Beer Review: Dale's Pale Ale

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

This is possibly the flagship beer for the Oskar Blues brewery in Colorado. The fact that it comes in a can was shocking to me at first. I had never envisioned craft beer to come in cans. That was solely the domain of the macrobrewery. I do stand corrected. I have been educated and I now regard the can as superior to the bottle. You have complete protection from UV light, an inner liner to prevent metal taste from getting into the beer, lighter weight, and more durability. Opens with a psst and pours a deep copper color with a slight haze. Head is very solid, lots of lacing and reaching a tall initial height.

Flavor is very hoppy. This is an example of a pale ale done right. It has the malt body and richness required in all good beer along side the flavorful hop oils. Lots of citrus and floral hop flavors. Its like a fresh grapefruit coupled with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers. Very refreshing. The head just keeps lingering. This is a very satisfying and rich pale ale. If it had anymore hops I think it would be venturing into IPA territory. I also get a bit of roasted malt if I swirl it around and let the volatiles run free.

I think everyone should give this a shot. Especially people who feel the bottle is superior. Bottles do have aesthetic value if you are drinking them without a glass but when you have a great beer glass it makes no difference. I applaud the Oskar Blues brewery. This is good stuff. The only downside is the high price. This is more expensive that your average pale ale (cost me $18 for a 12 pack). I would have expected a small price decrease because of the medium. Cans are cheaper than bottles. Still, this is a fnatastic pale ale and a great example of the American Pale ale style.

Final Score: 88% (Pale Ale to the Core but Expensive)