The Optimist
Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸
IPA - West Coast Regular|
Score
6.80
|
|
A West Coast IPA on the bright side.
It can be hard to look on the bright side of life but you can trust The Optimist to keep your spirits aloft. Simplicity being the height of sophistication – this Fort George original showcases the providential union of barley and hops. With a radiant golden body, lively buoyant head and auspicious floral aroma your glass will always be half-full while drinking The Optimist
First released in 2016, The Optimist made a comeback in March 2025 in honor of our 18th anniversary.
Hops: Mosaic, Amarillo, Ekuanot, Krush
Malts: Rahr 2Row, Pils, GM Vienna, Flaked Oats, Weyermann Acidulate
It can be hard to look on the bright side of life but you can trust The Optimist to keep your spirits aloft. Simplicity being the height of sophistication – this Fort George original showcases the providential union of barley and hops. With a radiant golden body, lively buoyant head and auspicious floral aroma your glass will always be half-full while drinking The Optimist
First released in 2016, The Optimist made a comeback in March 2025 in honor of our 18th anniversary.
Hops: Mosaic, Amarillo, Ekuanot, Krush
Malts: Rahr 2Row, Pils, GM Vienna, Flaked Oats, Weyermann Acidulate
Sign up to add a tick or review
7.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Lots of tangerine peel. Grapefruit. Nice beer here. Lots of big hops and good carry through. Golden pour with good head. Bitter finish. Nice body. Can from Fort George.
Tried
from Can
on 20 May 2021
at 02:16
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
12 oz can. Pours a clear amber with moderate head. Aromas of dank hops, honey, a bit of sulphur and bready malts. Flavors of bitter herbal pine and toasted malts.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Oct 2019
at 01:40
6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 8
Overall 6
Can. Pours slightly hazy golden, medium off-white head, decent lacing. Aroma is caramel, piney hops. Flavor is light plus sweet, light plus bitter. Medium body.
Tried
from Can
on 18 Feb 2019
at 23:13
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can at Leighton’s place. 8/12/2016. Many thanks to Colin for this one. A clear golden orange coloured pour with a a halo of white head. Aroma is tangy citrus, grassy citrus, orange rind flavour is composed of semi sweet simple base grains tangerine, little dank, grassy, and hints of pine. Palate is semi sweet, highish carbonation. Crisp dry finish.
Tried
from Can
on 03 Aug 2017
at 00:04
7.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Hazy. Amber. Very orangey aroma, light herbal quality bordering on phenolic. Delicate amber malt lends biscuity quality and then the orangey hops kick in. Fair bit of bitterness. Arguably not as bright on the palate as the nose.
Tried
on 14 Apr 2017
at 13:04
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
8th December 2016
Bottleshare at Leighton’s Gaff. Big thanks to Colin for the can. Lightly hazy gold beer, good cream colour head. Palate is airy and slightly soft, reasonable fine carbonation. Thin malts bring a little creamy sweetness. Good pink grapefruit and orange hop. Lesser orange peel, tangerine and pine. Light finish. Nicely done, very easy drinking.
Bottleshare at Leighton’s Gaff. Big thanks to Colin for the can. Lightly hazy gold beer, good cream colour head. Palate is airy and slightly soft, reasonable fine carbonation. Thin malts bring a little creamy sweetness. Good pink grapefruit and orange hop. Lesser orange peel, tangerine and pine. Light finish. Nicely done, very easy drinking.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Dec 2016
at 05:42
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can split at Bespin, from trade, 08/12/16. Lightly hazed golden with a well appointed off white head. Nose is pine needle, orange pith, grassy, leafy hops, straw. Taste comprises mandarin, apricot, peach, citric kissed straw, toasted malts, pine needle. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a juicy hop rinse. Solid IPA.
Tried
from Can
on 19 Dec 2016
at 07:18
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can shared in London - cheers to Cloin. Pours crystal clear gold with a foamy, white head. Fresh, moderately juicy citrus fruits in the nose, some pith. Light to medium sweet flavour with more vibrant citrus, rindy bitterness, pithy grapefruit, light dry pale malts. Medium bodied with massaging carbonation. Finishes with a whisper of resin, more citrus rind, some grass, pine needles, peach. Great stuff.
Tried
from Can
on 08 Dec 2016
at 15:21
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Hazy orange with a white head. Powerfully hoppy aroma with some sweet malt undertones. Medium body. Flavor is full of citrus and pine hops. Has a solid malty backbone that is both sweet and lightly biscuit. A classic-style IPA.
Tried
on 15 Sep 2016
at 22:29
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Can thanks to Secret Santa. Pours slightly cloudy golden color, medium sized foamy whitish head, floral hops aroma, low carbonation, bitter citrus peel taste, long bitter finish with citrus peel aftertaste. A bit too citrusy but fine.
Tried
from Can
on 10 Jan 2016
at 14:06