First check of crystal

My Crystal Ale APA was bottled on Saturday and this is the first sampling since then. I chilled a bottle down in the freezer for about 20 minutes and then let it sit out for 10 before opening.

It pours a nice golden color with a little of haze. I don't think this is a chill haze as the unchilled bottle has the same. In time, it will be seen if this beer clears with more settling. There is a nice while head, though it is a bit thin.

The nose is full of the citrus of Cascade with a hint of the Challenger. There is also something else in the nose, not quite sure what it is. The blend of other aroma hops perhaps.

The tip of the tongue is hit with the 110 IBUs squarely, though it is not unpleasant. Mid-mouth there is mostly hops with a hint of the Crystal malt sweetness. The feel is a bit thin. The finish is unbalanced with hops and not much else. Again there is the presence of something not known.

Overall, this is an ok APA. Will see how it ages. It does show that I am in need of something other than a plastic bucket for primary. I also need to learn a bit more about hop schedules and balancing the dry hops. The mouth feel is fine and there is no balance in either the hop mixture nor the malt.