After reading Lew Bryson's latest on Fat Tire, I felt a need to grab
some sort of flagship session ale that the beer snobs would certainly
turn their nose up at. Don't get me wrong, I am all over extreme beer
like white on rice but I will always love the basic 5% craft beer that
is balanced and drinkable. Any real beer snob should know to keep
their palate up to snuff by tasting all sorts of styles from extreme
to session. Unfortunately the vocal minority can a bunch of killjoys.
They won't get to me tonight as my palate ventures NW for a bottle of
Rooster Tail Ale from Cascade Lakes Brewing Company in Redmond, OR.
Its their flagship beer, I hope to **** off a few beer snobs with this
review. Eventually if this beer becomes too popular the beer snobs can
bash this one as well. ;-)

Two fingers of sudsy bubbly white head with good retention. Bright
golden color has a perfect clarity. Smells of ripe pears and toasted
sugar waffles with a citrus hop nose. Big on smoothness as crispness
takes a back seat in the moderate body. Citric, piney, herbal trio of
hop flavor and bitterness make themselves know right form the start.
Nothing over the top but there is a presence. Malt flavor is fluffy
with doughy biscuit overtones, a bit grassy with a hint of caramel.
All the flavors seem to come together in the middle with a pleasing
balance. Finishes off with a light malty sweetness, some grain and
lingering herbal citric hop.

This beer has been around since 1994 and I am sure back then it was
great stuff, thankfully for my palate it still seems that way. A no
frills craft beer that easily can be considered a session ale @ 5.2%
abv. Long live the simple craft beer!

For more reviews:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1043/4534

For more info:
http://www.cascadelakes.com