Deschutes Brewery Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Find this brewery:
What the brewers say
“Mirror Pond Pale Ale is the quintessential Northwest pale ale. Cascade hops and more Cascade hops give this tawny colored ale delicious hops-forward aroma and flavor. Pale malt allows the hops to linger, not overpower.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Classic Northwest hops citrus nose with notes of sweet orange juice, low resin, and multidimensional. Light malt sweetness with notes of honey (like Bit-o-Honey candy), but not overpowering. Fruity yeast esters hint at apple, strawberry, and pear. Ester aromas are strong—the fermentation character is almost stronger than the hops aroma.”
Flavor: “Medium body for an APA, medium to high carb. Honey character and citrus tartness return in the aftertaste. Reasonable bitterness but could use a bit more hops flavor. Malt is sweet but flat. Alcohol evident. Balance is a bit on the malt sweet side, but the lack of bitter is made up in hops flavor.”
Overall: “Predominant orange creamsicle character is interesting. It's a more malt-focused pale ale that wanders a bit into "winter warmer" territory— it borders on ‘English’ in terms of yeast character. There’s enough malt complexity and richness here to back up a bolder showcase of hops.”
