Friday Brew Review – Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

I just jammed two bowls of Raisin Bran Crunch down my throat and into my gut. And not because I’m hungry. The sad fact is that despite my best efforts, I’m still a bit of a lightweight. If I try to drink on an empty stomach, I’m destined to say something I’ll later regret.

So I’ve just scarfed down seven hundred calories of breakfast food and am now working on a suds-soda. Perhaps this isn’t the best diet to follow on a regular basis, but I think my nutritionist will loan me one mulligan. After all, it’s important to remember the old proverb — America was built on breakfast and beer.

Anyways, I’m sipping on Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale from the peeps at Flying Dog Ales. Truthfully, I was initially attracted to the beer because of label adorned with Ralph Steadman art. But these motherfuckers can craft a good brew, so I was willing to shell out ten bucks for a six pack.

Referred to as the “Alpha of the pack,” Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale is the trademark beverage of the brewery. The Flying Dog website describes the liquid as a great all-around beer, capable of being paired with chicken, barbeque, or other “hearty dishes.” While this doesn’t really stand out to me at all, a much more intriguing description is found on the bottle’s label:

Dogs have it figured out. They sleep all day, lick themselves and eat everything but veggies. Be like the more enlightened species in your house by sipping this classic Pale Ale with its perfect balance of smooth malt and crisp hops. It’s so good, you’ll want to alp it up like your hound laps up toilet water.

I poured the concoction into a standard beer glass for examination. The liquid settles as cloudy amber, with a formidable bit of head as well. Holding it to the light, the amber took on some orange tones, if that even makes sense. From a visual stand point, my eyes were drinking this brew right up.

Sipping on Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, the first two words that pop into my mind are clean and dry. The beverage does go down smoothly, with a bit of an aftertaste, but it leaves the palette just as quickly as it was introduced. Essentially, this curbs the hoppy nature of the beer, making the taster wanting more. Which is a real treat, I think, see a lot of times I find many pale ales (especially IPAs) to be overpowering, simply far too invested in a sensation of yeast.

Drinking this beer really makes me wish that I had a full meal in front of me. You know, maybe a rack of ribs and some corn on the cob. I think that taking swigs of Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale Pale in between bites of barbeque would be damn delectable. But the unfortunate reality, as I mentioned before, is that I’m using it to wash down cereal. Ah well, at least I’m starting to catch a buzz.

I guess the truest statement I can offer right now is that I really enjoy Doggie Style. And doggy style. And Doggystyle. Top notch stuff, all around.

I realize now that I didn’t comment on how the beer smelled. So let me assure you — it smells like beer. Not like a litter box or frozen yogurt or Indian food — like beer.

On that note, stop reading and start some drinking of your own. It’s Friday, don’t you want to forget the week?

Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale — B