Adirondack Pub & Brewery - Dirty Blonde Pale Ale

On the pour, expect a fair amount of carbonation as this pale ale builds a big, persistent, fluffy cap of white foam overtop a lightly hazy golden hue. We loved the aroma on this one – it’s chocked full of inviting, juicy hop notes reminiscent of both citrus and tropical fruit, with more than a bit of floral character thrown in for good measure. Look for the hops to be front and center on the palate, too. This isn’t built as an IPA – the bitterness is only moderate – but the hop flavors are big and bold due to robust dry-hopping. The malts are fairly neutral in flavor, offering hints of toast and caramel, but otherwise allowing the hops to take control. The malts do contribute just enough residual sweetness to balance the hops nicely across the palate, but the bitterness does win out in the end as the beer finishes dry with some light, lingering hop acidity. This is one very food friendly beer which should match well with fattier foods like a good ol’ cheeseburger or pizza, as well as lighter fare like teriyaki chicken or crispy shrimp dishes. Cheers!

John Carr, a Vermont native, did what many Americans do when young: he went backpacking through Europe. What a fateful trip it ended up being. Along the way, amidst all the great sights there were to see, he picked up a love for European beers – which, we’ll add, is very hard NOT to do. The brewing renaissance hadn’t yet gotten up to full steam yet in the U.S., so upon his return to the States, John experienced quite the let-down at the lack of quality European-style beer available here across the pond. Not to be deterred, he decided that if he couldn’t find much good beer to drink locally, he’d simply make it himself. His love of quality beer soon became a full-blown passion.

Fast forward ten years. John had become quite a skilled and accomplished home brewer whose beers were always popular and in demand with his friends. He decided to go pro, and opened his brewpub in 1999 in Lake George Village, at the southern end of the vast lake of the same name. It turned out to be a very smart move, as the pub soon became a favorite watering hole for locals and vacationing tourists alike. In 2011, additional brewing equipment was brought in, including a bottling line, allowing the Adirondack Pub & Brewery to quadruple their previously miniscule production while making their beers available in retail establishments across upstate New York. They’re eyeing another expansion in the future, to enable them to meet demand across the whole state and beyond.

The brewery is very much dedicated to the Lake George community, purchasing ingredients from local producers whenever possible and donating their spent grain to local farmers every day. To learn more about the brewery, the pub, and brewery tours, contact them at 518-668-0002 or visit them at www.adkbrewery.com.