Moylan's: Tipperary Pale Ale

My first post to the blog last summer was a beer from Marin Brewing Co so it's only fitting that my first post this summer is an ale from Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant. Brewmaster Brendan Moylan is also the co-owner of Marin Brewing and these two breweries, separated by a few miles traveling along CA Highway 101 produce some fine craft brews.

Did I mention it's summer? Oh yeah I did. I'm back in the bay and over my mini self-imposed prohibition: where I respected the 18th Amendment, ignored the 21st, and studied the other 25. Thus, I need to catch up. I've since started my 'training' for Bay to Breakers. The annual race in San Francisco where 'racers' lug and drink beer 7.5 miles across the city. But it's about time where I sit down and write about one of these fine beers I've been prepping with.

Now on to the beer. Before I get to the taste it is worth noting that this beer is alive. Along the back label, is a red stripe that states: 'Live Ale! Keep Refrigerated' Well, after a night of fridging when I opened the sucker it exploded as if the liquid was trying to escape. Sugars and live yeasts must really carbonate the bottle. Anyway, after the foam dies the beer pours nice and smooth with a pumpkin orange color. The taste is a smooth buttery flavor at first with a hoppy piney after taste. A little malts swirling around to top it off. Marin Brewing Company's beers are really piney and this Moylan's aftertaste matches. Overall a pretty solid pale. Very drinkable.

Other items of note:

-All the labels have an Irish-Celtic like label artwork and this name itself pays tribute to a county in Ireland (Tripperary).

-Brendan went to UC Davis brewery school. Props.

-Every bottle cap has a picture of the Golden State and states 'California Brewed'; which I think is cool.

-Cheers