Long Trail Ale

First Brewed: 1989
Brewery Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vermont, United States
ABV: 4.6%

History & Availability: Long Trail Ale is Long Trail Brewing's most popular beer, and currently the best-selling craft beer in Vermont, and by far is most popular there. They distribute throughout New England and I've seen their beers in the NY/PA area on occasion, but any further south or west of that and you probably won't find it without a special order.

Appearance: Long Trail Ale is a medium maple-colored beer with a decent amount of carbonation and a thin head that dissipates to just a single layer fairly quickly. Pretty clear for its color. I'm a little disappointed at the lack of head retention but having a thick head isn't at all standard for the style so I can't really take points off.

Smell: Very floral and sweet. Tulips and daffodils abound. It's a welcome diversion after the several MALTS ONLY beers I've had recently.

Taste: Just like the smell, the taste of the ale is a refreshing floral sweetness. The bite of the hops is present but subdued, allowing the main flavor to come through. This actually reminds me a lot of Magic Hat #9. It's a little different in specific taste but very similar in style and direction.

Mouthfeel: Very interesting, it's extraordinarily smooth as you sip, but as you hold it in your mouth the carbonation goes "V-TEC JUST KICKED IN YO" and makes itself known in stellar fashion. The beer is medium-bodied, about average for the style, and lends itself well to taking long, leisurely sips.

Drinkability: Fantastic. There's no overwhelming infusion here to get sick of, but at the same time Long Trail isn't too busy wankin' it over the Reinheitsgebot to make a non-standard taste. Now I'd imagine it would get old after 5 or 6, but unless you're really going for the session chances are it's not going to be an issue.

Overall verdict: B+, another great beer to have on hand as a transition for your friends from macros, and pretty good as a go-to beer for yourself.