104. Trade Route Ginger Pale Ale

Ginger Pale Ale comes from the Trade Route Brewing Company in Seattle, WA.

Trade Route Ginger Pale Ale has a ginger, citrus, and floral nose; it is hazy gold with a creamy white head. Starting with a soft malt front dominated by ginger and candy notes, Ginger Pale Ale drops into a rather neutral and flat middle before finishing with citrus and floral flavors. The mouthfeel is creamy and soft; the carbonation is quite spritzy—it creates a rough transition with the softer, creamier front of the beer. There is no discernable hop flavor, aroma, or bitterness, which we found a bit troubling. The label also calls this a “malt beverage,” which would further imply that there are no hops in the beer, which is a problem for a beer labeled a pale ale—what kind of pale ale has no hops? The malt profile is pretty bland and neutral; there is little to no depth to the malt flavor—it is mainly ginger, citrus, and then gone, and the orange flavor at the end is a bit too distracting. All of this is a fancy way of saying this one is a Top 10 Worst contender.

From the Trade Route website: “An appetizing beer brewed with fragrant ginger and Mandarin orange peel.”

(10/12/2009)