Style:  English Pale Ale
ABV:  4.7%
Presentation:  500 ml brown bottle
Brewery:  Fuller Smith & Turner PLC
Country:  England, UK

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

It states “Outstanding Premium Ale” on the label of this English Pale Ale, and although I’ve had beer labels lie to me in the past, this one most certainly lives up to its own bold claim. Although there have been several changes in ownership, beer has been produced on the grounds of this Chiswick located brewery for over 350 years now, and presently most of their ales are exemplars of its own particular style. London Pride is no exception as this brewery‘s flagship offering, and if you’ve yet to discover the full rounded flavours that the world of ales has to offer, consider this one of the finest invitations and introductions that you can get.

One thing to keep in mind with the English style Pale Ale is that in general it tends to be a bit more balanced than its younger American version cousin, and if anything will lean more towards the sweeter maltier side of the flavour profile, therefore being a more approachable option for people who haven’t developed a taste for bolder hop character.

This ale is ideally enjoyed slightly chilled, but not quite room temperature, in order to fully appreciate the balanced nuances within the flavour. A pint glass or mug will serve just fine. Expect a transparent rustic copper amber appearance from this London Pride, with a foamy white head. Within the aroma, if the ale is not too cold, you should be able to pick out notes of crisp sweet malt, toffee, even some buttered bread, while the combination of 3 different hop varieties exude a grassy, spicy nature that is earthy yet possesses a soft citrus zest. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, and balanced between a light smooth roundness with enough carbonation to provide a crisp finish. Lastly the balance continues in the flavour where at first the malt provides the palate a buttery, toasted toffee that blends smoothly with mild earthy and herbal hops in the finish, which offers a crisp finish but doesn’t overpower the backbone of the malt.

For those of you who enjoy having a few of the same beers in a sitting this English Pale Ale is ideal for a session ale. With food it is pretty versatile, pairing well with your favourite comfort foods, while more specifically being an excellent dance partner with savoury foods, grilled meats, roasted chicken and turkey, Cajun dishes, and pasta dishes with white sauce. Heck, even the empty sturdy brown half litre bottles are perfect for you home brewers in the crowd to hang on to. Is there anything that London Pride can’t do? I don’t think so.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
ESB Ale
Vintage Ale
Organic Honeydew Ale

In-Style:
Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale
Pedigree Pale Ale
Bass Pale Ale

Lateral Steps:
Innis And Gunn Oak Aged Beer
O’Hanlons Yellowhammer
Hobgoblin - Wychwood

For The Adventurous:
Lead Dog Ale - Yukon Brewing
Brooklyn Monster Ale
Maximus - Lagunitas

Style:  English Strong Ale
ABV:  7%
Presentation:  330 ml green bottle
Brewery:  Bridge of Allan Brewery for Tullibardine
Country:  Scotland, UK

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Proclaimed the first genuine whiskey ale brewed, it is matured in oak whiskey casks from the Tullibardine distillery in the village of Blackford, Scotland. The distillery itself has a curious brewing history, located on the site of Scotland’s first brewery dating back to the 12th century. In fact the date 1488 in the name celebrates the year in which the Scottish King James IV purchased beer from that former brewery following his coronation at nearby Scone Palace.

The back label on the bottle advises to drink this whiskey ale cold, however if you allow it to warm up a bit more of its subtle flavours are more discernible. Serve it in a tall 12-16 oz. glass, pint glass, or maybe a mug. A tulip-shaped stemmed glass will help accentuate the aroma of this particular style. Once poured you’ll find a transparent ale that is a coppery, whiskey-like amber in appearance. A quick fizzy off-white head will dissipate at a rapid rate. The aroma possesses characteristics of sweet cereal grains, wood and vanilla, with a distinct whiskey malt. While some carbonation is present, the texture of it is predominantly thin and light across the palate. Similar to what is revealed in the aroma, the flavour reveals sweet malt first, mild oak and vanilla notes from the whiskey casks, and faint hop finish. Whiskey characteristics are left unhampered in the aftertaste.

A unique style in its own right, a food pairing goes a little beyond the usual fair as well. This would sit well next to game fowl for you hunters out there 9and the people who love them), and would compliment tangy, earthy cheeses. A maple glazed salmon would also pair well with this 1488.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
1488 Strong Ale
1488 Blonde Ale

In-Style Recommendations:
Innis And Gunn Oak Aged Beer
Innis And Gunn Canadian Cask
Innis And Gunn Blonde Lightly Oaked Beer

Lateral Steps:
Innis And Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer
O’Hanlons Original Port Stout
Brewdog Paradox Islay

For The Adventurous:
Fraoch Heather Ale
Unibroue 17
Old Crustacean - Rogue