Style: Pale Ale
ABV: 5%
Joe’s Take
When I heard that Casita was opening a brewery and taproom in nearby Wilson, NC I knew it had to be one of the first places we visited for the blog. Having had several of their contract brewed beers, I was glad to see that they would start producing beer at their own physical location. So not long after they opened, we made the short journey down 264 from Greenville to Wilson through periods of heavy rain. We couldn’t have had better timing because as soon as we walked through the door, the clouds gave way and it started pouring. It probably wasn’t the best night for their food truck vendor, but I’m sure he’ll be back. Turning our attention back to beer, we walked through the winding row of chairs guiding us to the bar. There was a wide variety of options on their tap list to choose from. We ordered, drank, and made our notes. After tasting a few of their selections (and seeing what Nick had tried) I decided to order Under a Shared Sun, a collaboration between Casita, Hill Farmstead, and Tired Hands breweries.
This unassuming pale ale came in a clear plastic cup (thank you COVID) and seemed similar to many pale ales I have had before. The beer was a nice deep yellow-gold color with a soft off-white head. Scents of citrus and hops were present on the nose and although weak, the aromas got me ready for the first sip. The beer was smooth, flavorful, and had more of a delicate mouthfeel than I was expecting. There were slight pangs of carbonation that were masked by soft foam. I tasted notes of sweetness, balanced hops, and a bitter smoothness. My favorite characteristic of this beer was the balance. It had a great grassy hop character that matched the subtle sweetness perfectly. The after notes came to me briefly as my time between sips was minimal, but what they brought were sweet alcohol and soft vegetal tones.
The balance, hop character, and smooth mouthfeel make this beer an easy selection when navigating long draft lists. The drinkability of this beer will keep me reaching back for more and has me excited to see what Casita puts out next.
Appearance: Hazy, yellow-gold, off-white head with plenty of lace (4/5)
Aroma: Citrus, hoppy, bitter notes (3/5)
Mouthfeel: Smooth, velvet-soft foam (4/5)
Taste: Grassy – but in a way that grassy hits a dad in some fresh white New Balances, slight sweetness, hop yum. Retronasal: slight alcohol, sweet, soft vegetal tones (4.5/5)
Drinkability: Crushable, no problem drinking as a session beer (4.5/5)
Rating: 20/25
Nick’s Take
Having tasted a couple of Casita Brewing Co. beers earlier this year, I was eager to make my way to their brick and mortar tap room in Wilson, NC when I heard they had recently opened. The building itself has a great location, across from the farmer’s market and the iconic Whirligig Park. As we approached the counter, I was a bit overwhelmed and impressed with the size of the menu board. For my first beer, I decided on “Under a Shared Sun”, a pale ale that Casita had just put on tap earlier that evening. This pour had a hazy, golden color that got me excited, and it had a thin, crisp-looking head of foam. Before tasting it, I imagined the beer would have a bright, somewhat bubbly mouthfeel – I was surprised to find that it was actually quite soft and delicate. Don’t get me wrong – the carbonation was there, but it appeared as a more fluffy mouthfeel. There was not a very prominent smell, though this could be attributed to the plastic cup used for serving, which is not ideal for releasing aromas (at no fault to Casita, who is using plastic cups as a safety measure). However, I was pleased with the level of hops I was able to detect through the nose. The flavor profile might be what you expect from a pale ale but amplified. Very balanced flavor, with floral hops that contributed to more bitterness than I’m accustomed to with this beer style. I enjoyed the sweet notes that cut the bitterness of the hops, and that sweetness was the most prominent finish for me. With all of its characteristics, I could see this being an “all-around” pale ale: light and sweet enough to crush a few at the beach or at the tailgate, hoppy and floral enough to sip and enjoy on a cool, quiet evening, and plenty of balance to appeal to beer drinkers of all preferences. I was very pleased with my first selection at Casita Brewing, and it was a great introduction to the quality that they served me the rest of the evening.
Appearance: Hazy; crisp head (5/5)
Aroma: Light, hoppy (3.5/5)
Mouthfeel: Soft, full (4/5)
Taste: Balanced flavor, light hops, more bitter than most pale ales, but pleasant; Retronasal: Sweet, floral notes, smooth finish (4/5)
Drinkability: Very easy and enjoyable; works great by itself but would pair nicely with pizza or a burger (4/5)
Rating: 20.5/25
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