Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale

Brewed by Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

Pours dark amber with a frothy white head and characteristic lacing. Aroma is fresh pine. very creamy, almost foamy mouthfeel. flavor is pine, grapefruit and melon. Finish is light but fresh. A pleasing, unintrusive APA which hits all the right notes but leaves me a bit unsatisfied.

12oz bottle. Poured a medium amber color with a smaller sized head. Aroams of citrus, lighter caramel, and some toastiness. Tastes of citrus, caramel, and lighter floralness.

This was exactly what I was in the mood for but I just didn’t know it. The perfect Summer ale, I can’t wait to drink this in July before some fireworks. Extremely floral balance of hops and sweet orange malts. Plenty of citrus notes, leaning more toward orange. Some piney notes from the hop flavor. Not much carbonation, but smooth as all get out. Well made, refreshing (some say thin, I say refreshing!) Great summer beer, buy it by the case.

Bottle. Moderate malt notes of nutty and caramel, light herbs and pine for the hops, broth for the yeast, with a hint of pepper. Head is small, wispy, white with no lacing till it warms and is almost fully diminishing. Color is hazy orange/tan. Flavor starts lightly sweet and lightly to moderately acidic, then finishes lightly sweet, acidic, bitter and a touch sour. Palate is light to medium, watery and has a soft carbonation. This is certainly a very well made American Pale Ale, just a little thin in spots.

12oz bottle. Hazy orange-brown. Thin soapy head. "Cool" grapefruit bitter hop aroma, very nice. A pretty middle of the road West Coast Pale Ale, with a soft but pronounced hop backbone. Toasty malt tones, at times approaching a very light brown ale. Medium bodied, a session beer that still has some quality and character.

Notes for me: Grapefruit aroma. Great thick palate. Taste is a little on the wangy side. Nice lacing.

Aroma of citrus, pine, and grapefruit. Maybe a hint of burnt caramel as well. Flavors are similar. Juicy, yet grainy finish. Lighter mouthfeel. Good for an everyday pale ale.

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Ltd.--W’07 Pale Ale--Brewmasters’ Release 2007--12 oz. Bottle. 5.40% ABV--37 IBU’s. (4.5 / 5.0) Pale Ale--Mild lacy head. Clear thin dark caramel amber color. Earthy Summit hop front. Crisp doughy earthy tangy mild sweet caramel light toasted body. Rich earthy Chinook hop spice tangy mild citrus end. Chewy! Sampled 1/10/2007. Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Ltd.--Drifter the Original Pale Ale--2009 22 oz. Bottle. 5.70% ABV--32 IBU’s. (4.35 / 5.0) Pale Ale--Rich foamy lacy off white head. Clear rich bright deep amber color. Huge floral grapefruit hop front. Rich mild sweet citrus fruit toasted biscuit caramel creamy doughy crusty malty body. Refreshing smooth clean balanced mild hop spice lingering grapefruit end. Sampled 7/1/2009. 2 @ $2.99 Each. Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Ltd.--Drifter the Original Pale Ale--"Unique Citrus Character, Anything But Pale." 2009 12 oz. Bottle. 5.70% ABV--32 IBU’s. (4.25/ 5.0) Pale Ale--Dense rich lacy off white head. Clear bright pretty deep amber red color. Rich floral pine citrus earthy hop front. Rich dry sweet caramel fruit biscuit earthy chewy rich tangy body. No sediment. Rich hop spice clean dry malty citrus end. Hoppy Red Ale. Sampled 3/20/2009. 6-Pack $6.99.