Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Kölsch
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

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A decent Kolsch, one that should be labeled as such, but American drinkers would not recognize the style so it isn’t. I think that the brewer is just as confused as everyone else, possibly because they are so busy brewing so many different styles of beer. Still a fine effort.

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. The enjoy by date was 8/10/13.

Appearance: Pretty shade of orange, very clear. Forms a small, white, foamy head which mostly evaporates and leaves trace lacing.

Smell: I was expecting hops so I was surprised to smell a typical pale lager aroma.

Taste: I was shocked when I took my first swig of Ballast Point Pale Ale. I was hoping for a classic West Coast style pale ale with plenty of citrus and a clean body. What I got was akin to a generic pale lager. I didn’t think this could possibly be right so I Googled it and it turns out this beer is not actually a pale ale at all, but is instead a Kolsch. This annoys me as a consumer because I bought it because I like pale ales, so why is the bottle labeled "pale ale" when it clearly is not? It’d be just as accurate to call it a stout.

The beer itself is not terrible, just not what I wanted. I’m not a fan of the Kolsch style because it’s so much like a pilsner and if I wanted a pilsner I’d buy a pilsner. The difference being that this beer at least drinks like an ale. While it does taste like a German or Czech-style pilsner it has the softer, smoother body of an ale. Not much in the way of distinctive taste, though. Some starchy malt and almost no hop presence. Even for a Kolsch it’s only an okay beer at best, but I’m rating this low because I feel it’s misleading.

Drinkability: Though I didn’t get a pale ale, at least I got the drinkability of one. The body is on the lighter side with a thin mouthfeel. It goes down extremely smooth and is quite refreshing with a clean aftertaste. It’d be ideal as a summer seasonal, especially considering it’s only 4.6% ABV.

This pours a golden color with a thin white head on top. The aroma is bready and sweet corn like with some grassy hops. Sweet bready and biscuity flavors with notes of corn, hay, and some crisp hops kicking in towards the back end. This is definitely a Kolsh, not a Pale Ale, but that’s explained in the description. And I have no problem with that. I was looking for something light and refreshing to drink on Cinco de Mayo in place of a crappy Mexican lager, and this worked just fine.

Why is this called a "Pale Ale" if it is a kolsches?! Draft. Pours a pale lager crystal clear golden with medium white head, served in a pint glass. :/ Aroma is bread, fruity grains and some malt. Taste is malty mess. Wheat is there but in a not so pleasant way. The lack of hops is understandable from the kolsches stand point but when you are expecting a pale ale, fail.

Bottle at Antenna America, Yokohama - RBJG#2. Clear golden - white head. Citrus, nice hoppy, bread, hay, white peppery, clean, fruity hoppy notes.

Aroma: biscuit and cracker, some light floral hops, a touch of fruity esters. Appearance: golden color, white head with average retention and some lacing left behind. Taste: light malts, biscuit, some malt sweetness, a bit of fruity hops for balance. Overall fairly mellow, quite drinkable. Palate: medium body and carbonation.

On tap at some restaurant. Clear golden. Light aroma, some grassy hops and a little citrus. Tastes watery, some light lemony floral hop and some noble hop flavour. Not a bad beer

Bottle at home bought from Brewdog online date on the bottle is 1/5/13. So the beer is past is best- thanks brewdog. Pale golden colour with a medium haze and a thin yellow head. Aroma is Grassy socks and more than a touch on skunk. Flavour is grassy, noble hop more skunk . Mid sweet caramel malt finish. Shame, I’m sure that it was a great beer when it was bottled.

Tasted at The Battle of the Brews. This is probably one of the worst pale ales I've tasted. Tasted like a lager, which I know is the brewers intent, but just did not care for it. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Clear straw colored pour with a white head. Grainy and sweet nose. Grassy hops, light floral notes, and lemon. Some green apple, a touch of biscuit, and water. The flavor is really no better. Sweet grain up front with a touch of biscuit. Light bitterness of grassy hops. Some floral and lemon notes, green apple, and watery.