As breweries expand distribution, I sometimes get samples sent to me to review, usually though, not saying “Sample” right on the bottle. Baja Brewing sent me there to-be renamed Peyote Pale Ale to test out.
Here are my thoughts…
I am of two minds on this beer. It is firmly in the class of the maltier side of pale ale. All well and good once I re-calibrated my tastebuds and my mind. There is a nice caramel note without the sweetness that I think plays well with the hops. But those hops are just a little too buried for me. As it warms, the beer opens up though and some fruit notes knock on the door.
It would be educational to me to try this beer fresher at the source to see if a little more bitter brightness would come through and ameliorate the caramel notes.