Simcoe Pale Ale
Brewery: Last Stand Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale (18B)
Package: 12oz Can
Packaging Date: 02/08/18
Purchased: Specs Airport, Feb 2018
Details from the Brewer
5.9% ABV
34 IBU
Hints of grapefruit, melon, and pineapple compliment the dry finish on this pale ale. Dry hopped with Simcoe.
Review
Aroma – 7/12
A medium intensity pine note is matched with an equal intensity candied sweetness. Smaller notes of mango/pineapple come through as well. There is a slight BO character some people man perceive as “cat pee”. A low level of bready malt character is also present. No noticeable alcohol or yeast character.
Appearance – 3/3
Pours with a moderate head made of fine off-white bubbles. Average retention which fades to a thin layer across the beer, with thick edges on the sides. The liquid is light amber color, almost copper. Decent clarity with a noticeable haze. Small amount of lacing on the glass. No particles or floaters throughout the can.
Flavor – 13/20
Medium levels of citrus and pineapple at the start of the taste are quickly overtaken by a stronger pine flavor. Low to moderate levels of toffee and breadiness come through on the mid palate with a low level of sweetness as well. Medium bitterness is present through the taste, but fades to the dry finish. Slight earthiness on the finish.. No noticeable off flavors, or fermentation character. Balance is in favor of the bitterness with hops dominating the taste.
Mouthfeel – 4/5
Medium carbonation. Medium bodied throughout the taste. Very low alcohol warm on the tongue, only present after finished sipping. Low-medium level of stringency on the finish, leaving the tongue and inner cheeks parched.
Overall Impression – 7/10
This is a very good pale ale. It showcases the Simcoe hop flavors well. It’s always hard to tell why certain beers give off that cat pee or BO scent, maybe its from using these hops as bittering additions, or maybe just the certain lot the hops came from. If that note were tuned down a touch, the aroma would be close to perfect. While the flavors were nice, I felt like they fell off pretty quickly towards the end of the taste. Allowing them to last a bit longer through the finish would move this beer up to excellent. Lastly, the astringency on the finish was noticeable as I worked though my pint. It does come with the territory of APA and IPA, but I feel there is room to tone it down here. Overall, a very drinkable pale ale.
Rating – 34/50
This is my first time having a canned offering from Last Stand. I’ve made it to their taproom a few times, had a few of their bottles, but never this beer. While I enjoyed this beer, if I’m looking for something hoppy from them, I’m not sure I’d choose it over the Citra SMaSH. While Simcoe is one of my favorite hops, I’ve always felt it just works better in tandem with something like Citra or Centennial. The crystal malt here do a good job giving a supporting sweetness for it to work with.
Also, props to Last Stand for including the BA’s Independent Craft logo.
