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Mirror Pond

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Named after a stretch of the Deschutes River in downtown Bend, Mirror Pond is a tawny pale ale hopped only with Cascade. The hops bring grapefruit and orange-peel citrus with a light floral edge, set against caramel and bready malt from crystal, Munich and carapils. The body is smooth and fairly light, and the finish turns crisp with a moderate, clean bitterness.

ABV
5.0%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter40 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceA Few

AWARDS

World's Best Premium Pale Ale · 2010
World Beer Awards
World's Best Bitter up to 5% · 2014
World Beer Awards
Silver · 2017
World Beer Awards
Silver · 2024
U.S. Open Beer Championship
English Pale Ale
Gold · 2025
U.S. Open Beer Championship
English Pale Ale
★World's Best Premium Pale Ale — World Beer Awards
★World's Best Bitter up to 5% — World Beer Awards
★Silver — World Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
citrusyorangecaramel
citrusy
orange
caramel
bready
malty
clean
Aroma
The nose leads with ripe citrus notes—grapefruit and orange peel—lifted by herbal and light floral nuances from the Cascade hops.
also:floral
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Mirror Pond

◎ Appearance

Mirror Pond presents a tawny, amber-gold color that sits bright and clear in the glass. The head forms with moderate density and persists as a thin collar with steady lacing down the sides. Carbonation appears gentle and well-integrated, creating a soft effervescence.

tawny goldclearfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with ripe citrus notes—grapefruit and orange peel—lifted by herbal and light floral nuances from the Cascade hops. Beneath the hop profile lie caramel and bread-forward malt notes from the crystal, Munich, and carapils base, creating a balanced aromatic foundation. The overall impression is inviting and approachable without aggressive hop character.

citrus, grapefruitherbal, floralcaramel, bready

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a smooth, medium body that carries the citrus and floral hop character alongside the supporting sweetness of caramel malt. The bitterness emerges cleanly in the mid-palate with moderate intensity, neither overwhelming nor fading into the background. The bready, grain-forward foundation provides stability and prevents the beer from tilting too far toward either sweetness or harshness.

smooth bodycitrus-forwardmoderate bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish turns crisp and clean, with the moderate bitterness asserting itself without harshness as the malt sweetness recedes. The aftertaste is dry and fairly brief, leaving the palate refreshed and ready for the next sip.

crispdry aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
80
Appearance
77
Finish
76
Serve at 7–10°C

Cold enough to sharpen the hop aroma without numbing the palate. Around 7–9°C keeps the citrus and pine vivid without losing bitterness definition.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink fresh — hop aroma fades fast. Best within 3 months of canning or bottling.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Mirror Pond

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About Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Ale?

India Pale Ales are hop-forward ales with ABV typically 5.5–7.5% and IBU 40–70+. Bold citrus, pine or tropical aromas alongside firm bitterness and a clean dry finish.

Finding a similar Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same citrusy, smooth, orange character as Mirror Pond will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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