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Pinstripe

Ska Brewing Company
United States·Red Ale
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Ska's red-toned amber ale, all crystal malt warmth and moderate American hop kick. Toasted caramel, a light biscuit note, and enough Cascade-forward hop presence in the finish to keep it from ever settling into sweet. Pinstripe is a working-day beer for a bike-shop-adjacent Colorado brewery. Precisely what it looks like on the can — clean, striped, well cut.

ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber14
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltytoastycaramel
malty
toasty
caramel
bready
hoppy
nutty
Aroma
The nose leads with toasted caramel and biscuit sweetness from the crystal malt base, layered with gentle floral and herbal notes from Cascade hops.
also:floral
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Pinstripe

◎ Appearance

Pinstripe presents a clear, amber-red body with bright clarity and a fine, persistent head. The color sits at a warm copper-bronze tone, true to its red ale character. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, with clean lacing left on the glass.

amber-redclearfine head lacingmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with toasted caramel and biscuit sweetness from the crystal malt base, layered with gentle floral and herbal notes from Cascade hops. A subtle nuttiness emerges beneath, adding complexity without dominating. The hop presence is restrained but present, inviting rather than assertive.

toasted caramelbiscuitfloral hopsubtle nuttiness

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and approachable, with sweet caramel and toasted malt flavors building body through the mid-palate. Cascade hops introduce a light dryness and herbal-citrus character that prevents cloying sweetness. Moderate bitterness (28 IBU) sits in balance, finishing clean without harsh edges.

malty sweetnesstoasted warmthdry hop finishbalanced

◑ Finish

The finish is short to medium, drying with a lingering floral hop note and subtle caramel aftertaste. Refreshing and clean, it leaves no residual sweetness.

dryrefreshingclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
79
Appearance
77
Finish
76
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Pinstripe

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About Red Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Red Ale?

Red Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Red Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, toasty, caramel character as Pinstripe will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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