2017 Pseudo Sue by Toppling Goliath brewing

 

Rating: 5.5/6

2017 Pseudo Sue by Toppling Goliath brewing of Decorah Iowa is a 5.8% ABV World Class American Pale Ale.

Label:
This single hop ale showcases the Citra hop or a well-balanced beer that is delicate in body with a mild bitterness in the finish. Ferocious aromas of citrus and mango give way to pseudo Sue’s unique and refreshing taste that is clean and bright with just enough bite!

Original Review: https://animebeers.com/2016/01/18/pseudo-sue-by-toppling-goliath-brewing/

 

8-Bit Pale Ale by Tallgrass Brewing

15129098_533612460168194_8538679456118647198_oRating: 4.5/5

8-Bit Pale Ale by Tallgrass Brewing is a 5.2% ABV American Pale Ale brewed.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Just like those classic video games we all grew up with, 8-Bit Pale Ale is spectacularly simple at first glance yet remarkably fun and complex when you get into it. Our Hop Rocket infuses the character of Australian Grown Galaxy Hops into an American Pale Ale, giving a unique tropical, almost melon aroma in a classic American style.

ABV: 5.2%
IBU: 40
Malts: 2 Row, Victory, Vienna & Munich
Hops: Magnum, Centennial, Cascade & Galaxy

==Introduction==

15025381_533612470168193_4433387881888953066_o
The last time I had tried 8-bit Pale Ale was when I visited my friend Steve in Iowa. Before then, it had been sometime in 2012. Today, I was given a chance to bring this one once again to the website thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola of BeerMetalDude.com. Seeing that it has been years since I last brought this one to the site, I want to take the approach using the tasting experience I have acquired over the years and well, try to analyze it further. This beer is inspired by my youth. The days of Nintendo and video games which to this day I still appreciate. They had released an awesome commercial for this beer where it shows a rooster blowing on the cartridge. I can’t seem to find it anymore as the brewery put it to private but it was definitely that one that made me want to get the beer back in 2012. Still, thanks to my friend Aaron, The old school is back for a review.

Aromas:
Tropical fruit mango hints, honey dew melon, passion fruit, pilsner grain, stone fruit peach, lemon peel, Grassy, Piney, grapefruit hint, floral and citrusy hops.

Flavors:
Grassy, Piney, grapefruit hint, floral and citrusy hops, Cane sugar, tropical fruit honey dew melon, cantaloupe, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, passion fruit, vanilla, caramel, biscuit bread, stone fruit, peach, apricot, lemon peel, lemon candy, tangerine gummies, pilsner grain and mild peppery spice.

Aftertaste:
Finishing slightly dry with citrus. Grassy and floral hops, tropical fruits, stone fruits, vanilla hints and cane sugar. No alcohol on the taste, Pale Golden light body, crisp, clean, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel along with very easy drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious beer. No matter what, from the first time I tried to now, this one continues to be awesomely refreshing. Pale ales don’t seem to be as popular as they were years ago possibly due to popularity of IPAs and Double IPAs. A well-made pale ale like this one definitely can compete even with those in my opinion. It is definitely refreshing and possibly a good gateway to craft beer. It’s also classic 8-bit era inspired. So yes, I would definitely recommend this one.

15129069_533612473501526_6286740004966800674_o
Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Metroid and Chun-li from Street Fighter in Tron/ Shadow Lady form have been used when I first made the review of this brew. What I was going for back then is in the sense of characters in an 8-bit realm could be represented by the bits of 0’s and 1’s essentially leading into a Tron like cyberspace. The whole theme of the beer is videogames so both are video game characters.

Sources:
http://img09.deviantart.net/ce9e/i/2009/113/6/b/zero_suit_poster_by_twilit_arawen.jpg
http://n2.hk/d/attachments/day_110404/20110404_b9a4d7a3172d8bab1936GMpGVAhAgL8R.jpg
http://img12.deviantart.net/82ab/i/2014/284/1/d/time_to_collect_that_bounty_by_g_wolf101-d82h55e.png

 

Bullet Proof by Audacity Brew House

12698563_10103065572230640_3860155765493579060_oRating: 4.5/5

Bullet Proof by Audacity Brew House is a 5.2% ABV American Pale Ale

Commercial Description:
Brewed with Texas craft malts and Texas-grown grapefruit, dry-hopped for a strong citrus aroma, a subtle honey-like sweetness and a crisp, easy to drink finish.

==Introduction==

Received several cans from my friend Aaron Mendiola at BeerMetalDude.com. Many of which are from Texas local craft breweries and some I honestly can say I may not have tried these without the help from him sending me these. As gratitude for these treasures, I will be reviewing these on the site starting this this brew. This is my first beer from audacity brewing. I am going in blindly and see how this one turns out. Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, grapefruit, piney, floral and grassy hops, cane sugar, honey, stone fruit peach notes, tropical fruits like passion fruit, papaya, kiwi, strawberry notes, waffle cone, biscuit bread and cherry notes.

Flavors:
Lots of honey, rich tropical juicy fruits of honey dew melon, passion fruit hints, kiwi, strawberry juice, Oranges, Coriander spice, citrus, grapefruit, piney, floral and grassy hops, cane sugar, Stone fruit sweet peaches, apricot notes, biscuit bread, waffle cone, flan hints, lychees, kumquats, crabapples, starburst and cherries.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with rich stone fruits, citrus, piney and grapefruit hops along with cane sugar notes. No alcohol in the taste. Golden light to medium body. Crisp, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel and easy drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious and sweet pale ale. I was really well pleased with this one as it was full of fruity goodness and delicious ingredients that went down very smooth. A refreshing beer I would definitely have on a regular basis if I had it available for sure. Give this one a try if you live Texas.

Anime Corner:
Furyou Michi from Gang Road was used in this pairing to pair mainly with the name of the beer, Bullet Proof as she is wearing a bullet proof vest. The other things that I see with this picture are that her hair is the color of the brew but also with this beer having the Texas flag represents a bit of Texas pride in terms of gun ownership.

Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Furyou.Michi.~Gang.Road~.full.1747242.jpg

Whoa Bundy!!! by El Borracho brewing

12662001_10103052863998040_6936027388047902043_n 12688165_10103052864806420_4987955835301938530_nRating: 4.75/5

Whoa Bundy!!! by El Borracho brewing is a 5.25% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with Simcoe Hops.

==Introduction==

A tribute to one of the best sitcoms growing up, Married with Children. Specifically, Al Bundy which was by Ed O’Neal. The reason my friend William Carranza chose Whoa Bundy!! as the name of the beer indicates as it is an American Pale Ale. As a American as Al Bundy and High School football of which he scored 4 touch downs in one game for Polk High. Thanks to Will for another awesome donation to the site. Let’s take a look and see what this one has to offer, cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, piney, herbal, floral, dank, spicy and garlicky hops, tropical fruit notes of Guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, Stone fruit peach, apricots, lemon zest, orange candy, mango hints and tangerines.

Flavors:
Herbal, Spicy, grapefruit, piney, floral, and dank garlicky hops, biscuit bread, vanilla notes, Tropical fruit Guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, honey dew melon, kumquats, mango, Strawberries, raspberries, Stone fruit peach, lychee, apricots, lemon candy, oranges, green tea ice cream, gummy bears, and tangerines.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with stone fruit notes, tropical fruit, biscuit bread, herbal, grapefruit, citrus lemon candy and piney hops. No alcohol in the aftertaste, Honey colored light to medium body, crisp, refreshing, rich and smooth mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious pale ale having so many of the nice tropical fruits and citrus notes that I enjoy from IPAs and Pale Ales alike. There was so much in this one that it did make me go… Whoa!? With use of all Simcoe in this brew, it was something very good. Definitely one of my friend’s better beers and one that is worth trying again.
Al-Bundy-Drinking-Brew
Anime Corner:
Dead Pool from Marvel Comics and Harley Quinn from DC Comics were used in this pairing since I wanted to find something Married with Children related. In this case, it is not Anime but Comics. I have done many comic book characters in the past especially since I like many of them. So the fact that I found one for Dead Pool with Harley was one of the most perfect pairings I’ve seen in a while. An awesome beer pairing at that.

Sources:
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/dv9qdbwdukvjzylt3oa8.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/31/56/3e/31563e819a27b3daf6087ed0645d1785.jpg

Lizard King by Pipeworks

12605298_10103036960553670_5075687159471858039_o 12553105_10103036961062650_4563484539227126664_nRating: 5.25/6

Lizard King by Pipeworks is 6% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with Mosaic and Amarillo Hops.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
This American Pale Ale is fresh as they come and only being poured at select bars in Chicago. Brewed with Mosaic and Amarillo hops, Lizard King will be the perfect way to start (or end) your day.

==Introduction==

Pipeworks has made some many tasty brews and it is thanks to online stores that many can get their beers as they are primarily from the Midwest. Their IPAs rule but this is the first time I will be trying one of their Pale Ales. The label looks awesome like Geon from King of Monsters fighting a giant Skeleton Monster. I’m assuming the whole lizard thing goes inside with the hops but not sure. Either way, let’s see what this one is about. Cheers!

Aromas:
Grapefruit, citrus, floral, piney and grassy hops, Stone fruit, peaches, apricot, lychee, lemon candy, crabapples, tropical fruits like passion fruit, kiwi, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, mango, papaya, guava, oranges, cherries, kumquats, honey, sweetened condensed milk, orange peel and green tea ice cream.

Flavors:
Rich tropical fruits like passion fruit, kiwi, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, mango, kumquats,
Stone fruit, peaches, apricot, lychee, lemon candy, crabapples, grapefruit, citrus, floral, piney and grassy hops, honey, sweetened condensed milk, orange peel, strawberries, prickly pear tunas, Starburst, mango cheese cake, papaya, guava, oranges, cherries, grapes, green tea ice cream, gummy bears, and tangerine preserves.

Aftertaste:
Rich stone fruits, tropical fruits, biscuit bread, herbal, grapefruit, citrus, lemon candy and orange hops and starburst candy. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden honey body, smooth crisp, rich, and refreshing mouthfeel and easy to drink.

Overall:
Supreme delicious hoppy goodness! This was a damn good IPA. Like the Psuedo Sue I had from Toppling Goliath, they managed to get the rich tropical goodness of their IPAs to be fruitier in their American Pale Ale form. I wish we had this one here in California as I would probably get this one all the time. Like Psuedo Sue, a supreme Pale Ale amongst them all. Now with this being about Lizards, it was well fitting. Highly recommended.

Anime Corner:
Godzilla, Super Godzilla and Mothra from the Godzilla series was used in this pairing to go with the whole aspect of the Lizard King as Godzilla is the original and true King of the Monsters. The reason I used Space Godzilla-Chan was because the way she sits on the throne looking like a king or a bad ass. Technically, Space Godzilla is like an evil brother to Godzilla but either way, the whole Lizard King theme was awesome here. Mothra and Godzilla is hinted as being more than friends.

Sources:
http://img09.deviantart.net/d9e9/i/2009/105/e/0/a_samurai_and_his_love_by_kaijusamurai.jpg
https://archive.loveisover.me/foolfuuka/boards/d/image/1420/43/1420436629594.jpg

Wasted Sea Star Purple Pale Ale by Rogue brewing

12548920_10103028513865900_2948857699353487257_n 12540868_10103028514359910_7942440281123897100_nRating: 3.75/5

Wasted Sea Star Purple Pale Ale by Rogue brewing is a 5.7% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with purple corn.

Label:
Dedicated to Dr. Bruce Menge and his Students

Sea stars on the west coast are rapidly dying from a mysterious disease called sea star wasting syndrome. It causes lesions, arm loss, and eventually can turn stars into goo. This is one of the largest marine animal disease events in recording history. Purchasing this beer will help to fund the research of this disease through the partnership for interdisciplinary studies of coastal oceans at Oregon State University.

Rogue Wasted Sea Star Purple Pale Ale is made with purple corn, giving it a slight purple color. Sweet up front with a smooth hop finish.

9 Ingredients: 2-row, Dextrapils, Rogue Farms Dare and Risk Malts; Liberty and Alluvial hops; Purple Corn Nector (Non-GMO), fre range coastal water and Pacman Yeast.

15° Plato / 5.7% ABV / 40 IBU / 76 AA / 15° L
==Introduction==

I obtained this one at the Rogue online store buy.rogue.com along with the Mango Astronaut. I was intrigued by the ingredients and the color of the beer but also the fact that purchasing this was going to a good cause. Save Marine wild life and enjoy some beer, you can’t beat that! With that being said, a beer made from purple corn is intriguing to me. Yeah, corn is just an adjunct added to many lagers but organic purple corn, well, this may seem like something different, or atleast I would like to think. So let’s see what this beer is about.

Aromas:
Caramel, pilsner malt, cereal grains, honey hints grapes, rye bread, dark fruit notes, piloncillo sugar cone, citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal and grassy hops hints and berry notes.

Flavors:
Honey, grapes, cereal grain, corn adjunct, caramel, grape marmalade, rye bread, butterscotch, dark fruit raisins, plums, blackberries, taro ice cream, ube bread, sweet potato, piloncillo sugar cone, citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal and grassy hops, brown sugar, cinnamon, and blackberry cobbler.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with a bit of malty, grainy and dark fruit sweetness. No alcohol in the taste, mainly amber colored with a purple tinge clear body, smooth, creamy and refreshing mouthfeel and is very easy to drink.

Overall:
A pretty good ale with a good amount of crisp and refreshing flavors. It does have some complexity to it and body but at the same time it has some flavors you would find in a nice lager. It does not seem to fall in the category of hoppy pale ale but more of malty yet crisp ale. It was decent and worth the try for sure if you can find it but nothing too extravagant. Sure it did have some notes that I really like, like the purple ube.

Anime Corner:
Rider from Fatestay Night was used in this pairing as I wanted a good representative for the overall purple theme of the beer. Sea Stars are near color blind and some believe have no sight at all. Regardless of what may be true, using Rider with the eye cover helps show case this. Her being purple and in the water also adds to the complement of the beer artwork and theme.

Sources:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1jDIKyxula4/UvTKGvOxXQI/AAAAAAAAAYU/ZAYobBNUQ2w/w1098-h1600/404590.jpg
http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/full/Anime-Fate-(series)-Fatestay-night-Rider-(Fatestay-night)-1918941.jpeg

Pseudo Sue by Toppling Goliath brewing

12549128_10103015430784500_325281435861425168_nRating: 5.5/6

Pseudo Sue by Toppling Goliath brewing of Decorah Iowa is a 5.8% ABV World Class American Pale Ale.

Label:
This single hop ale showcases the Citra hop or a well-balanced beer that is delicate in body with a mild bitterness in the finish. Ferocious aromas of citrus and mango give way to pseudo Sue’s unique and refreshing taste that is clean and bright with just enough bite!

==Introduction==

A beer worth a crazy mission. My friend Steve from Iowa was able to send me this one after our journey across the endless farmlands in my second home away from home, Iowa. Visiting Iowa State University Ames Iowa, my Alma Mater, I was able to find this one readily available but limited. They had advised this one had just arrived but it was hard to get and would be very limited. I was all over this one. Knowing Toppling Goliath is one of Iowa’s best Micro Breweries and me wanting to go there or at the very least try their beer, I had to get this one to the site. Since I wanted to get different ones, I was only able to bring a bottle to the site as me and my friend had to finish the rest of them. I hope to get more in the future.

Aromas:
Orange zest, orange peel, tangerine, green tea ice cream, gummy bears, tangerine spread on biscuit bread, Stone fruit peaches, apricot, lychee fruit, crab apples, grapes, cherries, raspberries, tropical fruits, mango, papaya, guava, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, prickly pears, strawberries, Starburst candy, lemon candy and sweetened condensed milk.

Flavors:
Rich tropical fruits, mango, papaya, guava, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, prickly pears, strawberries, Stone fruit peaches, apricot, lychee fruit, crab apples, grapes, cherries, raspberries, Oranges, orange peel, tangerine, Grapefruit, rich citrusy, herbal, floral, grassy and dank hops, sweetened condensed milk, green tea ice cream, gummy bears, tangerine spread on biscuit bread, Starburst candy, lemon candy, mango cheese cake and kumquats.

Aftertaste:
Rich tropical fruit, stone fruit, vanilla, biscuit bread, dank herbal, rich citrusy hops and orange zest, and sweet fruit juices. No alcohol in the taste, Clear golden honey body, smooth, rich, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with being ridiculously easy to drink.

Overall:
Hands down, one of the best Pale Ales ever, right next to Zombie Dust. For being so light, and yet so damn hop complex, they were able to get a ridiculous amount for tropical forward flavors from this beer proving that even the basic American Pale Ales can take on even the toughest and strongest of IPAs. This beer is ingenious. They say the king Sue is even more ridiculous to find and is bigger than this? I can honestly say that this can even go up against my favorite IPA, Power Plant but the thing is they are different styles. This is a highly recommended one for sure!

Anime Corner:
Dragon Slayer from Black Rock Shooter was used in this pairing as I mainly wanted to pair with the T-Rex in the label. I found this one and definitely looked so bad ass. So bad ass like the way this beer is super bad ass. End of story…

Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Dragon.Slayer.full.553344.jpg

Tropical Day Dream Pale Ale by Avila Ales

11952859_10102810038562160_4813084693664417412_oRating: 4.25/5

Tropical Day Dream Pale Ale by Avila Ales is a 5% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with Citra Hops

==Introduction==
Partial base wort was brewed using brewing equipment at Monkish for the “Monster Home brew Event” back in June 2015. The idea was to create a base pale wort using the equipment at Monkish brewing. Each person would get 5 gallons (or 10 or more depending on how much you would pay) from this concoction you would take it home add to the wort to change the style completely to more than 10 different styles of beer. My friend Richard Avila and I went to Monkish on that day to buy 10 gallons of wort each. This is the first custom batch he made using citra hops. Thanks to my friend Richard for sharing this one with me and as a tribute, I was able to bring this beer over to the website.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, lemon juice, lemon peel, passion fruit, tart apples, Stone fruit hints like peach, tropical fruit like mango, peppercorn and green tea.

Flavors:
Lots of grapefruit, citrus, lemon peel, rich passion fruit, guava, prickly pear, grassy hops, floral hops, mango, peppercorn, honey dew melon, tart apples, stone fruit peach hints, green tea, herbal notes, grape hints, papaya, pineapple and biscuit bread.

Aftertaste:
Leaving a dry finish in the taste with some residual tropical fruit notes. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy yellow medium body, crisp, clean, refreshing mouthfeel and easy to drink.

Overall:
A very good pale ale. While there maybe some off flavoring due to the original wort being from Monkish, I think the control in the brewing and addition of my friend’s own ingredients to the beer made it a great style. Definitely rich in the tropical aspects including the rich grapefruit and tropical fruit. The only off flavors maybe the bit of lemony tartness or the green tea or tart apple hints but overall making it a pretty wonderful experience overall for being a pale ale. It definitely surpasses the first Pale Ale I made. I think my friend definitely has a great amount of experience to get next batch the way he likes as he will have more control of the wort.

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by Yuuza of DeviantArt was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair the flavors of the beer with the name. The colors representing the vast majority of tropical fruit goodness but alse the aspect of day dreaming which the mind uses to create figments of the imagination. This beer is like a dream in the sense that it tastes so rich and juicy like tropical fruits even for such a low ABV. Even in the artwork, you can see how the day dreams come to life as they are created upon the stroke of the pain brush the mind wields.

Sources:
http://orig12.deviantart.net/be4b/f/2014/023/e/1/painting_the_world_by_yuuza-d64n3cv.jpg

Stochasticity Project HiFi+Lofi Mixtape by Stone Brewing

IMAG8169Rating: 4/5

Stochasticity Project HiFi+Lofi Mixtape by Stone Brewing is an 8.8% American Pale Ale with half aged in Oak Foudres.

Label:
STOCHASTICITY
STO-KAESTI-CITY
There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

Fresh and Vintage tracks combine for the perfect liquid playlist.

Even before the science of beer was fully understood, those seeking to present the finest iteration of an ale had their wys of ensuring flavors and textures that were a cut above. In Britain, pub owners kept ‘stock ales’ on hand, beers that had been left to mature in vats or oak barrels. During this aging period, the beers would mellow and occasionally, develop a twinge of tartness. These publicans were unaware of the oxidative or microbilolicigal reasons for such changes, but found that blending some of their stock ales with fresh beers – which dented to be overly bitter and smoky – made ideal quaffs for their patrons. For this beer, we have taken a page from this tale of British pub life and blended a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels more commonly used by vintners) with a fresh version of that beer to create perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste specctrum

Malt Varieties
Pale 2-Row, English Pale, Mild Ale, Briess & Amber

Hop Varieties
Apollo, UK Target & Williamette

Aged in
Oak Foudres

==Introduction==

Obtained this one at my local beer shop and this one is sold in many of the craft beer shops that sell Stone beers. This one will see national distribution. This beer used to be available on tap only and it was something Stone finally decided to release. Good for them as they have so many beers that never see the public tastes buds. So let’s take a sip of this and we rewind the tape as we go along. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich butterscotch, caramel, biscuit bread, orange zest, waffle cone, toasted bread, black tea hints, earthy hops, grapefruit hints, pecan pie notes, brown sugar and hints of hazelnut.

Flavors:
Rich biscuit bread, caramel, rye bread, toffee, honey, grassy, piney, grassy, grapefruit, and earthy hops, butterscotch, citrus, orange, oak, waffle cone, toasted bread, black tea, almond butter, marzipan, hazelnut, pecan pie hints and marshmallow.

Aftertaste:
Lot of biscuit bread, citrus, caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut, oak, toffee, grapefruit and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, crisp and moderate mouthfeel, easy to moderate to drinkability and golden brown body.

Overall:
A very good beer almost reminding me of a pub ale with some added complexity. At a moderate drinkability, there is much that can be said as it is complex but palatte subtle enough to not overwhelm the palatte. Taking its time as coats the mouth with different types of complexities all at once. Something that is worth a try and might be a step up for light drinkers.

Anime Corner:
T-elos and Kos-Mos from Xenosaga were used in this pairing as I wanted to do a twin pairing but also match up the colors of the beer. The older and darker barrel-aged side which is represented by T-elos and the lighter alcohol and brand new Kos-mos. They pretty much compliment each other that they represent this beer as a unit of the blends. The mix. The colors also represent some of the flavors as well.

Sources:
http://hdwallpapersfactory.com/wallpaper/xenosaga_t-elos_kos-mos_desktop_1280x720_hd-wallpaper-744094.jpg

Arctic Sun Stone collaboration by Amager Bryghus and Three Floyds

10710659_10102214381473740_6624071730411607440_n 10516855_10102214381743200_2416131594113642214_nRating: 4.75/5

Arctic Sun Stone collaboration by Amager Bryghus and Three Floyds is a 6% ABV Denmark/American Pale Ale

Label:
The sunstone – much disputed among scholars. Did the Viking navigators really have such a tool that would help them point out what was east and what was west – even on a less than sunny day? We certainly believe so. Many years later no sunstone was needed when Amager Bryghus was invaded by what very much looked like Viking ancestors of American descent. Hailing from Munster, Indiana, Chris Boggess and Barnaby Struve of Three Floyds Brewing arrived not with a vengeance but with very loud King Diamond on their portable mp3 player. This was not a day for slaughter but for brewing. And brew we did. The mellow and dangerously quaffable Arctic SunStone is proof that even Viking warriors can have a more subtle side to them. All hail to Three Floyds.

==Introduction==
Three Floyds beers are hard to find. Amager Bryghus was even hard too. The fact that I was able to find this one, even if it was a good online store, means that they are getting out there and being distributed more. Since it was a Three Floyds and Amager Bryghus beer, I had to get it. So without further ado, here is the beer treasure, Arctic Sun Stone. Cheers!

Aromas:
Grapefruit, citrus, mild piney and mild grassy hops, caramel, vanilla toffee, tropical fruits like pineapple, honey dew melon, guava hints, mango, apples, tangerines, orange peel, kumquats, lycheefruit roasted peanuts, banana hints and stone fruit apricot.

Flavors:
Citrus,grapefruit, grassy and piney hops, toffee, caramel, biscuit breads, tropical fruit like mango, guava, pine apples, honey dew melon, apples, tangerines, lychee fruit, orange peel, kumquats, strawberries, coriander spice, stone fruit apricot, peach notes, roasted peanuts, bananas and some herbal hop notes.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla, citrus, roasted peanuts, toffee, grapefruit and piney hops linger. No Alcohol in the taste, Bold, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, Hazy medium body and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very good Pale Ale. Drinks almost like an IPA but mainly sticking to the more malty sides and yet releasing a lot of the orange citrus and tropical flavors of some of the best pale ales out there. Pale Ales especially American ones, always have their own story to share trying to border line the IPA’s while stil offering more of a balance and not just pure hop bitterness like some west coast styles. Never the less, this one was pretty tasty and worth a try if you can get it.

Anime Corner:
Risty and Leina Vance from Queen’s Blade were used in this pairing since I wanted something to pair with the colors of the label, the beer and the Viking. While Risty covers that aspect and the picture with the loud roar, Leina is added to represent the collaboration of the 2 giants, Three Floyds and Amager respectively.

Sources:
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120329014534/queensblade/images/9/97/Risty_and_Leina_3.jpg
http://danbooru.donmai.us/data/40d37bcd1dca070608a1a478e206087a.jpg