King Hard Tail Ale

Formerly brewed at King Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Pontiac, Michigan USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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Date: 03/15/2008
Mode: bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: hazy copper, fine off white head,
Aroma: sweet crystal mal and light floral hop aroma,
Flavor: sweet crystal malt flavor, lots of earthy character keeps it balanced, lasting bitter finish,

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

12oz bottle. This one was a slow gusher. Poured a medium and cloudy amber color with a huge, huge sized off white head. Aromas of floral, caramel, and a little soapy. Tastes of floral hops, caramel, and a little grass.

Bottled. Poured damn near still hazy golden with a dusting of white head and lots of sediment suspended in there. The aroma picked up toasty, almost smoked caramel, grapefruit extract, and some floral.. a bit bland, but not bad. The flavor had sweet grapefruit and caramel from start to finish.. higher citrus and grassy bitterness, but just not enjoyable.. tacky, cheap sweet malts and a bit of soapy presence at the finish. Slick on the palate with very little carbonation.. tacky at the end. This was drinkable, but not much more.

Bronze to copper in color with a moderate tight bubbled light ecru colored head. A few bubbles of lace. Earthy green hops with a hint of toffee. A english scent only with american hops. Light caramel and cascade hops flavors. Again somewhat earthy. Citric and lightly biting linger. A touch more sweetness would brighten this up.

Appearance: Pours a clear, orangey body with a small, very short-lived white head. Smell: A simple, honest aroma of citrus and toffee with a hint of grass. Taste: True to the aroma, the taste is of mildly sweet toffee-minded maltiness. Hoppy citrus flavor with some grassiness in there, too. Medium bitterness that lasts into the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: A true, decent APA.

Bottle at ABC beer tasting. Poured an amber gold with an off-white head. Aroma consisted of a bit of hops and malts with a sweet edge and some berry notes. Nice well balanced combo of hops and malts and finishes with a malty kick.

Bottle: I was told this was a hoppy amber, but I’m not so sure. The aroma consists of cherries, caramel, grass, flowers, and a hint of alcohol (even though I’m guessing this isn’t very strong). It pours a transparent amber with a very small white head that quickly fades to a ring. the flavor starts with some light watery caramel and very faint fruitiness. The finish is loaded with floral and grassy bitterness. The mouthfeel is a little thin with minimal carbonation.

12oz bottle. Deep amber color. Aroma is very floral. Flavor is sweet malt, caramel. Overpowered by sharp hop bitterness. Has a lingering bitterness.

Bottle; poured an orange-amber. Basically no head. Aroma of toffee and citrus; smelled like a pale ale. Flavor and palate both watery. Flavor was very weak; some caramel, grass and citrus. Pretty porous offering; first beer from this brewery.

I didn’t think this was terrible, but it certainly seems pointless. A rather weak, bland somewhat hoppy beer (I couldn’t pin the style, either) with little malt character. A bit floral, a bit citrusy, a bit watery. I believe there was even a release party for this beer in Clarkston. Why?