If you’ve been poking around the blogosphere and the interwebz in search of Craft Beer knowledge over the past couple years, then you are probably aware that canned beer is very much on the rise. Our friends at the Beer and Whiskey Brothers blog have talked about this phenomenon on numerous occasions, and we at “It’s just the booze dancing…” spent the early part of Summer 2011 searching for The Ultimate Summer Beer (availability in cans was the #1 criteria).
One beer that is always mentioned when the subject of canned Craft Beer arises is Dale’s Pale Ale by the Oskar Blues Brewery. Although I’ve had it on numerous occasions, I have yet to write up a formal review. Before I get down to business, here is what Oskar Blues has to say about this extremely popular beer:
America’s first hand-canned craft beer is a voluminously hopped mutha that delivers a hoppy nose, assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and hops from start to finish. First canned in 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale is a hearty (6.5% and 65 IBUs), critically acclaimed trailblazer that has changed the way craft beer fiends perceive canned beer.
And now for the review…
- Appearance: Hazy orange color that reminds me of a late summer sunset at the Jersey Shore (without the Snooki of course). Thick, slowly dissipating, quarter inch head. Good bit of lacing remains on the inside of the glass as you drink it down.
- Aroma: Tangerines. Honey. Tea biscuits. Citrusy hops.
- Taste: Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Medium carbonation with lots of tiny bubbles that tingle your tongue. Starts off with those sweet malt flavors. The citrusy hops start to build towards the middle and lead you to a moderately bitter and lingering finish. Though the hops dominate the aftertaste, some of those sweet malt flavors remain in the background to lend some balance.
- ABV: 6.5%
My food and beverage ADHD is well documented on our blog. I am always searching for something new and exciting that will tickle my taste buds. So what does it say about a beer when I have purchased it on numerous occasions?
Over the past 12 months I’ve purchased Dale’s Pale Ale for two birthday parties, and I’ve even purchased a twelve pack to keep on hand for casual drinking. Dale’s Pale Ale is smooth, crisp, well balanced, and very session worthy. It even comes in a can that could have been designed by Andy Warhol. This is a beer that is great on it’s own or with a wide variety of food. If you have yet to try the Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, then I suggest that you pick up a six-pack immediately. This is a damn good beer!
Categories: Brew Review, Oskar Blues
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
My wife was explaining the benefits of canned beer to me the other day, which is funny only because she doesn’t even drink beer, but apparently NPR had a big story on this topic too. Anyway, great review.
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That’s too funny! Beer in cans has it’s advantages for sure.
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I’ve always thought it odd that a chipmunk would choose to encase its craft beer in a can. After all, they tend to have some difficulty in compromising the structural integrity of those vessels thereby presenting a significant challenge in the loosing of the elixer therein encased.
But aside from that, Dale’s Pale is a really good beer. Classic hoppy pale that really does go well with plenty of foods. I especially like it with spicy Asian food.
The rest of this response will be deleted by the Lindsay Lohan.
See??
@TheAlemonger
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I wonder what kind of Craft Beer Chip, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore will release. Will they also go the canned route? Chipmunks are quite a competitive breed of rodent!
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Love Dales! One of my favs! The last time a guy offered to buy my friends and I a pitcher in a bar (luckily he bought it then left us alone) I asked for Dales Pale. Perhaps he was only hoping to pay for Bud Light? It tastes even better when it’s free.
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That poor guy. 😉
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Love the Dale’s one of many great brews the Ale Monger has guided me to. This review does bring up that I never wrapped up the Summer in a Can canned brew hunt. We drank a lot of good (Back and Black IPA) and bad (Andersen Valley Summer Solstice) canned brews and need to wrap up our findings. Perhaps a canned beer poll to see what the interwebs have to say about canned brews.
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Sounds like a plan! We should discuss this over drinks.Like we need an excuse to have a beer or two. Or four.
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Four? You’ve been hanging with LimpD too much.
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Split the difference… 3?
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Nice post! I think beer drinkers are really starting to embrace canned beers, especially over the last two years – and Oskar Blues was one of the breweries at the forefront of this “good canned beer” revolution (besides my beloved Youngs Double Chocolate Stout)! I so enjoy Dale’s Pale Ale and a couple of their other brews! 🙂 Cheers!
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Totally agree! Oskar Blues is top notch. 21st Amendment isn’t too shabby either.
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What I like best about Dale’s Pale Ale is that a can fits really nicely in my Camelbak bladder for a post-mountain bike ride beverage!
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Dale’s is just a damn good beer! As far as the Camelbak goes, do you mean you pour the beer into the pack or can you use the Camelbak as a mini cooler kind of thing?
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