Last day at Roche Lake and the mid-October wind was making the fishing a bit difficult. After a few hours on the water and only one fish between Russ, Jim and myself, some freshly smoked trout, and a frosty beverage was calling us back to the cabin.

With the sun shining and some NFL football on the satellite radio (courtesy of Alphabet), the R&B Dude Chilling Pale Ale seemed like a good choice to compliment the smoked trout.

The Brew

The Details: American Pale Ale, 5.2% ABV, 40IBU, Dry Hopped

The Pour: Giving the bottle a few minutes to acclimate, it overflowed a bit upon uncapping. Maybe it wasn’t as settled as I thought but that’s no big deal. Pouring a nice healthy head it settled to a thin froth over an unfiltered light amber brew.

The Smell: A really nice hoppy fragrance (citrus, and fruit) provided a clue as to the flavour profile. The hop combo here is Centennial, Citra, and Galaxy which are quite aromatic and all impart a citrus flavour.

The Swig: It had a nice crisp, mellow, soft fruity flavor that went down easy. Definitely not hop forward.

Having just smoked up some fresh trout from the lake this looked like it would be a perfect pairing. It certainly did not disappoint – a perfect combo!

My only negative, if you want to call it that, was the lack of a forward signature flavor. Not to sound like a beer snob, but there was a real nice flavor on the back of the tongue but not much up front. No big deal though, and don’t let this stop you from picking it up.

The Guest Taster: Jim “The Silver Haired Fox” is a pale ale kind of guy, so it seemed appropriate to get a guest opinion. In Jim’s words “It has a nice bouquet, a smooth flavor, with no aftertaste. Definitely reach for a bottle of that.”

Thanks Jimbo!

WIBTA?: Absolutely. A really nice table beer that would pair with just about anything.

The Closing Notes

Don’t go in expecting a pale ale with a huge personality or bite because that is simply not in its make up. The bottom line with this beverage was that it was easy drinking yet with a nice hoppy presence. I’ve had a few products from R&B and have yet to be disappointed – they’re Stolen Bike Lager is another very nice table beer.

Available in stores as a 4pk of tall cans, or 650ml bomber, or of course as a growler fill at the East Van brewery. I get mine at the Liquor Barn on Montvue in downtown Abbotsford. Check out the BC Liquor store website and search Dude.

Well that’s it for now, gonna go quench that panda sized thirst… Cheers!

*WIBTA is where I ask myself “Would I Buy This Again?”