I've had several of Left Hand Brewery's beers at this point, and I have to say that they are all pretty good (especially the milk stout). I have seen Stranger several times in stores in the past, but it was not until recently that I was able to find an individual bottle. It's actually been a while since I've had a pale ale, so this was a nice change of pace from some of the lagers that I've been drinking lately.
Left Hand's Stranger pale ale is pretty good. It has a strong, dry taste and a bitterness that is almost more like an IPA than a more traditional pale ale, although without the note of citrus in the finish. I generally tend to like beers with a heavy bitterness in the taste, so this is great for me, but the bitterness would definitely be strong enough to put off those who prefer more malty ales. Stranger also has a harsh but flavorful finish, and the aroma lingers fairly strongly in the aftertaste. Again, this is great for those who like strong pale ales, but is probably not a good fit for those who don't.
Overall, I think that Stranger is a very solid pale ale. I would definitely recommend it, but not without first warning the recommendee of its strength. It's certainly not a beer that I would drink regularly, but I can definitely see myself craving this one again in the future. Also, the art on the label is some of the best that I have ever seen. The sides of the label are significantly cut off in the picture about, so if you ever pass by one of these in a store, definitely take the time to stop and give it a look.
Verdict: Recommended
Purchased: Whole Foods Market [Greenville, SC]
Size: 12 fl. oz. [355mL]
Price: $1.99
Stranger feels like a very intimidating name for a beverage. And the shadowy figure on the bottle? You almost expect it to come with a rag and a bottle of chloroform.
ReplyDelete~Shane
Haha, yeah, the bottle art is a little bit intimidating. But it is a good beer, overall.
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