First Posted: 6/24/2014
Beer: Daisy Cutter
Brewer: Half Acre Beer Company
Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
ABV: 5.20%
Description: Daisy Cutter pours a beautiful hazy golden orange with a frothy white head that dissipates quickly but leaves behind a thick lacing on the glass. The aroma is hop forward, primarily with notes of grassy and citrus hops backed by some sweet honey-like notes from the malt. The taste follows the nose, but the hops do not overwhelm as the aroma may elude one to think. The hops attack up front, but are softer on the palate and lean more towards floral hops first before the sweet caramel malts rush over and then give way to a lovely dry finish with a flash of the citrus hops. The medium body and carbonation are perfect to bring a light and refreshing APA that still can deliver a lot of hops without crossing over the line into the IPA category. This is a perfect beer for those who love hops but do not like to have their palate destroyed by them and is also a perfect beer for the summer. Hunt this one down!
Food pairing: As with IPAs, the APA style goes extremely well with a wide variety of spicy foods that are perfect for the warm summer evenings. Try pairing Daisy Cutter with your next Indian dish. Whether you want to have some of the spicier curries or the lighter and sweet chicken tikka masala, this is a great beer to pair with both, and the hops will make their presence a bit more known when combined with the spicier dish. Also, this is a great beer to have with Mexican dishes. Whether it is the simple taco or burrito or a slightly more involved dish like enchiladas or fajitas, this is a great beer to have on hand! Also, this beer has enough body and is versatile enough to handle those backyard summer barbeques. Whether it’s burgers, steaks, ribs, or brisket, slather on your favorite barbeque sauce (I personally recommend ordering some from the Salt Lick BBQ in Austin, Texas) and enjoy this lovely beer, as it will pick up the caramelized meat with the malts and highlight that lovely kick of spices within the hops. Daisy Cutter is yet another perfect summer beer to always have in the cooler!
The final word: The APA style is similar in vein to the American IPA, but with one huge difference: the hops do not overwhelm the beer and instead play more of a background note. That being said, it is far more difficult for brewers to perfect an APA, as it has less to hide behind than an IPA. However, Half Acre has hit this style dead-on with Daisy Cutter. The hops are certainly present and are there enough to make an appearance, but then they quickly get out of the way in time to leave you feeling refreshed. Also, the brewery releases their beers in the wonderful 16 oz. cans, making it perfect to bring along on camping trips and hikes this summer. Half Acre’s beers are available in the area, but they are still in the growing stages. It may be one that you need to place a special order for, though you will absolutely not be disappointed by this beer!
Rating: W W W W W
Where can I get it? Currently available in 16oz. cans at: J & H Beer, Plains Twp., and Cooper’s Seafood House, Scranton, with more locations on the way. Call your favorite craft beer stop and request this beer – you won’t regret it!
Remember, enjoy responsibly! Cheers!
-Derek Warren is a beer fanatic, avid homebrewer, and beer historian. Derek can be heard weekly on the Beer Geeks Radio Hour on 102.3 FM Saturdays at 10 a.m.
