September 27, 2006
This ale came in a 1 pint 2.7 fluid oz brown bottle that had the Samuel Smith logo molded into the glass. On a blue and white label it had the name of the beer with a little back-story into the ale. It also is very proud of its English origin as it has product of England on it as well as an English flag.
The copper color is very enticing. There is a slight cloudiness to it that gives it thick appearance. When I poured it, there was almost no head, and it dissipated to a thin frosting on the top that lasted until the beer was finished. Some lacing formed on the side of the glass, but nothing impressive.
Like most India Ales its aroma is earthy. There is a mixture of yeast and sweet malts to it. The taste is a dry combination of spicy hops and malts. There is a bitter finish that isn't bad. The after taste is bitter and lingers. After a while it becomes almost distracting.
Another medium bodied beer that has a creamy texture in the mouth. It's a dry finish that I don't find all that appealing. It also leaves a fine coating in the mouth, which is probably why the aftertaste is distracting.
I don't like IPAs, and this one I didn't care for that much. It's not a bad beer, but not something I think I would find myself buying again just to have one. It rates a 4 out of 10.
Posted by: Contagion at
07:00 PM
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September 19, 2006
It comes in a sliver can with an orange T on it along with the name of the beer. In a black bar on the bottom it says, "Premium (HA!) malt beverage with caffeine, ginseng, and guarana (Which I'm sure is anglicized for guano) extracts, Natural flavors and certified color." Certified color? What the hell is that? I can certify that it's farking nasty!
First off the beer is orange. Not orange like in color, but actually orange. It's like they mixed orange crush with any light beer. The head is pinkish in color and dissipates rapidly. There is no noticeable head after a couple of minutes.
The aroma is that of oranges and chalk. Yes, I said chalk. It's like sniffing oranges that are sitting on the railing of an old school chalkboard. The flavor reminds me of baby aspirin. Again that orange and chalk combination. There is a slight bitterness on the tongue that fades into an aftertaste that is almost medicinal. I'm not sure if it was the flavor or other health problems I'm having but it sparked off my gag reflex.
Drinking this beer was just like drinking an energy drink, except it was 6.6% alcohol by volume. (Excuse me, I burped and I thought I was going to evacuate all that I'd eaten in the last week. It made my nose burn.) Oh for the love of all that is good and right in the world don't drink this. Seriously, this stuff is a practical joke waiting to happen.
I'm going to give this "beer" a 1.5 out of ten. Now excuse me while I go gargle with some sterno to get this taste out of my mouth.
Yes, I drank the whole pint.
Posted by: Contagion at
07:02 PM
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September 13, 2006
There's something about the bottle that gave me the impression that this is a beer that has been sitting on the shelf since the 1930s. It's a brown bottle, with a gold foil seal around the cap. On a gold label there is a picture of a monk looking into a tankard. On the back it has directions on how to store and pour it. Interestingly you are to rinse a glass, fill it three quarters full, swirl, and pour the yeast. Since it comes in a 1 pint .9 fl oz bottle, you really do need to use the proper 26 ounce Weiss Glass.
While pouring a thick foamy head forms that doesn't seem to dissipate. It is very dense. There is minimal lacing on the glass. The coloring is that of straw with an orange tint. It is very cloudy. You can't make out the other side of the glass through it.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle is that it had the scent of hot dogs. I'm not kidding, I called Ktreva into the room to smell it to make sure it wasn't just me. She confirmed that she thought the beer had a hot dog like aroma to it. After getting a couple of good whiffs I realized that it was a mixture of yeast and cloves that give it that hot dog like scent. The flavor has a subtle yeastiness to it, with a hint of clove. There is a hint of banana undertones to it. The after taste is mildly bitter with a hint of citrus.
The beer itself has a medium body. There is a moderate carbonation that gives it a little bight on the tongue. Towards the end of the beer there is a slightly grainy texture.
At first I thought I was going to hate this beer, but the more I drank it, the more it grew on me. I actually found myself rather pleased with it. It's easy to drink and as it warms it doesn't lose any flavor. I'm going to give it 6 out of 10.
Posted by: Contagion at
08:00 PM
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September 06, 2006
It comes in a 1 pint yellow can with the name of the beer on it in black letters. There is a picture of a barrel that has two bees overlapped on it. On the back of the can there is a little history of the beer as well as a description of it. They also go into the superiority of the draughtflow system they use in the can. They also have directions on how to serve the beer. Guys, do you ever read the directions on how to serve a beer? Neither did I. Guess what, it's the same as any other beer that comes in a can with any Nitro-can. True beer drinkers don't need directions on how to pour a beer.
The beer pours a straw yellow/pale gold color. Light has no problem passing through. Upon first pouring it, the beer is mainly head, but it settles quickly. The head is a nice creamy white that settles like Guinness. There was minimal lacing on the side of the glass, but the last of head sticks around for a while.
Upon opening the can you can smell hops. There is also a slight grassy scent to it. It's not unappealing, just kind of surprising. The taste is of your Standard English Ale, malts and hops. There is a slight sweet taste to it. It's just enough to enhance the beer and not overpower it. There is a very slight aftertaste at the beginning, but as the beer warms it becomes more bitter and there is more of an aftertaste to it.
It has a light body to it. The texture is very smooth and creamy. It's probably one of the easiest beers to drink I've ever had. The pint glass disappeared in less then 10 minutes with a desire for a second. I can see walking into a pub and ordering a couple of pints of this while speaking with friends. Five hours later you've downed a good 10 pints and are still drinking the same beer. This is a good anytime beer.
It's not amazing, but it is slightly above average. I'm going to rate this a 6.
Posted by: Contagion at
06:22 PM
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