Southern Star Brewing Company- Pine Belt Pale Ale: Everything is bigger in Texas

The first thing you notice when you grab a can of Southern Star’s Pine Belt Pale Ale is that the can is sixteen ounces. A true pint is getting harder and harder to come by so you gotta love that. Southern Star describes this beer as follows, “A deep copper colored ale with a substantial malt backbone accented with British crystal malts with aggressive hop bitterness and substantial American hop flavor and aroma. The yeast profile is neutral.” Let’s hope that this Texas attitude turns into a great beer.

Normally I like to write a lengthy review but this beer is so damn good I just want to drink it. Pine Belt Pale Ale pours a burnt copper hue, with a snow white foam. You will notice a very hazy beer that rocks the slogan, “clarity is overrated” right on the can. The scent is very sweet, you can definitely detect notes of caramelized malt and a splash of citrus.  

I really cannot put this beer into words. Pine Belt Pale Ale is hands down my new favorite pale ale. It has a sweet full body, a caramel kick of malt, and perfect slight hop finish. I don’t know what to say besides, BRAVO! Southern Star has a keeper here. If you like ambers or pale ale, YOU MUST TRY THIS BEER! I could gush about it all day, but I just want to drink it too badly to keep writing. You owe it to yourself to take this little trip to beer heaven. Damn, I am in love…

ABV: 6.3%

Consumed: Pint Glass

Verdict: Buy A Keg!

Southern Star Brewing Company- Pine Belt Pale: My Second Favorite Thing From Texas

One of the fastest growing trends in the Craft Beer industry is cans.  There has been a shift from the glass bottle to the aluminum can, and why not?  Cans are used for a variety of reasons, they protect your precious beer from light, they protect from air seeping in, easier to recycle and they are lighter so that shipping costs are reduced and hopefully that savings gets passed along to you & I.  The lining of aluminum cans have been improved to the point that there is little to no difference between the taste of brew packaged in glass vs. aluminum…unless you are a real glass bottle snob and you only think there’s a difference.  So far in my journey of putting this website together I have only had and reviewed 3 beers in a can, Ska Brewing Company’s Modus Hoperandi & Euphoria and Cucapa’s Chupacabras Pale Ale.  This evening I will be adding my 4^th, it is Southern Star Brewing Company’s Pine Belt Pale out of the Lone Star state of Texas.

Southern Star Brewing Company classifies this Craft Beer as an American Pale Ale and their website describes Pine Belt Pale as, "A deep copper colored ale with a substantial malt backbone accented with British crystal malts with aggressive hop bitterness and substantial American hop flavor and aroma. The yeast profile is neutral."

Pine Belt Pale pours a cloudy, speckled caramel color with a 1 ½” off white head and has a strong hop and citrus aroma that is more reminiscent of an IPA but I’m not complaining.  Pine belt is 6.3% ABV.

Maybe it’s just me but I really don’t think of Texas when I think of Craft Beer, usually that’s reserved for Cali, Colorado, Michigan and the like.  But now I stand completely corrected as I have to say that Southern Star’s Pine Belt Pale is pretty damn good.  This isn’t your typical APA but did I expect anything typical from Texas, no.  Pine Belt Pale is a super tasty, hoppy & flavorful brew.  PBP has a sweet start that quickly transitions to a sharp hop bite and then back to a sweet, almost fruity finish that has a very pale malt aftertaste.  The more I drink it the more I really like it.  If you are unaware, it is said that everything is bigger in Texas; that definitely applies to the 16oz can that PBP was delivered in as opposed to your little 12oz cans that are typically used.  My favorite thing to ever come out of the state of Texas is the legendary metal band Pantera, my 2nd is Pine Belt Pale.

ABV: 6.3%

Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass

Verdict: Buy A Twelve Pack