Review – Avery Ale to the Chief

Avery Brewing creates larger than life beers, and this one lives up to their reputation!

Here is the description from the bottle:
We the Brewers of Avery Brewing Company, in order to form a more perfect ale, require a new leadership that can liberate us from our quagmires in foreign lands; embrace environmentally sound energy alternatives to imported oil; heal our ailing health care system; free us from tyrannical debt and resurrect the collapsing dollar. We hereby pledge to provide him or her with an ample amount of our Presidential Pale Ale to support in the struggle for the aforementioned goals! Hail to the New Chief!

Not an “Imperial” pale ale, this is a democracy. It’s Presidential! Take the all-American pale ale, a bipartisan blend of malt and hops, increase to both Avery Brewing standards, and then, of course, dry hop the result with that most quintessential of American hops, Cascades, and you get this… Ale to the Chief. A brew worthy of the Oval Office! Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops and yeast.

Avery Brewing – Ale to the Chief – 22oz Bottle poured into a La Fin Du Monde tulip. 7.5% abv.
Appearance: Vibrant orange with a bit of cloudiness. A bright white head that subsides into a 1/4 inch. After taking a few sips, you will find spotty lace left on the glass.

Aroma: Grapefruit covered in granulated sugar.

Taste: Strong spicy and sweet malts up front layered with bitter piney hops. The grapefruit I smelled didn’t carry over to the taste.

Mouthfeel: Sticky and a tad puckering from the high level of hops.

Overall: A world class Double IPA.  While there was a tad bit of sweetness from the malt, it was bold yet balanced.  This might be a one time deal, or made every election year. I have one more bottle, that I might save for when our old pal G.W. leaves the office.

Click here to listen to the interview with Avery Brewing’s Adam Avery.