Faith Pale Ale

Style: Hazy Pale ale
Brewery: Northern Monk
Origin: England
Size: 33cl
Alcohol: 5%
Price: 22kr
Systembolaget: 11695

This is brewed as a hazy pale/New England-style pale ale using a malt bill that includes malted barley, wheat, and oats to build a soft body. The brewery reduces early boil bitterness and increases dry hopping to emphasise hop aroma and flavour, using hop varieties like Citra (as the original single hop), plus additions like Mosaic and Columbus. They use a yeast strain that brings stone fruit esters, helping with the haze and juicy profile. It was first brewed in late 2015 as their first single-hop recipe using Citra hops. Today it stands as one of Northern Monks core range, with the brewery also releasing many variants over the years. As it is such a classic Northern Monk beer, it seemed like the perfect fit for the tasting.

This had a hazy yellow hue with a fluffy head that stayed around for a fair amount of time. Carbonation was medium, with these small bubbles detected on the tongue when tasting. Pine, moss, and clementine oil were all noted in the aroma and made for a fresh yet simple fragrance. When sipped, a soft body gave way to light orange and lemon tones, backed with hints of grapefruit. The taste wasn’t immensely powerful, but it was smooth and easy to drink, as you would expect this style to be.

This beer was fresh, light, and enjoyable. It might not be the most powerful or exciting of beers, but it does its job as a good modern day pale ale well. Another easy to drink winner from Northern Monk.