Try?
About 5 or 6 years ago, I took advantage of a trip to Nashville to visit the Blackstone Brewing Company, a brewpub on West End Avenue. I sampled a number of fine beers, including a yeasty cask ale, a chocolaty porter, and a dry and roasty Irish stout. I also tried Blackstone A.P.A. (American-Style Pale Ale), a beer I was to encounter again.
Fast forward to July of 2012, when I again find myself in Tennessee, this time in Pigeon Forge. Strolling through the aisles of a local supermarket in search of some various and sundry I have long since forgotten, I of course made it a point to check out their beer selection. Local beers were my goal, and in that vein I found a six-pack of Blackstone Brewing A.P.A. Expensive at $9.49 for sure, but I bought one and took it home all the same.
Blackstone A.P.A. pours to a bright orange amber color with a thick rocky head formation and a gentle nose of soft fruit and citrusy hops. A fine layer of Brussels lace clings to the sides of the glass and descends after the liquid, all the way to the bottom. The beer has a delicate malt character with a touch of caramel and a floral, bright and citrusy hop aroma into the finish. An aggressive hop bitterness is left on the tongue. It intensifies the longer it sits there, and leaves the beer very dry.
This is a tasty American Pale Ale, which is really a style half way between pale ale and IPA. I do like the drinkability and hop presence, and while this isn’t the best APA I’ve tasted, it is at least a memorable one.
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
