Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

Pours a golden color with a medium white head. Aroma is of hops and citrus, maybe grapefruit. A nice hoppy aftertaste that lasts. A very good pale ale.

Bottle. Light orange, big white head with orange hues. Interesting peppery hops, orange citrus as well in aroma. Nice malt and citrus taste. Light bodied. Again, I found the hops to be spicy, peppery, and packing a bite, which detracted a bit. Otherwise, a very solid APA with tons of lingering orange skin flavours.

I love this beer, this might be my all time favorite American Pale Ale. American Pale Ale aka APA much like American India Pale Ale or AIPA are much different from their British inspirations. APA has a much more assertive hop character than a British pale ale. APA uses American hops and its those signature PNW hop varieties such as Cascades, Columbus, Centennials, and Chinooks. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the prototype for APA, and the classic example of the style. Burning River Pale Ale is pale ale with an aggressive hop character, and a rock solid, pale and caramel malt base. Great Lakes brews very robust and flavorful beers. What I love about their beers are they are so vibrant, these beers aren’t for the timid, you drink a Great Lakes beer, your going to get BIG flavors. Their IPA, called Commodore Perry is a total hop blast. Burning River is aggressively hopped, but that rock solid malt backbone makes this beer almost balanced, and an outstanding APA. Burning River Pale Ale pours to a deep orange color, with a nice white head, and a good carbonation. The nose on this beer is very fragrant with hop aroma, its that classic piney, citric hop character. There is also a good bit of caramel malt presence in the nose as well. The palate is firm, good pale and caramel malt flavors. There is really nice "juicy" fruity, estery flavors present as well. This beer finishes with more malt sweetness, then dries to a long, citric, bitter hop bite that lingers. What a delicious beer. Match this beer with very spicy cuisine such as screaming hot Buffalo wings, Indian, Mexican, or Thai dishes.

A pale ale done right. Not too bitter, not too sweet. Just the right amount of lacing and citrus aroma. This is a great thirst quencher. I could drink these all day long.

This bottle opened a definite citrus aroma. Poured into a glass with a medium head. The color is a golden. I noticed a stronger citrus, like grapefruit, smell once poured, I was excited. This beer looks like cider. Once tasted, I was surprised by the bitter ale flavour it had. I expected a typical lager flavour because of the name...this sounds more like a novelty lager....not a quality ale. I am not a pale ale fan, but I have to say that I enjoy this one as it is not too bitter, like the typical IPA’s that I try (this is definitely not an IPA as I can actually drink it without puckering up). I will definitely relapse on this one (as I am only trying beers when I try to quit drinking). I guess drinking good beverages is not a good way to stop drinking. Well this is definitely a winner.

01.18.06 12oz bottle best by Jan 14, 06. Beautiful ruby-copper beer with a creamy khaki head. Aroma is full of citrus blossom and light pine with solid biscuity malts and a light huskiness of fresh grains. Flavor mimics the aroma with a long and lasting bitterness of delicious cascades. Indeed, the often overused cascade seems right at home in this gem of a beer. Thanks for the great surprise, CaptainCougar!

This pale ale is pretty bland for it to be a 94%. Tastes a bit watery too. Lots of citrus but very little bitterness from the hops. I’m not changing my mind seeing as I’ve had an entire case of this and a couple of times on tap.

Pours a light copper, thin white head. Aroma is citrusy. Taste is hops, orange & grapefruit, sweet malt is present, but subtle. Finish is dry and floral. This was very nice.