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Category Archives: Country: England

Review of Meantime IPA

What’s up guys? It’s time for another craft beer review!!! Today, I’m going to be trying the Meantime IPA made by the Meantime Brewing Company Limited situated in London, England.

This is another brewery that I’ve just started noticing around my area. I’ve read and understand that they are looked upon very favorably, therefore I’m ready to try it.

The website, meantimebrewing.com, gave a nice little description about this beer that I want to share with you.

India Pale Ale is the beer that sustained the British Raj – it did not just survive the passage to India, it matured to perfection on the long voyage. Original IPA was heavily hopped – up to twice as much as domestic beers – and so Meantime use plenty of Kent Fuggles and Goldings to help re-create the flavours of the world’s first great pale beer style.

Let’s pour this thing.

This beer came in a 25.4 oz. bottle with an ABV of 7.4%.

It poured a hazy, caramel orange type of color. It formed a well sized off white head from a fairly easy pour. The texture was soft, frothy and semi-creamy. The retention time was better than average and the lacing didn’t look too bad either.

This brew had a very nice aroma. Sugary caramel malt with a round and slightly toasted hint of bread crusts and croutons. A fruitiness that seemed to be of an apricot and peach combination. It was sweet smelling, yet it also had a pleasant earthy or leafy type of fragrance that in some ways reminded me of a brown ale. Overall, well balanced and fairly complex.

The taste was quite a bit more malty than a typical “American” IPA that’s for sure. Savors of toast, biscuits and slightly spiced rye bread. Again, a fruity apricot/peach mixture along with some gently toasted grains. The sugary caramel malt came into play again as well. The bitterness was a nice and manageable “tickle”. Like the bouquet, the taste was very well balanced in my opinion.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Rather smooth and slick and mostly dry. Just a smidgen of warmth was felt from the alcohol. The carbonation was of medium strength, which helped in retaining a touch of flavor on the palate for a few moments after each sip.

Yeah, I thought this was a nice beer. Easily worth a try. It had a lot of character and it was nicely complex. It could easily generate some discussion at a tasting. The drinkability was decent too. I believe that it would fit perfectly with the Fall season that’s for sure. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s not a hopped up American IPA by any means, so don’t go into it thinking that. The malty backbone adds a solid base for which to enjoy this brew without being completely overwhelmed or palate fatigued by a ton of bitterness and hops. I’d drink this beer in the future with no problem that’s for sure. You guys should give the Meantime IPA a try if you have the chance also and be sure to let me know what you thought of it.

Thanks for reading everyone. I really appreciate it.

Until next time. Cheers.

Score: 3.85 out of 5

Grade: B+

Review of St. Peter’s India Pale Ale

28 Aug

It’s time for another craft beer review guys and for today’s tasting I’m going to be trying the St. Peter’s India Pale Ale brewed by St. Peter’s Brewery Co. Ltd. situated in St. Peter South Elmham, Bungay, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

I always enjoy trying the brews from St. Peter’s, so let’s get to the website, stpetersbrewery.co.uk, and see what kind of info we can drum up about this beer.

This ale is traditionally highly hopped and robust so it could survive the long voyage to the Indian sub-continent.The result is a full bodied Pale Ale with a zesty character. Featured at number 1 position in Independent newspaper ‘Top 50 Beers’ in November 2007.

This brew came in a 16.9 oz. bottle at 5.5% ABV.

It discharged a cloudy, dark orange, almost caramel type of color. The smaller off white head was sort of creamy and smooth. The retention time was ok and the lacing looked pretty decent too.

The aroma was nice and bready. Scents of toasted rye bread, doughy biscuit and fresh pear intermingled with a few earthy tones. Some floral notes and a light caramel malt hid underneath. Overall, I thought the bouquet was balanced and harmonized very well.

The taste seemed more herbal with savors of earth and grasses. The fruity pear was established again, but it was a bit more subdued. Flavors of rye bread and toasted biscuits began to appear as it warmed, which helped with the complexity. The bitterness was very mild, however suitable.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Very smooth and mostly dry with an almost creamy texture. The carbonation was on the medium to low side, yet a solid shot of flavor was left behind on the palate for a few moments after each sip.

Yeah, I thought this to be a nice, little, enjoyable beer. It was sturdy all around and the ease of drinkability couldn’t be denied. Obviously, with the “IPA” label one may expect a very hoppy and bitter beer, but that was not the case with this one. It was quite a bit more malty with just a subtle bite. I don’t think that I would turn it down if it were offered to me that’s for sure. You guys should give the St. Peter’s India Pale Ale a try if you see it. You may really like it. Be sure to leave a comment and tell me of you experience if you do.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone. I really appreciate it.

Until next time. Cheers.

Score: 3.7 out of 5

Grade: B

5 Comments

Posted by Beer Apprentice on August 28, 2013 in Country: England, St. Peter's

Review of Fullers Bengal Lancer

31 Jul

What’s up guys? For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Fullers Bengal Lancer made by Fuller Smith & Turner PLC Brewery located in London, England.

We all know about Fullers, so let’s just get to the website, fullers.co.uk, and see what it has to say about this brew.

Bengal Lancer is an exciting, classic India Pale Ale from Fuller’s. Brewed to 5% ABV (5.3% in bottle), this ale has been inspired by the history and character of this traditional style of beer.

Bengal Lancer has returned to pumps for an extended period between Autumn 2012 and Spring 2013.

The beer is pale in colour, full-bodied with a distinctive hoppiness that marks it out as a true India Pale Ale.

Let’s pour.

This beer came in a 16.9 oz. bottle and it had an ABV of 5.2% (according to the label on the bottle).

It discharged a relatively clear orange color. Just a smidgen of chill haze was to be had. The crown was barley off white, somewhat foamy and soft. The size was good and the retention time was solid. The lacing wasn’t the greatest, yet it wasn’t all that bad either. Mostly average I guess.

The nose releases some orange citrus with a solid backbone of caramel malt. A nice aroma of lightly toasted breads and biscuity scents contributed a roundness that I liked. I even thought that I detected a little bit of honey in there. All in all, not bad.

The flavor brought forth a slightly sweet touch of orange citrus, which had a low to medium bittering profile. Again, some toasted breads and light caramel along with some clean grains and cracker type malts kept things calm and balanced. Overall, the flavor tended to be a bit simple, yet it was good and harmonious. Sometimes simple is a good thing.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Quite smooth and slick with a semi-dry and crisp finish. The carbonation was of medium strength and an “ok” amount of flavor was left behind on the palate after each sip.

Well, this beer was solid for sure. It’s definitely not a “hop bomb” like American IPA’s, but it maintained enough bite and punch to make for a suitable drink for those hop lovers. The drinkability was excellent and I don’t think that it would be any problem to put a few of these down during a session at any point throughout the year. I’d drink it again that’s for sure. I’d also suggest picking it up if you see it on the shelf somewhere. It’s been a while since I last had a beer from Fullers, but with the satisfaction that I received from the Begal Lancer I may have to revisit some of their other products.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone. I really appreciate it.

Until next time. Cheers.

Score: 4.0 out of 5

Grade: B+