Hoyne Brewing Co. Down Easy Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$6.79 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 26-Apr-2017, reviewed 28-Apr-2017)
Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy caramel, weedy and grassy hops, earth. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (4/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter finish. (3/5)
Well, that’s disappointing. Deeply so: a malty mess with minimal hop character. I dunno how the brewer thinks this qualifies as a “Pacific Northwest Ale”, but this is an EPA at best, and actually more like an ESB. “Down Easy?” I’ll say: I actually considered sink pouring this. But the fact is, it’s not actually nasty, just not what it claims to be. Bad brewer! No cookie for you! (9/20)
4.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
