Beer Review: Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

Serving Type: Draft

ABV: 5.5 percent

Appearance: Flying Dog's Pale Ale pours an interesting shade of dark brown. The upper portion of the brew was a dark amber while the lower parts of it were a bit lighter and closer to the orange/tan spectrum. It also has a slight cloudiness to it with a half-inch bubbly, white head.

Smell: This beer was somewhat of a surprise in the aroma department. I picked up some malt that had a roasted scent to it. Behind that was a little amount of citrus, which I assume came from the hops. Here, I usually expect aromas of a lot less strengths such as wheat and yeast. Maybe even some honey. This definitely didn't go easy on the sweetness.

Taste: On the front, I got a ton of that roasted malt I picked up in the scent. The back featured the hop bitterness, which was a bit overpowering for my taste buds. The aftertaste leaves you with that characteristic paleness you expect from beers of this style. It finally came at the last second, but the paleness you'd expect was finally there.

Overall Rating:

In pale ales, I usually expect something a bit sweeter as opposed to dark and roasty. I also don't enjoy an overload of hops, as I think it defeats the purpose of this type of beer. If it's a pale ale, I want it to be just pale. Maybe even a touch of something sweet. Please save the hops for the IPA's.