Avery Ale to the Chief

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

pours hazy orange, with off-white head. Aroma is yeasty with notes of grapefruit, suugary, caramel malts and hops. Taste has a decent thick mouthfeel, with light bitter hops. Yeasty, malty with good notes of caramel with some floral hops becoming present and warming alcohol.

Her clear amber body stares back at me with orange hues dancing amidst the background. A pleasantly fluffy head tinged in an even lighter orange sits pretty on top of her treasure below, receding slowly into a thin layer. Gorgeous lace sparkles all along the sides of my glass, inviting me in to savor her blossoming bouquet of aromas. Grapefruit, orange, melon, sweet lemongrass, pine, sap, and wet hop oils grab my attention and don’t let go. I do love a good wet and sticky and citrusy nose so I waste no time seeing if her awaiting brew measures up. My first quaff reveals a full and clean mouthfeel and body which is heavier than some ales can be. Sweet and wet with sticky crushed pine, lemon, melon and grass that linger in a bittering dry finish. My mouth waters almost immediately for more, and so I comply. For a heavy American Strong Ale, Ale to the Chief is very quaffable and goes down just the way I like it, sticky and wet, which leaves me with a troubling quandary: an empty glass.

I expected a bit more complexity, but I would say that Ale to the Chief’s winning point is its simple and straightforward palate. Well done, I say, and worthy of any President, though some need not apply.

22oz bottle from Holiday Wine Cellar (Escondido, CA). Supposedly brewed for the US Presidential inauguration on January 20, 2008. I wonder if anyone actually gave this to Obama to celebrate. Pours a clear amber with about two fingers of mostly white head. Aroma very strong with fruit, particularly grapefruit and pineapple. Initial sticky citrus sweetness quickly gives way to a pleasant and hoppy bitterness as it washed over your tongue and down your gullet. You’re left with a significant lingering bitterness. Alcohol is hidden well in this one.

Location:On Tap at RFD’s in Chinatown (DC). Late Jan ’09.

Aroma: Fruit, citrus
Appearance: Amber-orange color, thick white head still lasting when it got to the table
Flavor: Slight bitterness, but not IPA bitter.
Palate: Medium body, some thickness in the texture
Overall Impression: This was a really nice Strong Alefrom Avery, enjoyed it a lot, had it on tap at RFDs, and would definately drink this one again next time I see it on a menu.

Nice full off white head that leaves good lacing atop an amber colored beer. Grassy hop aroma. Flavor of hops that melds with malty undertones. Good combination. Some carbonation and a nice bitter finish.

This American Strong Ale would be low rated if it were an IPA, that being said, for an Imperial Pale it is good. But in the grand scheme of things it is just a highly malted average IPA. Hence, it has a style percentage miles lower than its overall. $16 per 24 oz bottle at Abraxas in Miami Beach

An Avery very hoppy beer. C-hop aroma. Initially, very grapefruit and then as the taste buds numb, there is less hop intensity felt, its more like a pale ale. Average mouthfeel. Less than average grapefruit colour with some white head.

Clear light orange pour topped by a lasting creamy white foam. Bright and perfumey nose of tropical fruits - mango, honeymelon and juicy citrus. Spicy, woodsy nuances hint furthermore at hops, but in mouths, it’s bigger than I’d expected with a hefty dose of alcohol involved. Malt profile is almost chewy, though not syrupy, quite sweet. Soapy, spicey, citrusy hops component, growing into a serious bitterness, but the sweetness was intense enough to deserve such treatment. I would not write home about it, but certainly perfered it to most other Avery novelties I’ve had in the last couple of years.