Gunwhale Ales

Microbrewery in Costa Mesa, California, United States 🇺🇸

Established in 2016

Contact
Costa Mesa, CA, United States
Description
Gunwhale Ales is an independently owned and operated brewery & blendery, with taprooms in Costa Mesa and Orange, California. Our beers strike a balance between the raw, wild spirit of farmhouse brewing, and the pioneering hop forward styles of California. We have an obsession with yeast driven Saisons, hoppy IPAs, and other rustic, wild and sour beers. This gives our beers uncommon qualities that are both surprisingly delicate and nuanced, yet refined and robust in their simplicity. From bright, billowy summer ales to rustic, fortifying stormers that stand up to the rougher seas, Gunwhale makes beers that reflect the culinary and cultural heritage of the West Coast.

     Show


6.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Sunday 3rd March 2019, ten tasters at the brewery tap; this was number seven. Hazy golden pour, thin white head. Hoppy and dry with a good blend of hop aromas/flavours ranging through piney to tropical fruitiness. Mild yeasty feel throughout.

Tried from Draft on 06 Mar 2019 at 14:18


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Sunday 3rd March 2019. Sample glass at the brewery tap, one of ten tried on the day; this was number six. Light haze to the golden body, white affair on top. Citrus/tropical fruit esters in the nose, the taste also leaning towards a citrus bite and dryness. Fairly bitter and hop centric.

Tried from Draft on 06 Mar 2019 at 03:44


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Sunday 3rd March 2019. Sample glass at the brewery tap, one of ten tried on the day; this was number five. Bronze body, off-white head. Dark Berries and maybe cherries in the aroma, slight yeasty ester or two alongside some spicy notes. The taste is maltier than the nose indicates, some mild farmhouse sourness but overall an easy drinking brew that didn't hit me as a Farmhouse Saison like some of the sour puss ones do.

Tried from Draft on 06 Mar 2019 at 03:40


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Sunday 3rd March 2019. Sample glass at the brewery tap, one of ten tried on the day; this was number four. Slight haze to the golden body, white topping. Dry as a bone with a yeasty/spicy/Rye aroma and taste. Woody feel to the overall flavour (fermented in an Oak Foeder). OK, without exciting my palate too much.

Tried from Draft on 06 Mar 2019 at 03:34


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Sunday 3rd March 2019. Sample glass at the brewery tap, one of ten tried on the day; this was number three. Mini haze to the yellow/golden body; snow white crown. Light spicy/herbal aroma with a farmyard twist, some sourness in the taste, but not enough to ruin the refreshing nature of the brew. Dry finish.

Tried from Draft on 06 Mar 2019 at 03:28


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

On Sunday 3rd March 2019 my Son-In-Law and I visited the Tap Room of the brewery and asked the bartender to line up 10 x 4 Fl Oz tasters to share (there were only 10 beers on tap); this was beer number two in the line. Typical Kolsch look and taste; blonde, clear and clean with a snow white cap. I always find this style fairly bland (or 'subtle' in flavour if you are a brewer), this was no different. I am being unkind, this was fine, crisp and refreshing and a good effort to replicate the style.

Tried from Draft on 04 Mar 2019 at 14:52


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

On Sunday 3rd March 2019 my Son-In-Law and I visited the Tap Room of the brewery and asked the bartender to line up 10 x 4 Fl Oz tasters to share (there were only 10 beers on tap). This was the first of them, it was also the palest one, being a light blonde pour, with a white head. Nice refreshing beer to start off with, hoppy, floral nose, light malty taste, with a mild Saison 'farmyard' twist. Decent.

Tried from Draft on 04 Mar 2019 at 14:40


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Tulip draft at Gunwhale Ales in Costa Mesa, California. The pour is a mostly clear golden with a white head that leaves behind nice lace. The aroma is grain, grass and a bit of brett soft funk. The taste is herbal grass, mineral and the faint brett funk to the back. The palate is light to medium bodied with soft natural carbonation and the funk dry herbal finish. Nice one.

Tried from Draft on 16 May 2018 at 16:14


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

19th Jan 2018; part of a Flight at The Brewhouse, San Juan Capistrano. Misty pale amber body, wispy white head. Decent farmhouse saison, aroma had a little grain, some citrus hints and an earthy spice twist. The taste was leaning towards sourness but not really getting there, semi-bitter, semi-citrus bite, semi-pepper heat.

Tried on 26 Jan 2018 at 09:02


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Poured up on tap at O'Brien's' where it exhibits a crystal clear gold body that supports a thin white head of foam. The aroma offers up malt sweetened citrus tangelo, orange and clementine as well as some grapefruit. Taste is similar. Nice citrus bitterness, some juicy citrus and then mild malt sweetness. This comes together nicely. I'll do more of this one.

Tried from Draft on 23 Sep 2017 at 16:03