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Beer Review: Ipswich Original Ale
Jul. 13th, 2007 09:40 pmI'll admit that I skew toward the odder flavors of beer, but it's important to know the "standard" beers and ales from any given brewery. So instead of Mercury Brewing's excellent Oatmeal Stout or India Pale Ale on their Ipswich label (or any of the craft beers on their Stone Cat label), I'll tell you about their flagship.
First, don't worry that you're getting something which is just a more expensive version of the bog-standard lagers from a nation-wide megabrewery. The color tends more toward amber than gold. But more obviously, this ale is cloudy. You shouldn't serve this in a (tall) pilsner glass or a pub-style pint glass; this is a job for a stein.
Serve chilled, and pour slowly right down the center. Let the head foam up a bit. Do this right, and you should be able to pour a twelve-ounce bottle (or twelve ounces from a growler) into a sixteen-ounce stein without slopping over.
This is a good nose. The hops are definitely present, but not on a full-frontal attack the way they are with an IPA.
The body is not quite full, but nobody will insult this ale with the euphemisms "clean and crisp". It is dirty. And it's good dirt. This is barley sediment at its finest.
Ipswich Original Ale would go well with any meal of definite flavors, but if you're eating something with subtle flavors, you should put off this ale until after dessert. It's not exactly heavy, but it gives "medium" a good name.
I like it.
First, don't worry that you're getting something which is just a more expensive version of the bog-standard lagers from a nation-wide megabrewery. The color tends more toward amber than gold. But more obviously, this ale is cloudy. You shouldn't serve this in a (tall) pilsner glass or a pub-style pint glass; this is a job for a stein.
Serve chilled, and pour slowly right down the center. Let the head foam up a bit. Do this right, and you should be able to pour a twelve-ounce bottle (or twelve ounces from a growler) into a sixteen-ounce stein without slopping over.
This is a good nose. The hops are definitely present, but not on a full-frontal attack the way they are with an IPA.
The body is not quite full, but nobody will insult this ale with the euphemisms "clean and crisp". It is dirty. And it's good dirt. This is barley sediment at its finest.
Ipswich Original Ale would go well with any meal of definite flavors, but if you're eating something with subtle flavors, you should put off this ale until after dessert. It's not exactly heavy, but it gives "medium" a good name.
I like it.
