Cranky Reviews

Another Shillow beer of the month club offering, will we have another mystery brew on our hands today or is this brew in fact an English Ale? A Gloucester based brewery, another Ontario community with a decidedly British name. Gloucester UK * is about 2.5 hours due West of London and well known for it’s famous cathedral.** I think every British city has a famous cathedral, doesn’t it?  Gloucester Ontario is now part of Ottawa. Another tale of two cities, although this one is less than a page long and a far easier read.***

Although the Editor has at times questioned my grasp of the English language, one great thing about this beer is I don’t have to deal with the COMDB translation department. Let’s see if there are other reasons to avail this ale.

A bright brown, yes amber comes to mind, pour. Have I ever mentioned that I love me an amber? A quite bright white head. The malt and caramel sure smell swell. First taste is malt toffee with Big Ben bitters, it’s a British bitters brew. Great mouthfeel, smooth great body and the big but not bad bitters take over the finish and provide the aftertaste. Caramel sweet with lots of Brit’s bits.

As we all know from the COMDB guide to beer tasting, some brews start out more bitter than the runner up at a beauty pageant, but bitters abate, and aftertastes become afterthoughts. Such is the case here, as this finish smoothed out and this ale progressed into a smooth amberesque caramel ale, with a bright slightly crisp finish, very tasty. A lesson in English ale.