Big Hole Headstrong Pale Ale

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

Found this one on sale at the LCBO so I thought what better chance to try a new beer out? Pours a bit redder than your average pale ale with a frothy head. Toasty oats and caramel nose with a hint of berry. Well hopped flavour, nicely bitter to an even finish. A very nice Ontario micro! (650ml bottle)

Canadian Version - A real winner of an ale. Copper coloured that pours with an initial explosion of bubbles. This recedes quickly to a nice foamy head. Nice smell, not too strong - malt and hops with a tinge of citrus. Flavour could have been a bit stronger, nice and hoppy and the lingering taste is wonderful: lingering hoppiness, tangy bitterness. I really liked this ale and will be stocking up for the summer... and for the winter.

473ml can
5.5% ABV

Can says it was brewed by the Big Hole Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin (same brewer that is bringing in the Yankee Jim garbage). Surprise Surprise.....the website on the side of the can does not work although the picture matches what is here on the website.

I tried this beer on April 3, 2008 after purchasing from one of my local LCBO outlets. The beer poured a beautiful translucent rusty red colour with a generous white fluffy head that quickly faded to islands on the top. The aroma is a combination of florally hops (subtle) and some caramel malt (strong). The mouthfeel is medium bodied with some good carbonation, not a lot (there is some slight effervescence in the glass). The flavour has some hints of malt, but has that wonderful grapefruit-tinged hoppy bitterness I like.

Maybe Big Hole Brewing knows how to brew a beer after all.

Wow..this was really bitter, but not in a "tear your esophagus out" way. In a very good "this beer has some guts" way. Poured a dark amber with little head, although it left nice seafoam all the way down the glass. Smelled caramelly, and a little hoppy. I really enjoyed this beer. Wellington County version, if that helps anyone.

650ml brown bottle. Wellington County version. Poured copper-orange, with a lasting pillowy white head. Great aromas of floral/iorangy hops, light caramel. Nice creamy mouthfeel. Flavour of toasted malts, more orangy hops through the middle, ends with light bitterness.

Sampled at C’est What’s Spring 2005 Festival of Small Breweries. Canadian version contract brewed at Wellington. Bright orange-amber colour. Aroma of sweet orange candy and hops. Very nice body, some toasted notes in the flavour, and a well-hopped finish. Quite a good pale.

Pours an amber colour with a medium head. Bottled Canadian version. Aroma of sweet roasted malt and hops. Medium body. Big roasted malt taste with a good hop bitterness. Bittersweet caramel aftertaste.

A nice light hop aroma. A pale citrus flavor. Some dryness in the finish. A bit thin but decent. Pretty good.