Hales Pale Ale

Brewed by Hales Ales
Style: American Pale Ale
Seattle, Washington USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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This beer defines the pale ale style. More assertive and bold than English pales, but not wildly over-hopped like many West Coast ales, this Seattle brew is perhaps the world’s best balanced beer. Incredibly drinkable and smooth. One of my top ten, and the beer that really got me started on craft beer. The ultimate session beer.

Okay here is my 5 star rating, with one caveat. They made a limited release 20th Anniversary Pale that was without peer. By far the best ale Hales has ever produced. I want it all the time! It has come and gone but the memory of it lingers. I don’t know if they will ever recreate it but I sure wish they would. That said the Pale Ale is a great session beer that stands on its own.

Could use a bit more mouthfeel, and hop flavor, but over all a wonderful beer.

Good beer with a good taste.

I enjoyed this pale more than several others. I felt that the hops while dominating were not overwhelming and too bitter. I would enjoy a session with this brew if I lived in the NW.

Light golden body, medium caramel/fruit malt and a strong hop presence. Bitterness quickly disappears. EXCELLENT balance. Could be a perfect beer if the malt was a little more flavorful.

More malty and full-bodied than most American Pale Ales’s. Similar in quality to the Sierra Nevada, but with less hop. Extremely well balanced.

Much better on draft than in the bottle. Great Color.

UPDATED: OCT 3, 2009 Not a lot of aroma. Orange in color. Looks okay. This has a nice hop flavor throughout. A little fruity. A quite bitter finish. I could drink a lot of this beer. Had a second time and wrote almost the same stuff.