Fort George Brewery The Optimist

The Optimist

 

Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸

  IPA - West Coast Regular
Score
6.80
ABV: 6.0% IBU: - Ticks: 18
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
 

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6.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 5.5
Right in the ballpark for a NW IPA. Almost sessionable. Good gateway ale. Nothing stands out, nothing detracts.
Tried on 14 May 2015 at 20:23

5.2/10 Appearance 4 Aroma 7 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5
Can to glass. Pours a pretty flat caramel color, very hazy, and a fair amount of floating chunks... Nose is on the sweeter side, hints of vanilla and citrus. Tastes like rough floral hops and so e orange zest. A little herbal, sort of dirty. Eh, I really didn’t enjoy this one.
Tried from Can on 07 May 2015 at 21:08

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 7
Poured from a can dated 04/06/2015. Aroma has a light pale cracker malt note, but is mostly dominated by moderate hop notes. Some balanced citrus and tropical fruit with some light resin and pine. Tangerine, orange, pineapple and mango. Pours a slightly cloudy, pale yellow gold with a medium sized, thick white head with average retention. Flavor is slightly sweet with a medium pale malt cracker note that lingers a bit stronger in the finish. Moderately strong bitterness with light to medium light hop notes. Some light apple and pear esters with light citrus character. Light tropical fruit and pine resin. Less hop flavor than aroma. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and low alcohol warmth. Overall, an alright beer with a better aroma than the flavor. The hops are more noticeable in the aroma while the flavor is more fruity esters from the yeast than hop flavors.
Tried from Can on 01 May 2015 at 23:07

5.8/10 Appearance 4 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 5
Can at PIB, pours a cloudy golden with ridiculous chunks of yeast and a small head. Aroma brings out dry piney and floral hops, and some Belgian yeast. Flavour is extremely yeasty and dirty, with the floral hop notes secondary. What the hell - this is ridiculously yeasty and dirty. Decent, but too yeasty.
Tried from Can on 08 Aug 2014 at 23:44

7.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
12 oz can, thanks brenn79. Aroma is odd for style--grapefruit, woodchips, tobacco, floral, perfume. Pours hazy cantaloupe with a ton of particles under a decent white head. Flavor is earthy, citrusy; fairly bitter with a light sweet malt counterpoint. Body is pretty thin and watery, finely carbonated. Not bad, though. I don’t understand the hate.
Tried from Can on 02 Aug 2014 at 18:12

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 8
Tap at the 2014 OBF. Pours hazy orange gold with a white head. Aroma is herb/citrus. Med body or nearly. Flavor is malt, herb, fruit. Quite dry. Finishing smoothly bitter, and somewhat earthy? Very interesting.
Tried from Draft on 27 Jul 2014 at 02:36

6.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
On Tap at Bier:Thrity Hazy golden with a full and lasting white head. BIg piney grassy aroma. Fresh and sharp. Lots of bitterness, mostly the piney type again. Ligt bodied but soft and smooth. Soft carbonation as well. Long lingering bitterness witha little funk.
Tried from Draft on 30 Jun 2014 at 12:39

6.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
On tap at bier thirty. Pours out a cloudy straw topped with a fluffy white head. Nose is malt earthy tones pine hop. Taste is as the nose with malts leading the way some lemon grass hop and a touch of bitterness on the end.
Tried from Draft on 16 Jun 2014 at 17:12