When I visited Pretty Decent’s tap room the other week I naturally picked up a can of their XPA as I’d absolutely loved it on draft. Can and draft can give you a different experience with a beer so it’s always nice to try both if you can. As mentioned this is their flagship Extra Pale Ale coming in at a very sessionable 3.8% ABV.

It’s an ideal light, pale straw colour with the slightest haze to the beer. As you can see from the image that carbonation is rising quickly up the glass. Never understood when beers would describe themselves as a piney aroma but this beer might be the first where I think it has that. Fresh on the nose with slight citrus notes mixed in. In the flavour it is as expected with an XPA. Nice and dry with a crispness to it. The beer has a hoppy finish with a quickly dissipating bitterness that makes for a refreshingly drinkable beer.

A quick note on the can art: Dead simple green wrap with paint droplets on it. Reminiscent of a simplified Jackson Pollock for me.

It’s hard for XPAs in general to stand out in the world of super juicy IPAs and punchy sour beers. However, if it ends up being refreshing, crisp and ideal for basking in the sun with a pint of it, it’s just a good a brew as any. I’d say this is what Pretty Decent have done here. I’d argue however that is was even better draft fresh so if you come across it in that format grab yourself a cheeky pint or two.

Score: 8.5/10

Thanks for reading! Cheers!

Additional Information:

• Hops: Cascade and Citra
• Malt: Not Available
• IBU: Not Available
• ABV: 3.8%
• Gluten Free: No
• Vegan: Yes!
• Purchase Price: £3.50
• Purchase Location: Pretty Decent Beer Co. Taproom