Uinta Brewing Company- Wyld Extra Pale Ale

For the Fourth Beer of Christmas, we're trying something a little bit wyld, wyld, wyld!

Uinta Brewing Company
Wyld Extra Pale Ale

Prior to this year, I hadn't paid any attention to Utah breweries. It wasn't intentional, they just weren't on my radar. Maybe they were just crowded out by the abundant supplies of Colorado, California, Oregon, and Texas (the latter not being so much "abundant" as it is "abundant here in Texas.") Somehow, though, I managed to pick up two brews from Utah for this year's Twelve Beers. I haven't gotten to the second one yet -- that will happen on Day 10 -- but just from the first sips of this one, I'm glad Utah has brewers!

A hazy & pale honey-colored brew, Uinta (pronounced "you-in-tah") Wyld creates a nice 1-finger of foam on top which thins to a wisp of a head that stays with the beer all the way to the bottom of the glass. There is little to no lacing on the glass, although the bubbles cling to the side after each drink before slowly sliding back onto the beer.

Mixing equal parts floral shop and grapefruit, the aroma is light but prevalent. Even though it's definitely a hoppy brew, it's not overwhelming like some of the powerhouse IPAs. However, just opening the can and pouring the glass filled the room with a light, pleasant scent.

While grapefruit is in the aroma, the citrus in the taste seems to be more from limes or lemons. The nice citrus zing at the beginning of the drink is followed by a nice bittering from the hops on the back of the tongue. It's light, almost watery, and crisp with a fine carbonation.

For the IPA drinkers, it's a light weight and session-able drink. For the non-IPA drinkers, it might be a half step. However, my wife doesn't like IPAs and didn't even want to try a drink after smelling the brew. As for me, it was good. And since Lisa won't drink it, I get to have the rest of the six-pack!

Stats
Brewer: Uinta Brewing Company
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: http://www.uintabrewing.com
Style: American Pale Ale
Alcohol Content: 4.00% ABV
Interesting Note: Uinta took its name from the Uinta Mountains located in northeastern Utah. This subrange of the Rocky Mountains is notable for being the highest east-west running mountain range in the contiguous United States. The word Uinta is derived from the Ute Indians who used to inhabit the area.