Draught pint at the downtown location (near Chinatown) on 1/20/07.
Usually one of the last things to standout on your standard brewpub pale ale is the head retention, but this one was shockingly strong. Neat, one-finger off-white head lasts just about through the whole glass, leaving light lacing behind. The beer was bright and showed a moderate amount of carbonation in its pale-copper body.
Soft, green, juicy hops in the nose are mostly floral and relaxing, but some perky citrus (orange and red grapefruit) creep out as well. Only a brush of bitterness/acidity, with the malt coming on quickly in support of the hops and creating a sweet melon-like flavor from the combination. Very clean, no yeastiness or any flaws whatsoever. Mostly pale malt apparency in the nose, with just a smidgeon of caramel adding a bit of depth/heft. Leafy, fresh hops continue on and are quite strong and readily sniffable. No alcohol noted.
Unfiltered texture is soothing and malty-soft. The retention is no surprise, upon tasting the beer, as there is absolutely no skimping on malt quantity here. No wateriness or looseness of texture. Engaging carbonation further adds a creamy-softness to the texture, while the pale malts add balance without being too far perceived. Mostly it is a moderate amount of floral and lightly citric hoppiness that is juicy and playfully sweet on the tongue. No heavy acidity, though enough bitterness comes through to keep the balance on the finish. A very soft beer all around, with near-flawless execution, maybe tending just slightly too sweet overall. Great surprise.