Purchased at Armanetti in Chicago, IL; enjoyed after a 12 hour work day, probably my first ever. I’m not feeling this one. Appearance is a red-tinged amber with a thin white rim around the glass. Aroma of really bready/caramel malt, much more malty than it is hoppy, definitely smells like an English ale. Taste just rubs me the wrong way, has a weird mouthfeel that makes it taste much bigger than it actually is, like a skunky malty flavor. Happy to have tried but won’t be trying again.

Not too bad at all, not sure if I agree with the label of an english pale ale though, more of just a traditional east coast pale ale than english, but i digress. amber in color, aroma of floral and some grapefruit hops with a decent malt foundation. great session ale.

"I can’t remember where I bought this but I’m pretty sure it was on Cape Cod with friends mid-December. Paid under $5 for the large bottle. It’s been in my fridge ever since. Served at 40 Degrees F into a ""Perfect Pint"" Glass A - Pours very smooth with a 2 finger head that leaves pretty fast (under 2 minutes). Nice hazy brown color. Certainly a Pale Ale with nice leather tints and haze to it. S - Lots of sweet cinnamon and vanilla. I love this vanilla cake smell like cake batter. It’s a nice calm smell. I’m getting some floral notes and maybe some woodiness but not a lot. T - Whoa. That was out of nowhere! The bitterness of this beer was not reflected in the taste at all. I’m really loving what just came through. The taste itself is so unique that I can’t even describe it. I’m guessing earthy..i really don’t know how to pinpoint it but the bitterness is off the charts. I didn’t expect that from a 5.6% ABV. Maybe it’s just been sitting around too long? M - Super carbonated. Starts light but fills the mouth fast. Very distinct aftertaste. O - I’m going to give this a 3.5. I really thought it was going to be fantastic and the reviews here pretty much fooled me. I’d give it a 2 but I’m fairly certain that this beer is just VERY skunked because the reviews don’t match what I tasted. I certainly think it could be great but this beer must have not been very fresh."

Can from River City Cellars, Richmond. Amber with a decent white head. Sweetish, cereal aroma, with some leafy hops. Flavours of caramel, biscuit malts and hedgerow fruit, with a short, bitter finish. A bit too sweet.

Bottle @ Oliver Twist on September 30. Pours hazy orange with a small white head. Smell is butterscotch, sweet grapes and persimmon. Taste is fresh and fruity with cape gooseberries and some butterscotch. Mouthfeel is quite light.

Bottled@Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Amber colour, small white head. Aroma is hay, honey, sweet malts and some mild yeasty and earthy notes. Flavour is caramel malts, fruits, nectar, honey and some nice hoppyness. Sweet malty and slightly floral hoppy finish.

(Bottle, Oliver Twist, Stockholm) Amber colour with brief, off-white head. Fruity nose with notes of apricots, orange, plums, hints of rubber and floral hops. Fruity, slightly malty taste with orange, apricots, hints of crystal malt and a slowly emerging bitterness with floral hops. Medium body, quite dry. Tasty and well balanced. Quite nice.

It’s easy to bash this beer after drinking so many American Pale Ales; the green hoppy goodness that usually comes with stateside pales is nowhere to be found in Whale’s Tail. This beer is an unapologetic English Pale, nutty and malty and fruity. The hops only serve to keep the brew from being overly sweet, and as a result the beer gets more and more like a toffee bar as it warms. The good looks hide a watery texture, so whatever flavors that do emerge are washed away much too quickly. Pass this can on by.

Bottle. Poured an amber color with a small-sized white head. Aroma was yeast and fruit notes, malt backing. Flavor was a sweet malt one, with a decent hop balance. Crisp, refreshing.

Poured from a 22 oz bottle. Hazy yellow orange in color. Bubbly thin head, Nose is a sweet malt. Grassy light hop taste dominates. You can pick up hops more as it warms, like most beers. Thin body with a somewhat dry finish. Fairly hoppy.