There aren’t many beers that I buy over and over again just to make sure I always have some in the fridge…actually, to be exact, there’s currently only one: Elk Valley’s Pale Ale. I’ve been a huge fan of this brew for a while now, and I just realized that I’ve never given it a proper review. Given that the weather is warming up and a fresh batch of this stuff was just canned like 5-days ago, it seemed like the perfect time to sit down with one and really give it some thought, so here we are.
Previously brewed with both Galaxy and Centennial hops, the Centennial was dropped in this batch and rocks a full Galaxy profile. The previous batch was crazy juicy and delicious, so I’m interested to see how this recipe differs. Time to open things and drink them.
Company: OKCITY Brewing Company
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
ABV: 5.5%
IBUs: ?
Style/Description: Pale Ale
Price: $9 (4-pack, 12oz cans)
Appearance: Honey with a fluffy off-white head that slowly dissipates leaving medium lacing.
Nose: Great tropical things are going on in the aroma with mango, passion fruit and key lime pie (that one took a second to identify, but it’s totally there). With the fruit there are some nice grassy notes and some nice dank-ness that smooths out the aroma and any acidity from the fruity things.
Taste: Like in the aroma, the first hit is juicy tropical fruit and some lime-y citrus but the grass and just a touch of galaxy bitterness comes in to make things pretty complex. The feel on it is far from thin which serves to really hold those flavors together and keep the bitterness in check and in the background. The carb is freaking perfect and adds to the richness without any distractions.
Finish: The sweetness from the fruitiness fades first, then the earthiness, ultimately leaving some bitterness and ending on a very crisp and refreshing note.
Overall: Even though I mowed the yard yesterday, I almost want to do it again just so I can drink one of these to cool me down. It’s obvious this stuff is super fresh as all the aromas and flavors are amped up and super in your face. This batch isn’t quite as juicy as the last, but the balance is better and overall I think I would rather sip on this on a hot day in a hammock. This is a beer I always look forward to, and over the last couple of months it’s been the beer I’ve been drinking the most of. Keep up the good work, Elk Valley, as long as you keep making this beer, it’ll have a place in my fridge.
Rating: 4.5/5
