Beer # 33 Highlander Brew Co Pale Ale

Hello sportsfans! Back again after a short break with a few new reviews for you. Tonight I am posting a beer I was very excited to hear about. Highlander Brew Co.'s Pale Ale.  www.highlanderbrewco.com Whywas I excited? Well they are from a small town in Ontario, South River, on my way to my favourite fishing spot in the world (Callander Bay in North Bay). Always delighted to slide a side trip on my northern trek I may have to pop in and visit. There isn't much to be gleaned from their website, being a new brewery we certainly can't fault them for it. Their "official" opening was in July of 2009 but anyone in the beer business knows that at that point the people involved have invested months if not years of unappreciated hard labour (often round the clock). The brewery is only producing one beer right now, but from the looks of it they will be expanding. I look forward to great things.

Onto tonight's tasting...

Deep brownish copper with an off-white head with a light grey tinge. Rich molasses and licorice on the nose, herbal and grassy. 5% ABV in a 500ml brown glass bottle. The website describes it as a Scotch Ale with an English twist. Malt and more molasses on the attack  More of an English bitter style, someone described it as an ESB (Extra Special Bitter)... but it is not bitter enough. Light caramel, strong malt, bitter orange peel Aeration gives us more bitter peel sand some mild spice cinnamon or nutmeg. Finish is short and hoppy that transitions into a herbal grassy aftertaste.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Fail (really don't know what they are going for other than a really distinct beer)
Re-order: Pass
Experience: Pass


Final thoughts: overall... a great first offering from a new brewery. I have tasted the first beer of new places before and they have been utter train wrecks (if anyone needs a good example look up Steelback Brewery under failed business ideas and egos run amok). www.steelbackbrewery.com The only problem I have with it is the style as they call it a Scotch ale, which has a loose style definition to begin with, yet it shows characteristics of a bitter ale, and to top it off is labeled a Pale ale. Never the less, it is no reason to avoid this product. Good Luck guys I will be dropping in soon!

Cheers
CJT