The Red Hart Brewing Co. American Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 6.0% ABV | 30.1 IBU (C$4.59 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 24-May-2020)
Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earth, pine, caramel, citrus, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter earthy finish. (3/5)
Does… the red hart have Trump hair? Is that supposed to be a riff on it being an American Pale Ale? Anyway, the beer: the label says Azacca and El Dorado hops, but I’m really not getting any of the tropical fruit I’d expect from either of these, at least when they’re used in dry-hopping. Instead, I’m getting earth, pine, and leafy notes, along with a little citrus, and a caramel backbone. Ultimately, this comes across as a very traditional APA, in the sense of being a lot like an EPA except hopped with American hops (and traditional, noble-like hops, at that). There’s nothing really wrong here, but it’s old-fashioned to the point of boring, left behind as the state of the art moved on. (I love the hand-lettered flag on the label, though.) (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
