Big Hole Headstrong Pale Ale

Brewed by Madison River Brewing Company
Style: English Pale Ale
Belgrade, Montana USA

473 ml can courtesy of a trade with Boutip. Can says Big Hole Brewing Company, Utica, NY, USA 13502. Pours a slightly hazed gold with a moderate linen white head that lasted through the first quarter of the glass and left a semi-transparent film with each sip. Mild aroma of malt with some floral hops detected as well. The flavor is malt with some graininess to it it, slightly earthy, with some very mild floral hops towards the finish. Light bitterness at the finish. Slightly slick mouthfeel. Overall, a simple and drinkable pale ale.

473ml can. Can says it is produced in Utica. Pours a slightly hazy, yellow / orange, with a considerable off white head. Aromas of citrus, raspberry, herbs. Taste is malt, honey, toasty bread, a little citrus. The finish starts sweet, then ends with a metallic bitterness. Definitely one of the best "cheap" beers at the local liquor store.

473 ml can. Pours a fine honey color. Short lived head. Very fresh aroma of caramel apple. Yum... Moderately floral , not too hopped for me. Plenty lively for an imported micro , more pep then old speckled hen. The aftertaste is almost that of a blended rye whisky.

Bright amber colour. Tasty, yeasty aroma with amber malts. Very toasty. Light bitterness with woody hop notes. I wish we had something like this in Quebec. I like a good english style bitter.

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle from Flanagans in Appleton, Wisconsin. Pours a clear golden amber colored brew with a medium off white head that dissolves fast and leaves behind no film or lacing. Aroma of citrus hops, honey, and caramel malt. Flavor is medium bodied with flavors of floral hops, dry malt and a touch of grass. Finish has a sharp bitterness that quickly disappears to a dry aftertaste.

Clear golden coloured body with a mild copper and orange hue with a very thin white head - decent, but not typical of an english pale. Aroma of metal, citrus, lemons, yeast and a bit of very low a.a. hops. Medium-bodied; Astringent hoppiness up front with a very low flavour profile and a balance favouring citrus and yeast than malt or body. Aftetaste shows a lot of metallic twanginess along with bittering hops, a touch of sweetness but mostly dry and citrusey. Overall, not such a great beer - this isn’t a typical english pale, more of a kolsch (i know, not an ale) or a mild american pale, since the malt isn’t noticeable at all. Still not a horrible beer, and definitely nice for me to try - since I can’t get it all over. I sampled this 473 (such a wierd size) mL can purchased from the LCBO in downtown Ottawa, Ontario on 08-April-2009, sampled back home in the states (Washington) on 16-October-2009.

500ml can 5.5%. Poured clear amber with large bubbled white head. Mild sweet floral hoppy aroma. Medium bodied, crisp carbonation. Lot’s of malt charaacteristic, notes of caramel with citrus. Moderate bitterness throughout.

Courtesy of Jake65. Amber pour with copious carbonation, a sudsy looking thin white head and some moderate sticky lacing. Aroma is citrus and earth with a defined sweet caramel toffee malt sweetness that rounds out with some grassy notes. Flavor is floral and citrusy with a subtle malt sweetness coming in the form of caramel. Sweetness is not overly done, in fact she seems a bit attenuated resulting in a semi-dry finish. Palate is light to medium, filling out the brew brew warms slightly. Quite enjoyable- would make a great session brew indeed.