Day 25: Shelter Pale Ale

Name: Shelter Pale Ale

Brewer: Dogfish Head - Milton, DE

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5%


Review: Well, my butt seems to be healing, and I have another dr appt tomorrow. I watched Off Road to Athens today and got pretty motivated to hop on the bike again and race. That will come in due time. Meanwhile, I dined exquisitely at Caffe Gelato for restaurant week. There I chose the Shelter Pale Ale to go with my Butternut Squash bisque appetizer and seared scallops atop some sort of rabe I believe (hard to believe I'm in grad school, right?). It's no secret that I'm an avid Dogfish Head fan, but I still think there's better stuff out there than the Shelter Pale Ale. As with most Dogfish Head beers, they try to cleverly bastardize their brews with a variety of hops and other random ingredients. The Shelter Pale Ale is pretty straightforward with an obvious array of hops, but it doesn't come across as overly hoppy or bitter. They keep this beer fairly tame to keep it's Pale Ale status. It's a medium-bodied beer that pours cleanly with an appropriate amount of carbonation, and finishes dry. It paired well with my meal, but while drinking it alone I was only mildly impressed. I've been blessed by drinking other good ales, so I can't honestly claim this Dogfish Head to be top dog. That title still goes to the Firestone Walker Double Barrel ale. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not condemning this beer, not even close. It's still quite tasty, and you should certainly give it a try. But if given a choice, go for the Double Barrel.

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommend? YES