Forked River // Riptide Rye // Pale Ale
Every now and again you find yourself looking for a sessionable beer with moderate complexity. Nothing groundbreaking, but not a beer that will set your palate asleep either. Turns out the folks at Forked River Brewing in London, ON have you covered. Their Capital Blonde Ale is a delicious, grain oriented endeavor with subtle hopping and superb drink-ability. This pale, enhanced with rye malt, is the darker, hoppier counterpart of their two year-round brews, and offers the same ease of consumption with assertive rye notes and generous character.
Appearance: Crystal clear, no visible notion of rye here. Copper with a thin cap of white head that leaves subtle lacing. Normally I don't take packaging into consideration (or at least I try not to), but their branding is very clean and attractive.
Aroma: The nose is ripe with rye spiciness, bready, munich-y melanoidens, mild caramel and slightly citric hops. Earthy, bread crust and a hint of pine.
Taste: Mild, malty sweetness with a bitter back end. Well balanced, clean.
Palate: Moderate body with cask-to-light carbonation. I've read a few folks complain about the carbonation level, this might have been an off batch, but nonetheless, I find it suitable to the brew. Slightly sticky.
Overall: Sessionable, and nothing to complain about. Well rounded and tasty, but certainly not going to change anyone's world view.