What's Your GOTO Commercial American Styled Pale Ale?

[Norris!]

On my last day, at my last role,  they gave me a six pack of Sierra Nevada. My manager remembered me raving about it one night out for dinner, best gift ever! I am partial too       1. Balter XPA - good body with great aroma and flavour. 

2. This might not fit the category fully but, Bridge Road's Little Bling is an excellent session ale

3. 2 Birds Passion Victim. Really interesting beer that is great to drink on a hot day.  

Very fruity mix and as Marty noted very over the top but if I am drinking an ale, I want to know it has hops in it.  If I want something less hop forward I will drink a lager, porter/stout or an amber ale. 

What made me rave about the Sierra Nevada was the balance of the brew and the aroma and flavour without a dry hop.  I felt it had a good body with enough crystal to compliment and not overwhelm...but I did find it slightly cloying, but that is just my tastes...I grew up on budweiser so I have a fair excuse, but I wanted to keep drinking it to explore the depth of the brew. Simple malt bill but I just imagine the people drinking this when it first came out, I know it blew their minds.  From my readings, which is from internet forums (the most reliable source of all knowledge on Earth) it is considered the father of craft beers at a time of lagers and bland carb focused beers. With all that said, I don't rate it in my top three, but it is in my top 5.  The 4th ale I used to love was the stone and wood pacific ale, it made me want to brew styles like that but now I have to say Kaiju Krush is in number 4.  

Cheers,

Norris

 

Edited August 17, 2019 by Norris!