Pale Ale-ing in Houston

Back at the Sauce to meet up with an old college buddy. He is not a beer drinker but the waitress eventually got him to drink a Pear Cider (sad). In the meantime, I am a beer drinker and decided to finally get something off cask for the first time.

Beer Log: 11/21/2008
State: Chillin, not very hungry

Avery IPA on Cask
If I was ever diligent enough to add it up, Avery probably has what I figure are the most 4-5 star beers in their portfolio. I don't brag on them too much b/c I'm a homer and would love for a Texas brewer to pick up that mantle. Although we just aren't a "Big Beer" state.
Straw color with a very thick and strong lacy head. It smells like a lovely bouquet of flowers and rather sweet. The taste is an excellent strong caramel malt with a strong hop presence right after it. There is a hint of both alcohol and some cascade (or other hop) bite in the aftertaste. 1-2-3-4 stars man. It's incredibly smooth and very drinkable. Methinks this is a double IPA, a style which I love.

I must have been feeling the alcohol b/c instead of going to more IPAs, I went down to Pale Ales.

Oskar Blues Dale Pale Ale
You got to love that Gordons that they make. Solid 4 stars. The Dales was also in a can poured into a glass. Orange and cloudy with a white lacy head. It tastes bready and hoppy, kinda like an amber. Actually, kinda like an the Budweiser American Ale. It leaves a gritty feeling in my mouth. The hop smell is coming in more as it warms and it seems a little musty. It is smooth with medium carbonation. No ranking this time. The IPA just ran roughshod over this one. I'll switch it up next time.

The handwriting in my beer notebook is getting really crappy now as I read it a week later. But we weren't going anywhere for a while, so what the hell.

Bear Republic XP
I'm feeling tipsy now. All I managed to write was flowery smell coming off a low head. It's also orange and cloudy. And like the last one, musty and bready. It's pretty hoppy but with no bite. I wrote 3 stars but I'm not counting that one either.

After we drank up we just strolled through downtown telling war stories about FAMU and our current experiences in trying to become Oil Men. A couple cigars and a lot of water and we're sobered up enough to not get tasered by Houston PD. Great experience overall.