“Old school”. Bench must mean a traditional brew, done with the care and attention to quality that was the hallmark of a by gone era. Craftmanship, the art not the science, a steady learned hand on the tiller as opposed to a greedy young hand in the till. Pride in the product, old fashion of a fashion. Back in the day, and a better way. This must be what the name of this beer refers to.
I like the concept of old school, slide rule, playing it cool. An honourable era when we could spell words with a “u” and not be sent on a guilt trip by the spell check with a red line under our correct Canadian spelling. Old school sounds good to me.
Although it may sound good, that’s not what they mean at all. The name refers to the fact that their Beamsville brewery is housed in an old school. Bench tells us “The name is a nod to our brewery which was built in a refurbished school house”. That’s a bit of a let down isn’t it. A beer that is a tribute to the brewery that brewed it. Doesn’t sound very magnanimous does it.
We all know it’s not what’s on the can that we review,* it’s what’s in the can that counts. And scores. And what’s in the can pours bright and clear into my tankard, head absent without an excuse. A light hint of apple with the bread malt aroma. The first taste is once again a slight apple fruit to mild malt and a fizzy finish with a bit of an aftertaste. It starts with a nice light flavour but begins to settle into an average slightly bland light. An OK light verging on ultra-light, a big brewer light, which is all right, I guess.
0 Comments