Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Gahan Vic Park Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$3.41 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 9-Sep-2016, acquired 1-Nov-2016, reviewed 7-Nov-2016)
Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, pine, pale malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body tending somewhat thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate duration bitter finish. (3/5)
Well, colour me surprised – another decent ale from a brewery that I had sort of written off! I bought a mixed four-pack containing two of theirs I’d never had before, despite knowing the two I actually had previously tried (Sir John A’s Honey Wheat and Rogue’s Roost) were not all that thrilling – and I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised at how good the new-to-me ones were. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, but it’s hard to overcome initial perceptions – and my initial perceptions of these guys were based on their Sir John A’s Honey Wheat and their Blueberry Ale, neither of which exactly inspired confidence. But, to be fair, their Rogue’s Roost E/IPA was quite a bit better than that inauspicious beginning, and now I’m finding their Saison and their APA to be quite solid. This isn’t quite good enough for me to suggest you should actually rush out and buy it, but for a sessionable (-ish) Pale, it’s quite nice. Citra hops come through loud and clear as soon as you crack the can, but don’t exhibit any of the cattiness one sometimes gets. Yes, it’s on the thin side, and since it’s single-hopped (and uses only two malts), it verges a bit towards the simplistic, but for what it is, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d still prefer a full-blown IPA, sure, but this is fine for a mid-afternoon break from swinging a hammer. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
