Excelsior XLCR American Pale Ale

Excelsior XLCR American Pale Ale, Excelsior Brewing Company, Excelsior, Minnesota. 5.8% ALC/VOL. IBU 50.

Dusky amber coloring, lightly hazed, with a slim, off-white layer of foam.

Aroma: grapefruit and pine, with a trace of caramel.

Taste: Nice hop bite up front, just a bit, then fading back, and letting the malt come through. Some tasty malt holding down the fort, toasty, caramel-y stuff. Maltier than I'd expect from a contemporary APA, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's a good drinker for sure, with citrus-y hops bouncing playfully on the palate, mixing with slightly sweet malt.

This is a really tasty one. Cheers to good beers, despite all the inevitable boat puns. Okay, I'm in for it, let's read the label: "An amber-colored ale, combining a pleasant floral hop aroma with a satisfying malt sweetness. Excelsior Amusement Park operated on the shores Lake Minnetonka from 1925 until 1973. With a rollercoaster, funhouse and carousel, the park offered a nice respite for Twin City residents who often arrived pale and slightly bitter but always left refreshed." Okay, some puns, but not that terrible. Guess they ran out of nautical themed nonsense.