2004 bottle from the sampler. Dark auburn-brown with some cherry red hints and a moderate-sized light beige head. Aroma of sweet caramel, candied sugar(though there is none in there) and dry yeast. Flavor starts with a good toasted malt chewiness, lightly dry, but with sweet brown caramel malt in the background. Hmm, I’m not sure this is such an imposter. Filtered and pasteurised, but then, so are all of their beers. They do a good job and brew with quality ingredients. So I can’t fault them too much for the lifeless flavor. Moving on, it seems that there is a faint amount of smokiness in here. It is on the finish and very subtle, but still there. Light fruits finish it off, with a very light hops profile. Strangely, I’ve always like crystal malt, so I guess this is no exception.

This appealing golden brew pours brilliantly clear with a tall, sticky, off white head. It has a nicely complex aroma to it, some yeast, some sweet malt and a bit of orange that come off rather well. The body is a bit thin, but the flavor is a pleasant light sweet malt. Not quite the Pale Ale the name suggests, and maybe not quite an ESB either, but this is certainly a refreshing drinkable brew that I would drink again.

Deep golden clear body that supports a sticky dense head that has a light dusting of tan to it’s color. Aroma of malt and fresh bread dough. The flavor is sweet ending with a bit of dryness. This has just a little more hops to it than the usual Dort/Helles but very drinkable just the same.

2004 bottle. I knew my faith in this brewery was well-placed. Pours an ultra dark-brown, seemingly opaque though perhas just very dark, as I dont believe it is bottle conditioned/unfiltered. Anyways, dark as night with a solid, burnt tan head. Aroma gives away hints of rotten veggies at first, but as it warms and breathes, this turns in to a very deep underlying chocolate malt mixed with some smoked malt and salty roast. Flavor begins with a dose of salty, bacon like smoke, a big dose of rich dark coffee roast and moves in to a bit more of a sweet chocolate. Hops bitterness is not dominant, but is noticeable and provides good balance on the finish. Hints of licorice on the finish as well. Body begins with too much carbonation, my biggest complaint with this beer, but evens out as it sits. Because of the relatively high carbonation, the body comes across as medium to medium-full. The flavor, especially the roasty/smoky part is just divine though.

2004 bottle. Dark yellowish-orange, but very clear with a small off-white head and bubbly. Aroma of dry biscuits as it says, lots of yeast and a very earthy, almost herbal hops appeal. Flavor is meaty, earthy, soily, dry and yeasty. Very strange, not terribly complex at all. It tastes like a spoiled sweetness is present. Not a tremendous rendition of the style, I would class this one as a regular lager if I hadnt known. Lightly fizzy mouthfeel, medium body. eh. . .

2004 bottle. Pours a clear hay yellow, with a decent white head. Smells tart and lightly spiced with hops. Moderately bitter aroma. Flavor is quite hoppy, one-sidedly so, but it still tastes good enough for a session ale. Little malt to speak of, no real complexity but a solid flavor and less wateriness than expected. Finishes mildly clean and neutral. This brewery sure does like low gravity pale beers.

2004 bottle. Pours a caramelly, rusty brown with some light red-gold tinges. Good white head, lots of bubbles and clear. Aroma of earthiness, yeast, some dry caramel and toffee and a shot of dry grainy hops. Flavor is lightly sweet, a bit metallic, texture is slightly coarse and moderately carbonated. Watery, medium body, with some hints of brown/red fruits. Average.

Beautiful clear red-amber, orange shine; slim orangey head, creamy, slightly irregular - the perfect glass of ale. At first only malt in the nose, like in a malt silo, grain, worts, but there are noble hops hiding. Some caramel & biscuit. And then the hops come out of the hiding, in the taste. No doubt, there's plenty of cookie malt present, but the hops exert domination in bitterness and hopflavour. Hoppiness even verges on the edge of adstringency. Well-bodied. Hopheads might be put off by the very malty nose - they would be very sorry if it led them to pass this beer. 't Is a very hoppy and pleasing beer - and a very hopped beer needs some good malt underbuild, IMO.

Rich copper colour (dark for style); nose is not that big, but packs a few different elements in - slightly oxidized hops, an almost kumquat-like fruitiness, creamed corn and Irish whiskey (or is it whisky?). The palate is malty, with a slight bit of tin, maybe 24 IBUs, with more DMS (slight at first, but getting stronger towards the finish).