Beer Review: The Public Pale by DC Brau

This week for #BeerSaturday, I present a review of the delicious The Public pale by by DC Brau Brewing Company.

In 2009, DC Brau Brewing was the first brewery to open in Washtington D.C. since 1950. They were also on the cutting edge of craft beer at the time by being one of the few breweries to distribute their beer in cans. Now cans are everywhere because it keeps the beer fresher and away from light.

I first had this beer in 2012 when I wrote an article about craft beers in a can. At 6% abv, hazy appearance, and low bitterness, by today's standards, some might consider this to be a hazy IPA. 😉

Disclosure: DC Brau provided a sample, at my request, back in 2012.

Appearance

Cloudy burnt orange color with a light-tan foamy head. The head is actually a little disappointing in that both the retention is below average and the lacing on the glass is nearly non-existent.

Aroma

I brought the glass to my nose and when it was about 3 inches away and without taking a deep breath in, I could smell the intense hoppy aromas, which are strong, delightful, and welcoming. The hop bouquet comes off as citrusy, floral, and a bit woodsy. The citrus profile is like ruby red grapefruit juice with some hints of passionfruit. The floral attributes are like roses. The woodsy profile has just a tinge of pine but not terribly strong. Behind the hops you can pick up a malt profile that is almost candy-like when combined with the woodsy, earthy qualities gives it a sticky vegetal nature.

Taste/Flavor

After taking a whiff of that strong hop aroma, I was expecting a bittersweet flavor but Iw as in for a surprise. The balance of this beer is so good that at first, it almost doesn't taste bitter. The hop bitterness is smooth and the malt backbone holds up without being sweet. However, the more you have the more the bitterness builds on your pallette. It has earthy hop flavor that is smooth and not harsh or spicy. The malt profile is roast and a touch nutty without being terribly sweet. Very nicely balanced.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light bodied beer with average amount of carbonation. It has a particular texture that make it quite quaffable.

Overview

Although the ABV is much too high to be a session beer, it is a hoppy aroma pale that allows you to have a few without being too much of a "palette wrecker." It is refreshing, hoppy, and the aroma is just plain fantastic.

Recommendation

Drink it!

Recommendations are on a 3 point scale: drink it, you decide, and don't drink it.