Ground Breaker Inclusion Dry-Hopped Pale Ale
Brewed In Portland, Oregon
Have you noticed any changes over at Ground Breaker lately? They’ve been tweaking and reworking their recipes (including their flagships) so I thought it might be a good time to re-review THEM ALL. Oh, darn.
The last time I reviewed the Ground Breaker Pale Ale, it hadn’t yet adopted the “Inclusion” name yet, and it was still produced in 22 ounce bottles! For nostalgia purposes, I have kept the original review (you can find it directly after the updated one) for your reading pleasure. ;)
The Inclusion Dry-Hopped Pale Ale is a year-round offering now packaged in silky 16 ounce cans, traditionally sold in 4 packs. Since this whole Corona-catastrophe hit, Ground Breaker has gotten even more creative at getting their beer to you. Check out this article to see what they’re doing to keep you sipping their beer from the comfort of your own home.
Ground Breaker’s current Dry-Hopped Pale has a 5.7% ABV and 30 IBU. It’s brewed on a base of sorghum, Eckert rice malt, Grouse buckwheat malt, red split lentils, and chestnuts. I honestly don’t remember if rice and buckwheat were apart of the original “Pale Ale” recipe, but I’m excited to see how they all play with one another.
The Taste Test
Ground Breaker Inclusion Pale Ale
The Inclusion Pale Ale pours with a cloudy sunset orange color and a light head that leaves a thin layer of bubbles in its wake. Check out the pour to see it best. The hop aroma is wonderful, very citrusy and floral.
When you first sip, your mouth fills with flowery fruits and bittering hops. The fizzed texture leads the charge down the palate where a gentle explosion of bitterness takes hold. This beer is dry-hopped with Cascade and Meridian, well-known for their versatility in flavor/aroma/bittering qualities, particularly for their citrus characteristics.
The Inclusion Pale Ale is fruity, bitter, bright, sharp, and juicy. Despite the fruity qualities, the texture and finish is still quite dry. The hops linger on the palate and in the throat. This is certainly a PNW pale ale. The hop bitterness is super vibrant when the beer is sharply chilled, and I love it.
There’s a healthy amount of carbonation which hits the palate with lots of texture and tang. The flavor profile is quite complex, considering the variation of malt in addition to the lentils and chestnuts. Plenty of complexity emerges as the beer warms a bit. It softens as it warms too, and the bitterness backs off a fair amount.
This medium-bodied pale is a nice brew to start, or stick with through the night. At 5.7% ABV, it’s a good middle-of-the-road option. If you have been drinking Ground Breaker beer since the beginning, I’d love to hear what you think of the Inclusion’s transformation of the years. Please comment your thoughts below. Take a walk down memory lane with this 2016 review of the old-school Pale Ale…
Ground Breaker Brewing Pale Ale (2016 Review)
The ingredients of this Ground Breaker Brewing Pale Ale are quite similar to their other brews. Their distinct style utilizes inputs like lentils and chestnuts to brew their delicious set of year-round and seasonal beers.
This particular ale has a beautiful head. It held for a good time too. It’s scent is earthy, much like their others. The beer pours very clear and has a rich golden color.
The Ground Breaker Pale Ale is a very drinkable brew. That is–it’s crisp, mildly flavorful, has a medium body, and a hoppy finish. This is definitely a go-to beer. Especially for those who find their IPA No.5 too heavy for the everyday. (Not me, I love it!)
It is impossible to tell that this is a gluten free beer. Ground Breaker proves that gluten free does not have to be a big deal in the beer world. Gluten-free no longer means beer-free. Thank goodness.
This brew sits at 30 IBU and 5.8% ABV, so it’s a nice daytime choice. Honestly, it tastes like a true Northwest beer. Classic. It has notes of pine, which add to the earthy tones imparted from the lentils and chestnuts. Ground Breaker dry hops this ale with both Meridian and Cascade. Delicious aromas as you sip.
This Pale Ale came in a 22 oz. bottle, but I wonder if they also offer it in cans like they do the IPA. (The answer I learned is no. Ground Breaker currently only cans the IPA and the Olallie, their Blackberry Rose Hip Ale.)
Ground Breaker Brewing is certified gluten free, and claims “No gluten-containing items are allowed through the door.” Which I love. We spend enough time stressing about our food sources and suffering from contamination symptoms…it’s nice to find a company that has our back in this department. I absolutely cannot wait to visit their brew pub and try out their food.
Cheers!
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