"Ko" Low

Dogleg Brewing Company — Vista, CA

11 Sep 2026 · Stephen

New Zealand Pale Ale Dogleg Brewing Company

5.9% ABV

Golden yellow Color

Contributing Factors

Presentation ✓

Character ✓

Experience ✓

Return ✓

4 / 4 I'd order another

Tasting Notes

Appearance Clear golden with fine carbonation and a white head. Pours see-through — a visual distinction in an era of hazy everything. Looks like a West Coast pale ale presenting itself cleanly and confidently.

Aroma NZ hop character upfront — acute and expressive, more forward than a standard American pale ale without the soft tropical pillowing of a NEIPA. White wine, lime, and passionfruit-adjacent notes on a clean pale ale base. Present and assertive without dominating.

Palate Tons of flavor for a clear beer — the essential field observation and the NZ pale ale format's defining achievement. Hop character carrying through the middle with more presence than the light body suggests. Not as overtly tropical as the style can lean — more hop-assertive and balanced than fruit-forward.

Finish Clean, dry, and hop-forward. The acute NZ hop character landing firmly and refreshingly on the close. Medium-short length, completely clean, well balanced to the last sip.

Watch the Review

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stephen Toumi (@stephen_toumi)

The Verdict

Dogleg Brewing's NZ Pale Ale — a clear, hop-assertive pale ale that delivers more flavor than its appearance suggests, on draft at a golf simulator taproom overlooking the former Carlsbad Raceway. Go low. This one earns it.

— Stephen · Contributing Factor Brewing · 11 Sep 2026