Chicagoist's Beer of the Week: Finch's "Cut Throat Pale Ale"

By Karl Klockars in Food on Apr 22, 2011 7:30PM

The pool of Chicago-based breweries just got a little deeper. Finch's Beer Company dove into the market in a big way this week, with their Cut Throat Pale Ale hitting draft lists everywhere from Map Room to the Maple Tree Inn. I shuffled down to Brownstone for a pint of the new not-terribly-pale ale, a bar which despite its catering to the upwardly mobile big-man-on-campus clientele and vibe, has a pretty respectable selection of craft beers.

As for the brew: Finch describes the beer as featuring "citrus hop character balanced with a malty backbone [to] create a delicious, accessible pale ale." Accessible it is, featuring neither Sierra Nevada Pale's or Half Acre Daisy Cutter's relatively aggressive hoppiness. Pouring surprisingly dark and dense with a tan-white head, it's sparkling and lightly hoppy with a lingering bitterness that sticks around after the initial rush of citrus leaves the palate. Its malty, syrupy texture builds as you drink while floral tastes and notes of club soda round out the beer. It's less an actual "cutthroat" as it is a friendly headlock, potentially followed with noogies.

We dig the brewery's choice to enter the retail market in cans only (they're aiming to hit shelves around August/September), and look forward to finding their IPA "collaboration" with Threadless. Welcome, Finch - your "Cut Throat" is Chicagoist's Beer of the Week.