Emmetts Victory Pale Ale

Brewed by Emmetts Tavern and Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
West Dundee, Illinois USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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Found this limited cask ale on tap at Emmetts in West Dundee on 6/2/09 during their quarterly beer tasting. Pulled from the tap a golden orange with a cascade of bubbles similar to a Guinness pour. Thick, very frothy white head a top the glass that leaves a very thick lacing behind. Aroma is a modest citrus and pine bitterness with a bit of an almost dry leafy aroma, light woodiness and some light caramel behind the hops aromas. Flavor is a strong citrus and pine punch with a smoother caramel malt sweetness and a woody/oak flavor to finish it up. Served warm and has low carbonation like most cask ales are and has a very smooth feeling. Similar in flavor to the normal Victory Pale ale but just a bit of a different feeling due to the lack of carbonation, making the body feel slightly watery when combined with the flavor. Overall a great twist on their classically great beer!
Earlier Rating: 11/27/2008 Total Score: 4.1
Thick frothy head that lasts. A nice golden color with aroma composed of great grassy notes and a strong citrus aroma. Flavor is really really good. Very rich citrus flavor, grassy hints come through as well, and a nice caramel sweetness. The beer is very well balanced. Overall, this is one of the best pales I have had and will definitely be a common beer to drink while I am there.

Bottle says brewed in Palatine. It is a nicely bitter easy-drinking apa, a rarity.

Bottle - good size foamy head, very nice medium amber/orange color, good hop aroma and flavor but also balanced

Paddle sampler on tap at the brewpub (Downers Grove, IL). My first visit to Emmett’s. Pours a rich copper glowing hue, just a touch of haze. Bright striking body offers a decent offwhite head that dies to a ring and laces small. Aromas are a sufficient American hopping of grapefruit and melon, a touch tropical, as more lemons, florals, and grass work in. A touch of malty sweetness, pale malts and faint caramel. Initial is a firm flavorful hopping that grows on the palate, healthy grapefruit, lemons, and touches of tropical fruit, florals. Lighter end of medium bodied, offering more grapefruit and melon, touch of gumball in the middle, moving into a decent to moderate bitter finish. A fairly pleasant finish, fairly easy drinking beer. Bitterness works into a wave, growing on the palate. Pretty solid, earthy floral dry finish and grass, some weeds lingers on.

Bottle. Decent dark gold appearance without to much head. It really doesn’t smell like anything. Unfortunately, the taste is similar to the aroma. A citrus piney taste with a bit of hops. This is a quite tame and really doesn’t do it for me.

12oz bottle from Armanetti’s. Pours a hazed, copper-orange colored body with a finger-width, frothy, beige head that dissipates slowly and leaves a nice lacing. Aroma is well balanced with a good amount of citrusy hops and a solid malt backing. Some breadiness to the malts with a nice caramel cookie. The hops are floral with a light, sweet pine resin and a solid mix of grapefruit, tangerine, and pear. Flavor is similar. Citrusy florals and some herbal pines up front with a solid, bready, caramel cookie malt backing. Herbal hopping kicks up towards the end as this finishes a bit thin feeling despite the nice malt backing. Dry with a medium-light, slightly resiny bitterness that leaves a lengthy aftertaste. Medium-light body with a soft, moderate carbonation. Overall, a solid, pleasantly surprising pale ale. Well hopped with an enjoyable, biscuity, caramel cookie malt backing that dries nicely and stays very well balanced throughout. Good beer.

Tap at Emmett’s on Dec. 27, 2011. Clear light orange pour. Nose of citrus hops. Medium smooth palate. Citrus hop flavor. Very well balanced - nice brew.

Date: December 27, 2011 Mode: Tap Source: Emmetts DG Description: Translucent golden with some head and nice lacing. Citrus and spice in aroma. Taste was balanced nicely with the hops and malt. Very nice brew.

hazy orange (with floaties), good off white head, quite lacy. pine and citrus nose with a trace of malt. grapefruit and mild malt in the flavor. medium bodied, medium bitter finish. pretty good apa with a lingering, if not strong, bitter finish. well worth drinking.

Clear orange on sample at oak park. No aroma. Sour flavor. Not good. Zathras can never have anything nice.

On tap at GTMW - I never made it to Emmett’s tent in 2010, so I made it a point to get there early in 2011. This beer pours clear amber with a nice foamy white head. Clean citrus on the nose, with some herbal hops and a nice malt base. Taste is clean too--with bright hops that are more herbal and grassy than citrus. Very nice.