Ding Points: 80.00

Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00

Tasting Notes:

This is the third or fourth time I have this in the last couple of weeks, a few times on draft and now this bottle. More silly text on the neck label (‘A Blighty Good Brew’, after the Winter IPA’s, ‘Brilliant British Ale’), suggests that this may be aimed directly at the American market (not even sure if this is available in the UK), but I’ll simply ignore that. True to style Newcastle-type logo label on the 12 oz bottle. Nice color scheme.

If the truth be known, I actually quite like this beer! Werewolf was nothing to write home about (but OK), the Winter IPA I liked, and to be honest this beer is hardly a world beater either, but it does offer a solid, drinkable and tasty experience.

Attractive light amber pour with a small head. Lace and retention are better than average – pleasing.

Nose offers some light soap notes, a few simple malts and associated sweetness.

Tastes are really quite sweet, and I get the hints of an American Cream Ale crossed with an English Pale Ale. There’s a nice combination of simple biscuit malts, a light bitterness and some moreish dry notes in the back end. There is actually quite a lot of flavor here, and it’s surprisingly complex for a straightforward beer. The finish is short and dry, and it strikes a nice juxtaposition with the earlier sweet notes – a touch of a sweet and sour feel about the beer.

I think it’s pretty tasty , but there’s little doubt that in the beer geek circles this will be poorly received, but of course I’m not one to listen to any of those prejudices. Very much like the Winter IPA, I would be very happy to while away a Saturday or Sunday afternoon with a six pack of this and with a little tweaking we could even get this into session beer territory.

I left  this beer feeling very pleased. An extremely drinkable, simple beer, yet at the same time showing some half decent complexity. Tasty was the adjective that stuck with me along with a pleasing, satisfying sweetness.

Other: English Pale Ale, 4.80%.