Phin and Matt’s Extraordinary Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Co.
Lakewood, NY

Available: AK, CT, ID, IL, IN, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, VA, WA, WI, VT

Southern Tier Brewing Co. has been in operation since 2004, and currently produces over 12,000 barrels annually.

ABV: 5.6
ABW: 4.5
Color: 6.9
Bitterness: 34
Original gravity: 1050

With a name like “Extraordinary Ale,” right off the bat, there is a lot to live up to. It pours a pretty, crystal clear, medium-straw color and with a crisp, white head that resembles a lager. The aroma is light, with some lightly toasted malt and a hint of orange zest. The flavors are equally light and follow along with what your nose just told you—with a touch of apple fruitiness mixed in. A relatively large burst of hops comes at you right at the end and lingers for a bit, giving the beer more of an edge. This beer would be good on a hot summer day. Bottom line: Extraordinary Ale is a very drinkable beer. But extraordinary? Not for this reviewer.
- Lisa Morrison

Let’s get the overblown name out of the way first of all. Extraordinary this is not, but it is a very good beer. I like the fresh, leafy hops in the aroma with their tropical fruit and lemon notes, and the way the hops continue to play fruity tunes in the crisp, clean taste. Hopheads may say they don’t play loud enough, but there’s enough of a melody for most of us. The finish just dies a little — more a fade out than a rousing encore — but overall this a bright and breezy beer that, as summer beckons, definitely makes my list of early-evening refreshments.
- Jeff Evans

Lisa Morrison
Morrison, aka the Beer Goddess, writes about beer whenever and wherever she can and also gets to talk about it on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.

Jeff Evans
Author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide and The Book of Beer Knowledge, Jeff Evans is an eight-time editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and one of Britain's best-known beer writers.

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