JW Dundee's American Pale Ale

Style: American Pale Ale
Brewer: High Falls Brewery
Location: Rochester, New York, USA
Web: www.highfalls.com
Alcohol: 5.3%

I usually rate ales, especially pale ales, as my favorite beers around. So when I found that JW Dundee, the brewer of Honey Brown, a fairly decent beer itself, had released their own version of the drinking standard, I was more than eager to give it a try. Unfortunately, this version of the drink fails in a pretty key area the sharp, bitter hoppiness often associated with the beer.

Now, some brewers tone down the harsh biting nature of ales in order to appeal to a broader, less mature audience. For instance, Samuel Adams Boston Ale offers only a hint of sharpness, but does so without sacrificing taste or aroma. JW Dundee's, however, tries to compensate for those losses by making a sweeter drink, a sensation rarely associated with ales. As a whole, it succeeds at only being marginally better than most mass-produced beers.

Rating: 4.3