Finishes with earthy resins. It’s a good ’take it or leave it’ beer.

On tap at Yardhouse Waikiki Beach - Poured light copper color with medium white head. Aroma - Fresh floral hops and sweet malt Flavor - Very nice balance of sweet malt and crisp bitterinf floral and citrus hops. I had 3 and they went down smooth! Palate - medium bodied with cremy smooth texture. finish is somewhat bitter and has little aftertaste. Overall - Great tasteing beer on tap. Probably not as good from the bottle but still a damn good pale ale!

While this is a typical west coast pale ale, it is more balanced than most. Pale malt and crystal malt smoothness and citrus hop aromas and taste. It’s much better on tap or in a bomber format than the 12oz bottle.

Bottle. Clear and copper with small head, subsiding to ring. A little lace. Nicely aromatic, with hoppy scent. Malt is medium bodied and slightly sweet. Hop flavour is a little citric, a little floral. Kind of an IPA-lite taste. Good beer.