Hey there, Baxter Brewing Company of Lewiston, Maine. You guys are 2 for 2 in my book! I just loved the first beer I tried from Baxter, Stowaway IPA, was a big hit here at the Bruguru household, and I’m equally impressed with the can of Pamola XTRA Pale Ale I’m drinking tonight. Hops seem to be the order of the day at Baxter, and I’m just fine with that. I do love hops after all.
Baxter wasn’t around when I left New England in the 90s; at least, I never came across their beers if they were. They’re an extremely environmentally-friendly operation, and they only can their beer. Baxter beers are sold in the six New England states and New York currently, and I got a can from the great beer traveler Chuck Triplett.
Pamola XTRA Pale Ale is named for the thunder god Pamola. What? You say you’ve never heard of Pamola? I’ll let Baxter tell you about him.
The creature in our logo is Pamola, the Abenaki and Penobscot legend of a spirit which is said to be the god of Thunder, the cause of cold weather and protector of Mt Katahdin, the tallest peak in the state of Maine. The Native Americans described him as having the head of a moose, the body of a man, and the wings and talons of an eagle. Pamola was both feared and respected by the tribes who believed in him.
My can of Pamola XTRA Pale Ale tells me it has an alcohol content of 4.9% by volume and 27.5 IBUs. The brewery wensite tells me that the beer is….
….. brewed with pure, soft Maine water from Lake Auburn; three different hop varieties, plus domestic and imported “Character” malts provide complexity, color, and body while making use of a clean, well attenuating, top-fermenting American ale yeast. The beer is then cold conditioned for a smooth, clean and crisp flavor.
The cold conditioning caught my attention as that is normally the realm of lagers, not ales.
Baxter Brewing Pamola XTRA Pale Ale pours to a hazy yellow orange color with a large head of rocky foam and a citric orange juice nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace clings to the sides of my glass and follows the liquid all the way to the bottom. Taking a sip, the beer has a solid caramel malt backbone laced with citrusy orange notes and bitter lemon with a long dry lingering herbal bitterness. Nothing earth shattering here folks, but the beer is well-balanced with malt, clean and citrusy hops.
A great everyday drinking APA, I think, with good balance between malt and hop making for an easy drinking treat. Definitely a beer I would buy again. Why risk the wrath of Pamola for passing it by?
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft