For the record, I am not into super hoppy beers. However, I am even more committed to broadening my own horizons. Therefore, I’m sitting down with a glass of Three Floyds’ Alpha King Pale Ale. I spent the morning out in the slosh, mucking it up with fellow shoppers, exposing myself to H1N1 (ahem, no … I’m not a hypochondriac), hemming and hawing in long lines, and finally shoveling and installing new wiper blades on the cars.

It’s beer o’clock.

Alpha King has got to be the a king of something, because it’s owning my palette right now. Poured a beautiful deep copper, with a faintly golden/tan two-finger head (basically this means the head was around two fingers thick) that faded fairly fast to nothing, within a minute or so. The “nose” (apparently that’s beer jargon for “how it smells”) is absolutely outstanding. I have not smelled a beer like this before. It is super sweet, smells like some kind of citrus. But also it has a rich caramely quality to it. I swear, this beer smells amazing. Not a joke.

When I take the first sip, I remember why I haven’t acclimated to bitter beer yet. It’s definitely got more hops than LeBron James. Still, I push on. I’m halfway through the glass as I write this, and it’s getting better and better as I go along. It isn’t too carbonated, which I guess means it’s “well-balanced.” The finish/after taste is thoroughly citrusy, and I guess the hops are what give it this quality. And I’ve learned that it’s the malt that contributes the caramel-ness. I must say, I am really digging the finish.

Even though I’m not at all the final word on APAs (American Pale Ale), this is one of the best I have had, hands down. From the epic label on the bottle, to the incredible smell, to the full-bodied taste and superb finish, this APA is a baller of a beer. I would highly recommend it to anyone who feels like taking a step towards beer nirvana.

ABV: 6.5%

Grade: A