Phillips Brewing Company Space Goat American Pale Ale at 6.2% ABV (C$7.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, best before 17-Jun-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 15-Feb-2017)
Appearance: clear straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: muted/mild, doughy malt, oats, weedy grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)
Not unpleasant, but mild to the point of blandness. Y’know, I’m really starting to develop a serious malaise towards oats. It seems lately that every time I encounter them in a brew, they leave me cold: thin, bland, and boring. (Mind you, that’s my attitude towards rolled oats, too, which is why one of my special breakfasts for the kids is steel-cut oats. And, quite gratifyingly, they voice the same objections when they get served instant oats: “This isn’t what Dad makes!”) That’s what I’m getting here: a well-crafted brew, with no off characteristics, but nothing standing out. (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
