Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale
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(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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After the wallop I took from Wednesday’s dark Dogfish Head, I decided to retreat to the calmer qualities of a pale ale.
Southern Tier’s Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale is an American Pale Ale with a label elaborately decorated with red, white, blue, and plenty of six-pointed stars. I originally grabbed the bottle thinking it would make a good back-deck beer for the Fourth of July — but I couldn’t wait that long to try it out.
The beer created an explosive head. No matter how carefully I poured, the foam erupted with each drop. I found myself pouring halting, a few splashes at a time. The result was a soft, white, bubble-bath foam that lifted itself up and out of the beer glass.
Beneath the bouffant, the pale ale was a soft, lightly hazy yellow. It emitted single bubbles at random intervals like a particle physics experiment captured in beer.
Its malty base made for a solid aroma, but crisp hops stole the show. Hops sat regally atop the aroma in much the same manner as foam towered above the ale.
This is a light, easy to drink beer. Phin & Matt’s is quiet, even, well-hopped but not overly so, with a sourdough bread taste. The mouthfeel cushiony and wet, and papery, lightly bitter hops persist through the aftertaste.
The Southern Tier website explains:
When we sat down to collaborate on this beer, we knew we had to create something extraordinary. After sampling a wide array of great beers, we hit upon an idea: use vast amounts of whole hops, the finest malted barley North America has to offer, and crystal filtered artesian water. Thus creating this classic American style pale ale.
At the very least, Southern Tier has created an enjoyable backyard beer in Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale, a good summer pale to share with friends — and at 5.6% ABV, you can share several in a row. Indeed, it’s too bad I didn’t have the patience to wait for the Fourth of July!
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