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
One of my favorite beers.
Brewed my own version of this over the weekend. I will update as it progresses but its got the makings of one of my best. Or at least I’m hoping so! Makes me want to go out and drink one of these right now.