Anderson Valley Poleeko Gold Pale Ale Review

Poleeko Gold Pale Ale

Review Date 7/17/2001

Try? Re-buy?

Among all the styles of beer being brewed in America today, perhaps none is as popular with beer aficionados than pale ale. Rich in flavor but not overpowering, pale ale is the ale world’s answer to light lager. It’s an easily drinkable brew that is quenching and refreshing, yet it doesn’t sacrifice flavor to be so quaffable. Traditionally, English pale ales will be somewhat malty with a touch of butter, perhaps some notes of fruit imparted by a warm fermentation, with a balancing to slightly bitter hop finish. On draft, pale ale would be called bitter in England, though it is not necessarily overly bitter despite the name.

Here in America, a variation on pale ale has been developed called, appropriately, American pale ale. The main difference between this and English style pale ale? Hops. You’ll find more hops here and generally they’ll be of the Pacific Northwest grown variety, often Cascades but also perhaps Centennials, Columbus or Chinooks. The beer will be more bitter and aromatic than English styled pale ale.

One example of the style is Anderson Valley’s Poleeko Gold Pale Ale. Anderson Valley calls this “California Style Beer”, though what that is they don’t say. The brew has won numerous awards, and rightly so including:

Silver Medal: Pale Ale - 2001 World Beer Cup
Bronze Medal: American Pale Ales - 1999 California State Fair
Bronze Medal: Pale Ale - 1998 World Beer Cup
Gold Medal: Light Ale - 1997 California State Fair
Silver Medal: Traditional Pale Ale - 1995 California State Fair
Of course, how it won a gold as a light ale in 1997 is quite beyond me, but as I’ve often said, I’m not crazy about competitions.

Anderson Valley Poleeko Gold Pale Ale pours to a deep golden color with a thick, rocky head formation and an appetizing citric hop nose. The palate is fresh and crisp, firm-bodied and very malty. Some of that malt is drowned out however by the hops, especially as the beer warms in your glass and they become more pronounced. At first citric and grapefruity then floral and aromatic, they slowly recede into the finish where a very pronounced bitterness emerges. This is fantastic American style pale ale, bold and assertive in its hop character yet still very drinkable. It’s borderline India pale ale, to be sure, hoppy and delicious.

This would be a great before-dinner drink, since the hops would arouse the appetite. It’s also a great beer with spicy foods. I enjoyed mine this evening with a fresh garden salad in olive oil vinaigrette dressing, buttered dark German multigrain bread and spicy Cajun sausages.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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