Full Moon
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Alley Kat
Country: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk
For starters I’ll openly admit that I have a soft spot for this locally brewed pale ale, and it’s one that I reach for on a regular basis when I need a good hop fix. I suppose I must also confess that I owe it to Full Moon for being my “gateway” beer to enjoying the puckering, resiny, grapefruit rind character of Pacific Northwest grown hops, and my stepping stone for enjoying hops in general. Just like most people uninitiated into the realm of hoppy beers my first sip of this stuff was like a sucker punch, and it took a few attempts to adjust and eventually come to appreciate what this pale ale had to offer. It didn’t happen overnight, but was well worth the effort.
Definitely serve this one chilled, but not ice cold as that low of a temperature will already start to mute out the inviting floral and citrus aspects of the hops in the aroma. A pint glass or a mug will do just fine. This pale ale is a dark amber in appearance, a slightly hazed rustic copper, with a frothy off-white head that slowly settles to a ring around the top of the glass. Now take a good long inhale above the glass, and be prepared to be greeted by an impressive balance of sweet lightly toasted caramel from the malt, and a blend of mild pine, wet grass and white grapefruit from the hops. A discerning nose can also pick up some orange and lemon as well. This is all thanks to the combination of Cascade and Centennial hops used. Depending on how developed your palate is, all you may initially pick up in the flavour is the prominent presence of grassy, leafy green hops that finish with a lemony citrus zip. In time a sweet yet toasted caramel malt backbone steps up to join the party to produce a very well balanced Pale Ale. Yet intense enough to be mistaken for an India Pale Ale at times. Smooth, light creamy mouthfeel with a crisp dry finish.
This is a definite must for those of you who have a taste for big Pacific Northwest hops but don’t want to be completely overwhelmed by them. Also a versatile selection when it comes to pairing with food, Full Moon works as a dance partner just fine with meat and potatoes dishes or pizza, but also shines with spicy foods like Mexican, Thai and Indian cuisine. Also a great session beer on its own.
The next steps in the cooler:
From This Brewery:
Amber Brown Ale
Aprikat Wheat Ale
Charlie Flint’s Original Lager
Olde Deuteronomy Barleywine
In-Style Recommendations:
Anchor Liberty Ale
St-Ambroise Pale Ale
Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale - Flying Dog
Lateral Steps:
Thunderhead IPA
Arctic Red - Yukon Brewing
Censored (AKA The Kronic) - Lagunitas
For The Adventurous:
Indica India Pale Ale - Lost Coast
I2PA - Rogue
He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.