This novelty beer by the Great Lakes Brewing Company in Ohio is aptly named. Dark, stocky, and full of guile, this darker-than-most pale ale is a barky blend of 666kg of malt and 6.6kg of hops.
The aroma is delightfully dark, full, and hints of licorice and, perhaps, a certain indefinable earthiness. Unfortunately, the taste was not entirely satisfactory.
Devil's Pale starts off nicely rounded and enjoyable, with depth and strength that matches the aroma. The hops kicked in unexpectedly mid-finish and grappled my palate to the mat, leaving a decidedly bitter and unpleasant aftertaste. It's not a subtle bitterness, either, it's a Kick-Your-Butt-And-Send-You-Running-Home-Crying-For-Your-Mommy kind of bitterness, practically exploding out of nowhere with blaring notes of cigarette butts and burnt rubber and, perhaps, a teaspoon of brimstone thrown in for good measure.
I could see enjoying this once a year on Halloween, but since bitterness isn't my thing this isn't a beer that I would enjoy drinking more frequently than that.
The Bottom Line: Expect the flavor equivalent of a crotchkick from the Devil's brew.
The Rating: As it stands, this one is a tie between Eh and Yuck.
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