I always seem to get real excited over any product this Petaluma, California brewery makes — especially the smaller batch selections that luckily make it to the east coast. Sirius Ale is one of those that just happened to show up on the shelf of a local shop last week. As a cream ale it’s a bit on the hoppy side, but one a hot summer weekend that hop bitterness was quite refreshing.
Appearance
Sirius pours gold in color with red hues. It’s slightly cloudy with a quickly fading head.
Aroma
There’s a nice hop dominance in the aroma that gives this more of an IPA character. Some spice and fruit is also present.
Taste
Plain and simple, this one is smooth and hoppy. It doesn’t quite have the huge hop bitterness level of a larger IPA, but it’s still pretty damn hoppy. There’s a bit of banana and nuttiness to it.
Overall
I actually liked this one, though I think personally I would categorize it as an IPA, but then again I just drink the beer — I leave its creation up to the masters. As far as beers go, this one is pretty tasty. It would be perfect after a hot morning mowing the backyard.
Rating: 3.5/5
