Big Hole Headstrong Pale Ale

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

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.

Pours copper with orange and pink hues mixed in; bubbly one finger white head. Aroma is nicely balanced, good pine and grass hop notes with a bit of citrus as well, and the malt comes through in a caramel, toffee, and biscuit sort of manifestation. Flavor starts slow, then builds to a nice grass and citrus hop character. Malt is less pronounced, though the finish has some distinctive caramel and molasses notes. Palate follows suit with the flavor, starting quite thin, then building to a solid finish. Really an above average brew, drinkable, and good for the style.

Bottle: Two fingers of fluffy beige head atop a pure copper colored pour. Aroma is mild with malty sweetness, caramel, candied sugar, faint citrus, and light florals. Flavor is malty, a bit earthy, bready, and lighter in the floral hops. Some lingering bitters in the tail.

Cloudy amber with a large tan head that leaves some lacing. Aroma of citrus, sweet malt, caramel and mild vegetation. Taste of caramel, light floral hops, minute citrus and moderate vegetation. Lively mouth feel with a little oiliness to it and very little bitterness on the finish.

On tap at Smokeless Joes. Appearance: Ruby red, some visible carbonation, small off white head. Aroma: some initial caramel with a hint of hops, cherries and a little yeast. Flavour: initially dry but with a hop forward character, tangy malt and some pine resin. Long bitter sweet finish.