Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Pale Ale
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 4.8%
Serving Type: 12 oz. Bottle

Look: 9
Straw color, clear, with a foamy white head and nice lacing

Smell: 8.5
Sweet malt, citrus

Taste: 8.5
Sweet malt balanced out by the mild spicy citrus hops, with a pleasant bready/biscuit malt finish. Yum!

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Light body with medium carbonation

Drinkability: 9.5
Slightly sweet, yet uber-refreshing

Overall Score: 8.8

Value: 10
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.42

Overall Impression:
This has been a long time summer favorite of mine.  Even though countless new beers with intense flavors line the shelves, I always seem to go back to this one.  This time of year I clearly prefer a nice balanced American Pale to the West Coast versions, which tend to be aggressively hopped, some times overly so.  Put me down for at least 2-3 cases of XPA throughout the summer.

Food Pairing:
Few people eat wings as often as I do, particularly Infernally Hot wings that would make mere mortals scream in agony, and this beer goes perfect with them!  XPA is sweet enough to tame the intense heat while blending with the mild sweetness of the sauce and the caramelized skin from baking the wings as opposed to deep frying them.  The hops and the medium carbonation combined do a nice job lifting the fat and oils from the palate, allowing me to enjoy every wing to the fullest.  I also do a ton grilling and Real BBQ during the summer, so it is no surprise that I love this beer so much.