Drake's Brewing Company 1500 Pale Ale
What the brewers say
“A hops-forward American Pale Ale. Loads of Simcoe and Amarillo hops are blended in the fermenter just after fermentation has finished to impart a huge aroma of pine and juicy citrus.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Nice strong hops in the nose—grassy and earthy with some sweet grapefruit and citrus notes and an almost vanilla note underneath the citrus. A very unique and wonderful aroma that lasts throughout the tasting—the hops almost jump out of the glass. Slight cattiness to add complexity, but subtle enough to not be off putting.”
Flavor: “Very juicy for a pale ale. The hops are present and showcased but not overpowering. Amazingly clean pale that allows the hops flavor to dominate and shine! Over-ripe citrus flavors, mostly orange, with very nice resiny, piney hops flavors. Finishes slightly dry with a lingering grapefruit sweetness and slight bitterness.”
Overall: “An amazing beer that’s a master course in hops presentation. The hops are expertly showcased using a perfectly crafted base beer that’s bitter, dry and yet remains balanced—all characteristics that accentuate the hops and keep the beer very drinkable. This beer really showcases how APAs can be a great canvas for hops.”
