Cranky Reviews

Eddie is the only Eagle soaring in this review

On my armchair tour of Europe again, this time to the bonny old England, brilliant. There are lots of urban myths and legends about IPA’s but it is generally agreed that they originated from the UK. So I was looking forward to this IPA , “Crafted in the Heart of England” and brewed with “natural mineral water” (from their own well) and “subtlety” no less. I was ready to soar with the eagle. That got me thinking about another UK eagle, Eddie the Eagle, the ski jumping Olympian Brit of fame. Probably the most famous last place finisher at any Olympic sport.*

Big letters on the can tell me that this Carlsberg quaff is brewed at Eagle Brewery, implying it is indeed a British craft beer from the Danish brewing giant.** Craft beer or big brewery brew? Time to take a flier with the eagle. Soar and score.

Amber and clear, no head. This doesn’t pour like any IPA I have had the pleasure of pouring. A slight malt with no noticeable hops, this doesn’t smell like any IPA I have had the pleasure of sniffing. A taste of mild malt, no hops, very mild apple or pear, no citrus. No zip, no zing, not much of anything. This doesn’t  taste like any IPA I have had the pleasure of quaffing.  A less than mediocre pale ale, the India woefully and soar-ly missing. I find it ironic that IPAs were invented to travel well but I don’t think this one did.  I actually checked the best before date to see if I had a belated brew, but nope. It is what it is.

If it pours like a duck, and smells like a duck and tastes like a duck it’s more likely to walk like a duck than soar like an eagle.