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Civil Life Brewing Company – (Pre-Release) Craft Beer

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Brewery: Civil Life Brewing Company
Location St. Louis, MO
Style English Pale Ale
 ABV 4.2%
 IBUs 42
Release Information Available at the brewery starting 10/2

 

A rare feat of beauty and balance. We think this refreshing session beer has something for everyone. Grainy, malty, biscuity, caramelly, bittersweet, with some tantalizing New-World-meets-Old-World hoppy traits thrown in. Hints of freshly-cut grass, black pepper, black currant, orange marmalade. Well-rounded mineral-water mouthfeel with subtle tea-like tannins. Tasty and tame enough to drink a few. Finally, something your father-in-law and you can agree on.

 

Justin:

Aroma - Very grainy pie crust and biscuit malts come floating off of the top of the beer once poured. The following aromas are a mixture of black currant and sulfur that don't dominate but are very present. The hops are floral and spicy and come in at the end.
Appearance - The beer is a slightly hazy gold with a very tight, white head that sticks to the glass. The bubbles are dense and small and float on top of the beer for as long as you drink it. 
Flavor - Again, this beer is grainy and has big biscuit character. In the flavor, there are also some nice bread crust notes from the malts that I didn't get in the aroma. That black currant presence from the nose is still around but much smaller than in the aroma. The balance, while very nice, is leaning toward the bitterness by a 60/40 margin with the hops showing themselves as citrus, spice and again those floral characteristics. There is some subtle tannins present that dry your mouth but that's after the sip, not during it.
Mouthfeel - The body and carbonation are both medium and make the beer easy to drink as it both coats your tongue and cleans your palate with each sip. Those same tannins mentioned in the flavor impact the mouthfeel but not negatively.
Overall Impression - If it's malty and traditional, Civil Life does it phenomenally. This beer is a shining example of a style that's seldom seen but when done right is something you want to have on hand at all times. It's easy to drink yet has enough flavor to keep you interested in having more without tiring out your palate. We need more cans from Civil Life because only two options up to this point just isn't enough.

 

Pre-Release (no rating)
  • Aroma
  • Appearance
  • Flavor
  • Mouthfeel
  • Overall

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Justin Phelps

Justin Phelps

Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

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