Today, I’m going to try another brew from that outstanding brewery located in Grand Rapids, Michigan…… The Founders Brewing Company.
The beer I’m going to review this time is the Dry Hopped Pale Ale.
Let’s get right to it and see what the website (foundersbrewing.com) has to say about this beer.
A testament to Cascade hops in a bottle, this medium-bodied pale ale has a refreshing citrus flavor and a distinctive floral hop aroma due to the aggressive addition of hops during fermentation. You’ll notice a slight malty sweetness with a balanced hop finish. Perfect to enjoy anytime, anywhere.
It’s time to pour.
The Dry Hopped Pale Ale has a 5.4% ABV and comes in a 12 oz. bottle.
The beer had the look of a honey/gold to light orange color. Slightly hazy with a white head of good size and retention. Some nice sticky lacing stayed on the sides of the glass for a little bit.
The aroma brought forth a nice burst of grapefruit citrus. It smelled very juicy. A decent little floral hop slid through and some restrained caramel malt and breadiness brought up the rear. A faint touch of pine was duly noted, but otherwise the aroma was fairly well balanced and even.
The flavor was quite a bit more relaxed than the aroma seemed to be. I was still able to find a worthy representation of grapefruit, biscuit, crisp wafers and some caramel sweetness though. It seemed to be balanced very well, however it was just a smidgen subdued, soft and light. The hop “bite” and bitterness was there too. It was simple and comfortable. Not the overabundance of hops that I’m accustomed to Founders products having. It still had a pretty nice flavor though.
The mouthfeel was medium, smooth, dry, crisp, snappy and semi-refreshing. Not an overabundance of flavor was left behind, however it did leave a light coating on the tongue and throat.
I thought this was a “good” beer. I don’t think it quite measures up to some of the other Founders brews that I’ve sampled, but it was still an enjoyable drink. It didn’t quite have the “oomph” that I’ve come to expect from their “hopped” beers. That being said, I still think this beer would be great for the warmer weather months. It had enough complexity for contemplation and it actually gave me a little break from the Imperial/Double IPA’s without me totally having to give up the hops. Don’t hesitate to give it a try if you see it. It’s a nice beer. Don’t expect a BIG beer, but rather a pleasant, enjoyable and well made brew.
Thanks, as always, for all the readers and supporters. Feel free to comment anytime.
Cheers!!!
Score: 3.85 out of 5
Grade: B+
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