Elmwood Pale Ale

Formerly brewed at Elmwood Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Elmwood, Illinois USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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color is very hazy, light golden, frothy white head. decent lacing. slightly citrusy, mostly floral hops in the aroma, slightly grainy. flavor is very floral, mildly citrus. reminds me of a poor man’s Two-Hearted...no offense intended!

Draught at the 2006 Iowa City Brew Fest. Clear yellow-orange color with white head that left a nice lace on the glass. Attractive flowery hop aroma and flavor well balanced by a buttery caramel, malty cereal grain note that lingers.

Explodes out of bottle with a 5+ finger head that fades quickly leaving some lace. Cloudy (??) amber color. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Piney, cidery nose. Starts slightly sweet but a cidery, hoppy flavor is right there. Limited hoppy aftertaste, different from any pale I have had. 12 oz bottle from Friar Tuck’s Peoria, Il.

Usually when I go to the store I buy beer that gets good ratings. This time I thought what the hell, why not try a local beer. This must have angered the rate beer gods. This was disgusting. Terribly balanced, horrible aroma. The bottle sprayed when I opened it. Overbearing metallic, citris after taste. Don’t even bother, this is terrible. Not even worth complete sentances.

In the bottle. Light amber color with a fluffy oatmeal-colored head. A medium fragrant hoppy citrus aroma, but otherwise, not very memorable. Medicinal taste. Hops that were neither subtle nor balanced- mild grapefruit. Finishes with a sweet pungent aftertaste. Nowhere nearly as bad as my last Elmwood which was contaminated and exploded out of the bottle and into the sink.

Medium amber colored body with a light off white head. The aroma is colby cheese with some light oranges and grass. There is also some moldy old cellar. The taste has some light hay and wood. There is also a hint of grapefruit, but it is very subtle. There is also some old moldy socks and a little bread. This is not as bad as their other offereings, but lame. Again, why are they bottling this?

UPDATED: MAR 29, 2007 I don’t understand what color is this supposed to suggest? It looks jaundiced. It could be red, pink, brown, copper, orange...? Pouring fresh out of the bottle (purchased cold), the beer produced absolutely no head other than some white slime on the surface. Fruity, sanitary and metallic aroma. The flavor is overpowered by fizziness, though there’s a strange hint of tart caramel(?). Anyway, some intrusive flavors for a pale ale yet not undrinkable by any means. The most off-putting aspect to this beer is its extreme carbonation. They cloud the color, and make its appearance murky and muddy. This is not surprising after having just read an interview with its maker. Apparently he liked going out to bars and drinking American domestics, then they ordered a Killians Irish Red. Well, here’s the American entrepreneurial spirit for you. Once they tasted Killian’s, they realized that beer is actually something entirely removed from the domestic lagers they were raised on, they decided to make their own, instead of learning to apprecreciate the craft. It’s like they got the idea "Let’s take the domestics we know, and make ’em taste like Killians," instead of searching for the roots of what a beer should really taste like. It actually reminded me of Killian’s upon first taste. "Look, guys, we can do it, too!" But with a commercial carbonation, and no intimation of depth or understanding of the art in its production. They seem to have settled for a mediocre role-model to best. And they do best Killians, in flavor. This pale ale features a strange flavor that (although it may be too strong for many some tastes) somehow incorporates a sweetness and all of the good flavors that should be in every beer. Somehow, it becomes a bit overpowering. And. unfortunately, everything else is off. I will try their other brews, despite obviously being the work of perennial amatuers. And I hate fizzy heads.

Bottled. #6 of 31 US Beers for <a href=http://www.americanbeermonth.com>American Beer Month. O-o-o-kay, a gusher when I open the bottle. Not a good start, but let’s remember this sat in my hot car for a few hours.Orangeish, slightly cloudy body, very fizzy head that suggests bacteria. But no, contamination isn’t the problem. It’s just really off style with off flavors. Metallic taste; what, are they suing aluminum brewpots? Even a bit of bile. Folks, I want to support local brewers as much as possible, especially in the BMC wasteland that is downstate Illinois, but this is not something I can get behind.

Pale-orange, clear, with a small white head that is mostly diminishing. Strange aroma: a mix of tangerines and congealed bacon fat. Moderately bitter, moderate-to-high carbonation. Metallic and mildly bittersweet finish. Wow, this stuff tastes really off.

UPDATED: NOV 10, 2004 Awful-just poured a second bottle. Remember that science experiment in eigth grade where you mix vinegar and baking powder? I’ve never seen anything like it. Took the cap off and there was a steady flow of head with the bottle standing straight up!!! It kept going until a third of the bottle was empty. Do not waste your $$$ or time on this one. Awful. The worst. Would rather drink Bud Light--and I hate Bud Light. The pour alone told me plenty--took ten minutes. WAYYYY too much carbonation. Little haze in a yellow/amber Almost smells like MGD I used to drink during high school. Tastes, er, well, no good taste. Flatish, waterish, badish. Wouldn’t waste the $$$ on this one again. Friends in P-Town tell me the best is on tap at the brewery, not in the bottle. I don’t doubt them after tasting this waste of ingredients.

Vile. After the HUGE frothy overflowing head, there was nothing. The aroma was metal and suet and arm pit. The palate was overly carbonated and acrid. Flavor was just awful.