Big Hole Headstrong Pale Ale

[223-20060304] Tap @ Volo (Toronto, ON). Light wood aroma with hints of flatulence. Hazy, light orange brown body with many small bubbles and a medium-lasting off-white creamy head. Flavour continues with wooden notes. Medium body. Kind of bland, no oomph, but fairly well blended.

Light amber in colour, sweet yeasty aroma with light malts. A true pale ale, refreshing and very clean. Nothing much else to it.

Nice brown / amber body with good carbonation and decent head that leaves behind good lacing. Aroma of noble hops (Kent hops have a very similar aroma to noble hops) and malted barley. Flavor gives way to stronger hops rather than malted barley for a bitter finish no complaints here... Makes for a beverage that is enjoyable with something salty. The mouthfeel was carbonated and well balanced. no doubt that this is an excellent beer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. Nice amber/copper color, the head of white foam was very short lived, and replaced with a ring. Smells of what reminded me of candied apples hit my nose. There is a nice malty flavor right away which is replaced with the freshest tasting hops I think i have ever tasted. Reminded me of a fullers beer I had a while ago, but I cannot remember which one. Anyhow, two thumbs up for this beer. Really Really good.

Pours a hazy reddidish-amber-copper color, looking something like a darkish apple cider. A brief head of white foam is quickly replaced by a pock-marked film and a ring. Spotty lacing. Looks like good carbonation level. The aroma is on the sweet side, with a mild candied fruit and a sugary caramel smell. There is a nice caramel malt flavor up front, though at mid sip it turns a little too far to the sweet side. Hop presence is well in the background at first, then more noticeable in the finish. A caramel aftertaste lingers for a good long while - with a touch of fruit as well. Medium body, carbonation is surprisingly (after my appearance comments) on the lighter side. This is a decent pale ale, I like the caramel malt, but it could use more hop presence and complexity for balance and intrigue.

650ml bottle - pours deep amber with flecks of gold and with a small white head that leaves a nice lacing in the glass. Aroma is hoppy and malt, seeming to be in almost equal balance with one another. Moderately floral and definitely English in character. Fairly hoppy British hop taste with a smooth malt backbone. Quite "round" in the mouth. Also some grassy/earthy hop notes in there. Nice. Mildly bitter in the finish with a nice malty aftertaste. If they only ramped up the citrusy/floral hop taste this one has, taking it a bit out of traditional EPA territory, it’d be a total winner. Still, good stuff. In Ontario, this beer is brewed by Wellington County...I wish more American micros would do this kind of thing for the Canadian market. Oh, and uh...Merry Christmas!

Strong, highly hopped aroma, hints of toffee, dark bronze hue with a healthy head, mild lacing, highly hopped with toffee, caramel and coffee hints, long hoppy finish. A good pale ale.

Bouteille de 650 ml achetée à la LCBO (Barrie, ONT). Arôme: Odeur fruité et herbacé. Apparence: La couleur est blonde orangée avec une très faible densité de bulle. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût d’agrumes et d’épices. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement aqueuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence d’agrumes en arrière goût. (Rating #786)