St. Lupulin

The beer poured a beautiful and clear gold color with a nice lasting white head into a tulip glass. The hop aroma is assertive enough for a pale ale, showcasing the stereotypical citrus hop character many expect, but there are some floral background tones as well. The malt aroma is lightly sweet and clean.

The flavor is very pleasing. Most notable is its soft crisp citrus hop flavor followed by a touch of slightly honey-sweet bready malt with moderate bitterness. The winning aspect of this beer for me is how well balanced this beer is. The play between the malt and hops flavors and intensity is very well done. That grapefruity citrus character is by no means overplayed and is very refreshing, which makes it easily drinkable even on a hot day. Some hop-forward styles can become sticky in the mouth and the bitterness can be overdone, but not this one.

In the end, the hops are showcased well, the malt is happy to be thumping the bass in the background; this beer is a definitely worth a look. In today's market of over-hopped IPAs and Double IPAs, this was a breath of fresh air... even for this admitted hophead.