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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Russian River It Takes a Lot of Great Beer to Make Great Wine Pale Ale



Russian River It Takes a Lot of Great Beer to Make Great Wine Pale Ale, a rarer offering from Russian River brewed in celebration of the Sonoma wineries and the tradition of serving the vineyard workers ale with their lunches (a nod to Vinnie's previous occupation), poured a crystal-clear pale yellow with loads of carbonation and a thick, sudsy white head.  The nose carried aromas of lemon, grass, and cereal malt.


Russian River ITALOGBTMGW Pale Ale opened with bright, floral lemons and an underlying soft corn sweetness.  A touch of grassy bitterness came through before the ale dried in the middle and slowly thickened again and sweetened a bit on the way out.  


The philosophy of the beer is clear- to provide a refreshing and light beer with low ABV without sacrificing flavor or mouthfeel.  I can't find a reliable source to confirm this, but although every reference I have found refers to the beer as an "American Pale Ale", my palette found this sitting clearly in the lager camp... the malt, the hops, the yeast flavors... it's more flavorful than most light lagers, but it is a far cry from any pale ale I have tried (in a good way).

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