18 Aug 11 Below Lame Duck by Sam

11 Below Lame Duck

11 Below Brewing

Northwest Houston

American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5%

IBUs: 45

Packaging: Draft, 6 pack 12 ounce cans

I was wrong.  Those words taste like vinegar but sometimes ring true.  When Nick wrote his take on 11 Below Lame Duck after cans came out, I was dismissive.  Nick, never one to hold his tongue was so passionate I gave the beer another try.  After a few sips I began dreading my next interaction with Nick.

The artwork for Lame Duck is, you guessed it a duck in the water! The duck is surrounded by predators, but instead of feeling for the duck I just want to drink beer in the water somewhere.

Lame Duck pours a medium amber color with the perfect amount of head.  In the recent haze craze, anything amber that you can see through is sometimes dismissed.  The color isn’t too clear, which sometimes indicates a thin watery beer.  Your nose can’t miss the citrus fire that exudes after pouring. The rest of the beer is in the aroma but the citrus dominates without a doubt.

This is a traditional American Pale Ale by definition.  The body is light but holds up extremely well. The hop flavor is evident but not overdone, and the ABV is light.  The 5.5 ABV makes 11 Below Lame Duck a very crushable beer.  What separates this offering from other Pale Ales is the malt bill.  The basic two row malt and hop profiles work in perfect harmony.  The malt is slightly sweet but plays just the right notes while the hops finish the flavor profile.

If you like Saint Arnold’s Pub Crawl, then you will most definitely enjoy Lame Duck.  EZ-7 by Brash good but too hoppy for you?  Grab a six pack and you will be pleased.

I am giving 11 Below Lame Duck a solid four star rating.  Everything from the pour, smell, and taste are excellent.  Texas summer is full force right now and this Pale Ale will help you battle those record highs.

11 Below has recently added Lame Duck to their distribution, so local stores have it in stacks.  In fact, a fresh batch just hit shelves!  Taphunter showed kegs available around several different parts of the Houston area.  Not only is this pale ale easy to find now, it is perfect for pool days in Texas.