Dale’s Pale Ale By Oskar Blues Brewery
My craft beer journey took a very odd path. When it comes to IPAs and Pale Ales, I didn’t care for them much at first. However, I really loved Double IPAs. The added ABV helped “sweeten” up the beer considerably which makes the bitterness seem less harsh and more balanced. Pale Ales and IPAs didn’t have this added sweetness so , I often overlooked beers like Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale.
But now that I’ve grown to appreciate a wider range of beer styles, it’s great to go back and try beer like Dale’s Pale Ale and see why they were so influential and important to the craft beer movement.
Let’s discover more about Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale.
Review Of Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
Most of us consider canning craft beer to be something that just started. While the past few years have provided a huge increase in canning, some craft breweries have been canning for a long time.
Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale was being canned in their Lyons, Colorado brewpub in 2002 making it the first craft beer to be canned.
And as the say; “the rest is history” as this beer went on to become immensely popular with those looking to break into the world of craft beer. To this day, this beer represents the strong, assertive flavor and demeanor of craft beer.
Dales’ Pale Ale has an ABV of 6.5% and IBUs of 65.
Here is how Oskar Blues describes Dale’s Pale Ale:
This voluminously hopped mutha delivers a hoppy nose and assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and citrusy floral hops from start to finish. Oskar Blues launched its canning ops in 2002, brewing and hand-canning Dale’s Pale Ale in the Lyons, Colorado, brewpub. America’s first-craft-canned mountain pale is a hearty, critically acclaimed trailblazer that changed the way craft beer fiends perceive portable beer.
Initial Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, my history with Pale Ales started with a love for Double IPAs (DIPAs). Pale Ales and IPAs had too strong of a hoppy bitterness for me to enjoy them. But the DIPAs had the big hoppy presence balanced by a sweetness added by the Malt and ABV.
After finding that my palate had adjusted making IPAs and Pale Ales enjoyable, it was fun to go back and try many of the beers that I had been overlooking for years. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale was on the short list to try.
Dale’s Pale Ale pours a dark, amber/golden color. It is very “beer-like” in appearance with an ample white head.
The aroma is full of earthy, floral hops that give you a preview that it will be quite bitter.
Tasting Notes
From the first sip, Dale’s Pale Ale is a punch in the face. It is considerably stronger in flavor than I normally assume a Pale Ale will be.
Most of this flavor is in the form of the hop flavor. While the description says that it will be citrusy, it isn’t like the more recent citrus forward Pale Ales and IPAs. I think it has a much strong earthy, floral hop flavor with just a touch of citrus.
The bitterness doesn’t get out of control as it is balanced by the malt backbone. But it is just there for balance as it doesn’t provide any sweetness or any residual grain-like flavors. This beer is all about being assertively hoppy.
Final Thoughts
Dale’s Pale Ale is a classic modern craft beer. It’s been around for a long time but it still represents what we love about craft beer.
It is bold, unapologetic and is a great option regardless of where you are or what you are doing.
We also have to thank Dale’s Pale Ale for making canned craft beer a reality. Cans are better for the beer and without Oskar Blues taking a chance, we may not have as many canned options as we do today.
Learn More: IPA Vs Pale Ale – Is There A Difference?
Conculsion
A bold, hop forward Pale Ale isn’t for everyone, it took me years to learn to appreciate beers like Dale’s Pale Ale.
But once you get a taste for them, you’ll find that they are a great go-to option. If it’s been a while since you’ve had this classic, I recommend you give it another look. Despite how craft beer has changed, this beer has stood the test of time.
