8-Bit Pale Ale by Tallgrass Brewing

Some beers are love at first sight, and this is one of those beers. The first time I grabbed it off the shelf it was just because of cool 8-bit video game graphics on the side. However, upon discovering it was a pale ale, the beer was promptly added to my shopping cart.

Full disclosure: this isn't my first time trying 8-Bit Pale Ale, but it's good and deserves a review. Plus, the act of "reviewing" really changes the way I try beer.

When I first take a sip of 8-Bit it seems as though it's going to be a smooth, mild ale, but within milliseconds a million bitter, almost burned coffee-like Pac-Men find your tongue and, after you down the beer, your tongue is left with a strong, very pleasant aftertaste. Somewhere amidst the bitter you'll notice very slight nutty flavors, but that's hardly the most important element of this beer.

As you may have already surmised from the bitterness and pleasant aftertaste, this beer is all about the hops. It's one of the most genuinely awesome expressions of hops I've ever tried. It's really excellent!

VERDICT: Two-thumbs up for this hop-tastic beer!
SUMMARY: Like Tetris, I will enjoy this beer for a long time.
PAIRING: As ridiculous as this sounds, the idea of drinking this beer with a peanut-butter and strawberry jelly sandwich makes me smile. I think the bitter hops would contrast nicely with the jelly and the nutty hints would be brought out by the peanut butter. Further investigations are necessary.