Cranky Reviews

I remember a friend of mine from the UK quoting Winston Churchill who said “Soccer is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans, and rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen“. I was never quite sure exactly what that quote meant but it seemed fitting to open this review with since the 8 Man is one such gentlemen, that being a position on a rugby team. But not just any position. According to the MacKinnon brothers it is “arguably the toughest position in rugby”.  Which foreshadows a strong take no prisoners, scrappy in the scrum brew I suspect. Sounds like it’s worth a try. Let’s grab the ol’ quanco and ankle tap this brew and see if McKinnon can score another meat pie on the trot. Time for a beer up, hope I don’t have to shoot the boot.*

I wonder what the 8^th Man and the Hooker are called in women’s rugby? Just saying. Better start drinking before I get in trouble here. **

A clear amber pour, with a nice white tan leather-head. What a great pour! Toffee caramel malt aroma, a full flavour brew in waiting. First quaff is aggressive malt, a full malt maul!* Bitters in the try zone* and a bitter aftertaste. The body is smoothing out but the backend bitters remain. Settling into a nice full flavoured caramel malt body with a mid to full bitter finish.  This brew, much like rugby, is not for whiners, snowflakes or Bud light drinkers, or recent former Bud Light drinkers as the case may be.