Belt’s Beer Garden: Life’s a Beach

A few weeks ago I took a trip up to Bend, Oregon and one of the many breweries I visited was GoodLife Brewing - a staple of the city since 2011. They were actually the first brewery in the city to begin canning their beers and now have carved out a nice footprint, distributing their brews across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and even sending some out to Hawaii and Vermont.

After enjoying the draft beers I had at the bar, I just had to get myself a mixed six-pack on the way out. One of those beers I wanted to share with you all today because it’s perfect for the dog days of summer that we’re heading into.

I have their newest release of Beach Life - Beach Life P.O.G. Pale Ale. This version of Beach Life, a Pale Ale, features a blend of Amarillo, Cascade, and Idaho 7 hops and a nice helping of P.O.G. juice (pineapple, orange, guava). It has a very reasonable 6.2% ABV and 32 IBU and was canned on May 26th.

The beer poured a darker straw, slightly orangish, color with just about a finger of bright white head topping it off. The foam quickly fizzled down into a thin ring around the edge of the glass, leaving nothing across the top or any lacing down the sides.

On the nose, it was magnificent. Massive amounts of those POG flavors led the way and left little else to the aroma. It was pithy orange, tart pineapple, and juicy guava through and through (with a hint of flaked wheat behind it)....and I couldn’t wait to try it.

My first sip began with some nice carbonation rushing across my tongue, awakening my taste buds for the rush of flavors to come.

It was sweet up front, with some big orange and guava characteristics hitting first. The pineapple took a moment or two before appearing but, when it did, it brought forth some nice tart and acidic flavors that spiked for just a moment before fading away.

The hops peeked their nose out for just a moment, adding some light bitterness for a brief moment before dropping off and letting those juices go to work.

Around the midway point the guava really took over. A massive wave of juicy guava burst through and didn’t let up the rest of the way, finishing off the sip with some amazing tropical notes and just a hint of resinous sticky that faded away almost instantly.

I couldn’t believe how cleanly it finished. There was very little bitterness. There was no lingering aftertaste. That sticky resin disappeared in a moment. It all just vanished…and had me craving more.

My only regret is not buying a whole six-pack of this beer. The one 12-ounce can was not enough…oh well, I guess I have a reason to go back to Bend now.