Flying Dog Week - Part 2

Today's beer: Flying Dog's Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale. 5.5% abv and 30 IBUs, says the bottle. Wait, thirty? That seems a bit low for a Pale Ale, but we'll see. I know that you can't always take the IBU rate as gospel, but it IS a metric that tends to be correct more often than not.

The head . . . well, there is no head. Zero. Nada. None after pouring and only the faintest island of white hanging around the top of the liquid during drinking. Are you a person that enjoys a hat on your beer and lacing down the glass? This might not be the best call for you.

Sweet malt and citrus in the nose, neither of which is painting the other into a corner. It's not a overpowering smell, even after letting things warm up - although the citrus note does start raising its hand first as the beer heads to room temperature. Front end of the taste is a bit on the blank end before a beat of sweet, near-peach flavor that gives immediate-way to hoppy back-end. Crisp, definitely crisp. Kind of surprised by the sharpness of the bitter finish - those 30 IBUs are some false advertising.

It's a decent little Pale Ale - this would be a suitable beer to have stocked in a cooler for a cookout with friends. Just make sure said friends enjoy an unexpected bite.