The review scores in every issue of _Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® _are a result of blind tasting by our independent panel (staff do not participate in the scoring of the beers). But our editorial team tastes the same beers, and we have our own opinions of the brews. Here are some of our editors’ favorite pale ales and imperial ales.
Pale Ales
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
At the brewers’ after-party at the Shelton Brothers Festival last October, we watched a room full of some of the most celebrated brewers in the world clean the bar out of the venerable Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It may not be the sexiest pale, but it was one of the very first to celebrate U.S. hops varieties, and Sierra Nevada’s focus on consistency and quality has earned them respect from the best of their peers. It’s the standard by which all others are judged.
New Holland Paleooza
While the review panel searched for bolder notes in New Holland’s Paleooza, the editorial team enjoyed the subtle berry notes from the Michigan-grown Cascade hops. It hints at the unique juicy fruit flavors of 3 Floyds’ Yum Yum, but with a subtle malt profile that’s more comforting than crisp.