Oskar Blues Brewery- Dale’s Pale Ale: Ship To Illinois…PLEASE! Ameri"CAN" Craft Beer Review Month - Day 11
Friday, June 17, 2011 at 2:38PM | by Jason 
This is a brew I was introduced to by the man you see in the above picture, Dale Lewis. It’s no wonder he loves the stuff, it bears his name. Hell, if someone made a Jason IPA, it too would be my favorite. Originally my impression was that this was the only reason he loved this brew but I would soon find out that that’s not the case. I found it appropriate to include Dale AND Dale’s Pale Ale in the picture because without one, I would have never had the other.
I have to say that there are a ton of breweries that I wish I could get beer from here in the northern Illinois. But if I had to choose one and only one that I would LOVE to have access to…it would be Oskar Blues Brewery in a freaking heartbeat. It’s not just the allure of an all canned lineup but the fact that the beer that I have had from OB has been spectacular and one of my all time favorites (despite only ever having one pint) Columbian Supreme, is indescribable and words cannot begin to do this brew justice. I only hope that when I get back to Colorado for GABF this year that they’ll brew it again. But I digress; it’s time to focus on the task at hand, Dale’s Pale Ale.
Oskar Blues Brewery classifies this brew as a Pale Ale and their website describes Dale’s Pale Ale as, “America’s first hand-canned craft beer is a voluminously hopped mutha that delivers a hoppy nose, assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and hops from start to finish. First canned in 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale is a hearty (6.5% and 65 IBUs), critically acclaimed trailblazer that has changed the way craft beer fiends perceive canned beer.”
Dale’s Pale Ale pours a dark orange/caramel color with a 1” cream color head. The aroma is a hoppy citrus up front with earthy tones and some caramel malt sweetness.
Now I have to be up front with you all, I’ve had this brew on multiple occasions. The problem is that I’ve never kept one around long enough to review until now. Dale’s Pale Ale is an in-your-face, aggressive pale ale that blurs the line between pale ale and India pale ale without crossing it. For me, that’s palate pleasing perfection! Dale’s Pale Ale has an amazing balance between the hop bite, hop flavor and malty sweetness that is second to none. It’s no surprise that Dale’s Pale Ale has been awarded and honored by industry and non industry media and events multiple time and has been named World’s Best Canned Beer by Details Magazine. Oskar Blues Brewery was one of the places we stopped while in Colorado for GABF (which the picture above is from). I have been fortunate to have actually sat in the Tasty Weasel Tasting Room and have a Dale’s Pale Ale right from the source and whether it’s from the source or the can, Dale’s Pale Ale is a wonderfully amazing Craft Beer experience. Now, if we CAN only get them to ship it to Illinois…I’d be in heaven!
ABV: 6.5%
Consumed: Dogfish Head Signature Glass
Verdict: Buy A Case
