This India Pale Ale uses fresh hops and it balances those hops against malt.

OK: my inner historical authenticity demon needs to be let out. The ale looks more like an amber or brown ale! Too much crystal malt or roasted malt: an IPA should be PALE! The balance is NOT malt v hops! All other beer styles, yes, that is the balance we look for.

An IPA should be pale and the balance is between hop alpha acids and alpha acids turned to flavonoids. Unfortunately, only I and a VERY few others would brew authentic IPAs. I used nearly 400g of Goldings hop plugs when I brewed my IPA—using only pale malt.

OK, demon hammered back into the dark and brimstony place it usually occupies.

I LOVE this beer!

There is a lovely thick mass of fine bubbles in the glass, lots of lace down the side I drank from. I really do think a “bucket of suds” needs the suds more than it needs the bucket.

Historical authenticity aside, the ale looks lovely! I do like beers, IPAs excepted, to have some color as well as suds.

Bring the glass up to the nose. Oh My Fricking God! A banquet, a veritable banquet!

The label burbles of “layered pine and citrus” and for once I would not force them to the Better Business Bureau label writers and their employers would be in poky for false advertising.

The aroma is lovely! Yes piny, yes citrusy! Behind it is a bouquet of dark malt (out of place in an IPA but what can you do?)

Flavor is clean and decently bitter. Laze an’ gennelmen, I have tasted WAY too many so called IPAs that are less bitter than Coopers Pale (and, geez, that ale would be SO improved by a nice big shot of late addition hops! the booooring beer!) An IPA was originally boiled with a HUGE amount of hops. Hops are antibacterial, so lots of hops in an ale shipped via sailing ship from England to India (the ‘I’ in IPA) and the US, Canada, Australia, Unzud etc) helped keep some of the beer stay sound and free from infection. I say: some of the beer free from infection.

So, an IPA of whatever pretension needs to be bitter so as not to be laughed from the field.

Malt and hops both in the mouth and both in the long aftertaste. Yes, I like a beer to leave a taste in the mouth. Others may drink VB (right, Aussie?  ) but a real beer hangs around in your mouth for a while.

So, rating.

Historical authenticity: decently bitter, all malt as shown by the head retention. 4/10

As an ale, lovely nose, nice (if wrong) color, good body and mouthfeel. 7/10

If you're saying the James Squire Indian Pale Ale is a good drop.
I must say you have a very 'acquired' taste indeed.
Of the 'Squires' - its my least favourite.

My favourite is the Speights 'Alpine' (NZ)...
...but hey, the cleaner the water, the better the beer.

I currently drink Mercury Cider. Good price for reasonable taste. I no longer can justify the 'over-priced' cost of beer these days.

VB, the love-child of KB, is the most disgusting beer I've ever 'had' to drink, this side of the crap coming out of Asia.

Jovial Monk wrote on Jul 5^th, 2017 at 7:50pm:


It's the only Indian Pale Ale I know of?
Is there other's?

Jovial Monk wrote on Jul 5^th, 2017 at 8:28pm:

I guess after my Squire's experience.
I must have subconsciously gone blind to anything 'Indian' pale Ale.
I'll take a better look next time.
I've tried the SN 'stout' - not a big fan of Stouts.

Jovial Monk wrote on Jul 5^th, 2017 at 8:36pm:


I'll try the SN Porter & SNPA.
Cheers!

So do you recommend me to try the Porter 'warm'?
I must say - I've never enjoyed 'warm' beer, but then again, they were just 'common' types like Tootheys, fosters, etc

Jovial Monk wrote on Jul 5^th, 2017 at 9:21pm:


Not really.
I drink my collection from the cupboard in winter.
It's not 'warm', but it is cool at least.