Judge's Review: 81 Rating - Leisure Lagoon Hazy Pale Ale by Coronado Brewing Co.

Leisure Lagoon Hazy Pale Ale by Coronado Brewing Co. was judged as a Pale Ale (#18B according to the 2015 BJCP Guidelines). Hazy is a terminology to describe a beer that has not been filtered. The appearance is often described as, "hazy" due to yeast and proteins in suspension in the beer. In fact, it is rich in Vitamin B4. Why not filter a beer? Most brewers recognize the fact that due to filtration that a loss in flavor can be attributed to this, however, some beer consumers can be turned off by the appearance of the beer. Most people like to have a nice clarity to their beer.

The aroma of this beer was very subtle and had a flavor that I can't really describe, other than funky. The appearance of this beer was very hazy and cloudy again due to the lack of filtration. The hue was a straw in color and had a very nice carbonation and good head retention. The flavor of this beer again can be described as funky not something that I am used to in a Pale Ale. For a Pale Ale I am looking for moderate hop bitterness and flavor and this one was lacking that. Also, I'm looking for a moderate malt backbone to balance the hoppiness of the beer. This beer lacked both of these attributes. It lacked the malt and the hops and was not very flavorful and very light overall because of this. The mouthfeel and body of this beer was light. The carbonation was also very light, but it did have a nice soft finish in the palate. This beer was just a bit too light for the style. It is more attuned to the Bitter category than a Pale Ale.