Prison City 4 Piece Pale Ale Simcoe

Aroma: “Intense, luscious, juicy ripe tropical-fruit hops character—pineapple, mango, pine. Underlying sweetness leans toward Fanta Orange. Light, refreshing, bordering on NE IPA character. The big hops blast hides most of the malt aroma although some bready notes peek out.” Flavor: “Moderately fruity up front with melon, lemon, strawberry, and light white grape toward the end. A medium bitterness comes right after the fruit and grows throughout the sip. A light orange Creamsicle sweetness mixes with bitterness toward the end. Finish is soft, with a delicate mineral/chewy mouthfeel. It’s not particularly bitter, just enough to balance and accentuate the fruit on the swallow.” Overall: “This fits in with any of the lighter-bodied hazy IPAs that the cool kids like these days. It’s on the lighter side, so it’s easy drinking and refreshing yet very well-made and interesting, with delicate fruit notes throughout.”

**Aroma:** “Subtle cracker malt aromas and clean yeast fruit esters blend with the forward floral/citrus hops aroma. Hops candy and sweet resin play against a spicy hops aroma with hints of apricot and lemon hops.” **Flavor:** “Light malt flavor lends a dry, crisp finish. Strong carbonation really makes the clean and well-defined hops flavor pop out! Assertive hops flavor is spicy with some grassy-citrus notes and a bitterness that lingers just enough. Very light, spritzy body.” **Overall:** “Crisp, clean, light, and refreshing—just what I want after work. A great take on the style with plenty of character all around, but easy to enjoy more than one glass. Pleasant example of style—very easy to drink. A very light-bodied APA ith an effervescent character where the hops dominate and the straightforward malt is only there to support.”

Aroma: “Assertive hoppy aromas up front, floral and herbal with lemongrass, tangerine, honeysuckle, and pine hops notes. Malt plays second fiddle on the aroma. Clean ferment. Retronasal brings in some lemon and more pine.” Flavor: “As on the aroma, the malt plays a backup role to the hops. Floral and spicy notes at first, but pine and lemon shine through quickly. Pronounced hops character that seems to bring some perceived sweetness to help the clean Pils malt balance the fairly high bitterness. Malt flavors of biscuit and bread hide somewhat in the background but are just enough to not let the complex and prominent hops flavors get out of control.” Overall: “Complex yet balanced. A very hops-centric but clean beer. More in line with a very dry, clean pale ale than a traditional Pilsner, but still a great beer regardless of where you classify it.”