And the Valley Drinks: NOLA's Rebirth Pale Ale

Thus far through this drinking series, we've been heavy on the heavy beers. Stouts, porters, brown ales, etc...That's largely because that's my preference when it comes to beers. But man does not live on roasted malts alone, and as the weather turns we're promising to work in some lighter beers, and it seems as good as time as any to start with one of NOLA's newest seasonals, Rebirth Pale Ale.

Named for the famous NOLA brass group, Rebirth debuted last month, and a portion of the sales will go to the Roots of Music foundation, an organization dedicated to music education in the Crescent City.

Rebirth Pale Ale is a sessionable, American-style pale ale that uses five different malt varieties and desirable hops including Cascade, Simcoe and Citra. The pale ale is wonderfully balanced and its flavorful hop taste and aroma allows for more than one indulgence at a time, coming in at only 5% ABV.

This one's available on draft, and should be out in six-pack cans by next summer.

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Review

The hops description nails it, as this brew has a nice, rich tan color and a very fresh, floral bouquet. It's hoppy without quite clearing your sinuses out. The flavor is complex. You get a bit of malty sweetness paired with kind of the body of a wheat beer, that slowly transitions into the hoppiness of an American pale ale. But it's incredibly well-balanced. You never get too much of either flavor. Makes it a great session beer, because its fresh enough to differentiate itself without being overpowering, while still being light enough to not sit heavy on the stomach. And that refreshing, floral bouquet comes back right on the aftertaste, cleansing the palate a bit. I give it a solid 3.5 out of five stars.