Trafalgar India Pale Ale
Freeminer Brewery Ltd.

Trafalgar India Pale AleTrafalgar India Pale Ale
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From:
Freeminer Brewery Ltd.
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English IPA
ABV:
6%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.65 | pDev: 15.62%
Reviews:
70
Ratings:
73
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 23, 2013
Added:
Jun 15, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by Traquairlover:
Photo of Traquairlover
Reviewed by Traquairlover from Virginia

3.47/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
1 pint, .9 fl oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A = Somewhat murky, turgid looking amber colored liquid, tons of very tiny bubbles, huge foamy bone white head, decent retention, medium lacing. The size of the head and the murkiness of the liquid count this one down a bit.

S = Sour apples, strong hints of spices, floral notes, and an uncooked sourdough bread base underneath. Clearly strongly hopped but with enough balance to even things out.

T = Nice fresh bread malts, slight maple syrup, strong bitterness but well balanced by the malt flavors. Hops flavors are spomewhat earthy and spicy. Well balanced tastes.

M & D = Body is a little thin, the carbonation is too much and all of this really lessens the drinkability. A good beer, but the pleasing taste and smell are somewhat countered by problems in other aspects.
Dec 12, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by harpus from Alabama

Jul 23, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

Dec 17, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Nov 27, 2011
Photo of Offa
Reviewed by Offa from California

4.72/5  rDev +29.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This is an excellent, complex, well-rounded IPA with a lot of hop character but nicely supported with plenty of malt and excellent yeastiness.

Golden amber, it has a very big off-white head slowly shrinking to a thin foamy top that lasts. It leaves a little bit of foamy lace.

Aroma is caramelly marmalade, lightly leafy-citrusy hops with flowery fruitiness and earthiness. It has lightly raisiny, firm bready malt and yeasty character. Overall, it's wonderful, nicely complex, very English yet also, due to the firm, complex hop and yeast character it is clearly an IPA by any standard.

Taste is caramelised lightly toasted bread with lots of jammy, citrusy, woody, leafy hop and hints of earth, fruit, and yeast. It is full-bodied yet clean. it's flavourful, complex, well-rounded, nicely balanced and excellent.
Oct 15, 2010
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Being careful not to disturb the yeast sediment, has a clear amber color with two fingers of long lasting white head. Heavy lacing is left on the glass. A wonderful hoppy aroma. Goldings, oh how I love thee. Floral, earthy, and herbal goodness. The malt gives a little sweet smell but definately plays second fiddle. The flavor falls off a little bit but still is one of the better tasting English IPAs. This beer does not seem to be more hoppy and bitter than others, just that the malt bill is weak. It still gives a little bready flavor near the finish. The hops give a nice herbal and earthy note. The body suffers a bit from the malt bill, but this is nicely bottle conditioned. Very good carbonation. I really enjoyed this beer and the Goldings hops are nicely featured.
Aug 02, 2010
Photo of hustlesworth
Reviewed by hustlesworth from Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A- rusty copper brown with fiery orange highlights and some floating sediment. beige foam is large, in charge, expansive, and doughy. some yeast particles suspended in the foam as well. foam structure is superb- it settles to a giant wrinkly spherical glob floating in a thinner blanket of suds, and on the glass the lace forms a sticky patchwork of delicate spit bubbles.

S- toasty, tart, herbal, earthy, and estery with a mild flash of burnt citrus as english hops kick in my nose. buttery toffee and caramel aromas are there too, with leather, strong tea, brown sugar, very very mild chocolate, and far away sweet spices.

T- clean and remarkably well balanced with an all at once cocoa/alcohol/hop bitterness. roasty, toasty, sweet, grassy, herbal, earthy and tea-like hop bitterness throughout. on day 2 of my mad holiday rampage of reviews, this is one seriously good english breakfast as i opted to pass on the blood pudding. an overall savory brew, with subtle spicy hints of mace and cumin. diacetyl levels are low, but dark burnt caramel and toffee flavors abound. again, the supreme balance of this brew is enough to hook me, but this is also an ale of noticeable quality, and that just, well, the cat's pajamas. finishes balanced, toasty, earthy, leathery, with a mild floral and jamaican rum alcohol flavor.

MF- brightly effervescent, and somewhat grainy and boozy feeling. even at only 6%, the alcohol is drying, as are the alpha acids. carbonation smooths out quickly giving this beer a luscious but somewhat syrupy feel on the swallow.

D- high marks for a great beer, but i this this one has me rocked a little harder than a 6-percenter should. maybe it's too early in the morning. having difficulty attaining gems such as this, i can only dream of wasted afternoons over mahogany, drinking down endless pints and making a proper arse of myself. cape of good hope be damned, and on to calcutta!
Nov 24, 2009
Photo of JordanEllwanger
Reviewed by JordanEllwanger from Michigan

3.41/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark rich burgundy amber tone with an off white head. Smell is sweet and biscuit with a strong sent of alcohol. Taste reveals a coffee ground spice, very earthy. Feel is well with not to much bite. Not a bad beer, very english all around.

Cheers,
Jordan.
Nov 15, 2009
Photo of thain709
Reviewed by thain709 from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I was told to try this a guess the style. It had been aged for about 4 or 5 years and I was shocked to see it was an IPA.

A - A darker golden body but not quite the unfiltered look...an off white head forms about 1.5 fingers...good retention and lacing

S - The age played into the aromas...no hop presence...sweet nose...grapes and some yeast...almost reminds me of a triple or a quad

T - The taste follows the nose...once again the age is playing a big role in this one...some fruity notes along the lines of grapes and raisins...the malts help to sweeten this beer out...still traces of yeast in the flavor...the hops are ever so bitter...again the age really mellowed them out

M - Medium bodied...creamy and smooth

D - Like I said I was surprised to see this labeled as an IPA...I guessed it was along the lines of a triple or a quad...given if this was fresh the hops would have been there a little more...but being an English IPA I would have expected them to be in your face...I'm glad I could try this with the few years on it
Sep 03, 2009
Photo of madmanjf
Reviewed by madmanjf from New York

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Serving was from bottle (bottle conditioned)

The beer poured with an exceptional amount of head. Thick off-white to tan foam came heavy requiring the full pour over a period of time. Beer was clear with a dark straw to light caramel color. Lacing is quite heavy and thick.

The aroma was reminicient of a german munich malt with little to no hop aroma. The absent of an american hop aroma was not a shock given this is an IPA of an English variety. In place of this, a light pleasant malt aroma was in its place along with some english hop as described on the label.

The taste of malt is quite English, simple with caramel notes. Some bittering is in the finish from the goldings hop variety.

The beer has a considerable amount of carbonation which reinforces the hop bittering. Body is medium and minimal warmth is present for a 6% ABV.

Not quite a session beer but highly drinkable. While I'd probably drink this slower than a session beer, I could easily have two or three in one sitting without much difficulty.

For those that do not consider themselves Hop Heads and have based this on the American variety of IPAs, this would be a great English variety to try with an open mind.
Apr 30, 2009
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.56/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Poured out a clear, golden-yellow color with a huge, rocky, foamy, off-white head. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of earthy/mossy notes with a biscuity malt profile.

T - It tasted of caramel malt with an earthy/mossy hop taste. There was a slight spiciness.

M - It was soft and smooth with a dry finish. A light to medium-bodied ale.

D - This is a pretty good English IPA. Very true to the style.
Mar 28, 2009
Photo of AdmiralDiaz
Reviewed by AdmiralDiaz from Minnesota

1.9/5  rDev -47.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
Poured from 16oz bottle to pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy/cloudy orange copper with a small yellowish head with okay retention and very minimal lacing.

S: Smells very sweet with some hops and caramel. off-putting.

T: Rubbing alcohol, stale molasses, sour, low quality hops. I really really hate the taste, Idk if something happened to this bottle but this is just terrible.

Overall: At least the mouthfeel was good, but drinkability was pretty bad due to the horrible taste. I did manage to finish the bottle though, I really hate pouring beer.
Mar 14, 2009
Photo of BearsSox
Reviewed by BearsSox from Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a DT tulip glass.

App - Nice orange-copper color, good head, and good lacing.

Smell - Very typical British IPA: moderate cedar/pine, some citrus.

Taste - Nice balance, although the beer seems a bit one-dimensional. Hops are there out front, and hang on through most of the tasting. Malts are subtle, but provide just enough backbone.

Mouthfeel - Just enough body. Spot on for a British IPA.

Drinkability - Easy to drink. Could be a good session beer.

Overall, a decent beer. Nothing too interesting to note. Not one of my favorite Brit IPAs, but not bad.
Mar 11, 2009
Photo of pmcadamis
Reviewed by pmcadamis from Illinois

3.86/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
A - This pours from it's attractive and artfully labeled bottle a clear peach hue that's lighter than expected and much more clear than most IPAs. The nice white cap is a one finger affair, and leaves some creamy lace on the glass. The head is dense and fluffy, like whipped egg whites.

S - Grapefruit, honeydew melon, and gentle heather notes. This is really subtle and mellow on the nose. Smells nice, but unexciting.... like an English garden.

T- Whoa! Unexpected grapefruit and pine hops pop out big time! Based on the nose, I thought that this would be a mild honeyed British pale ale, but the flavor has me convinced that this is a west coast PA in dainty English clothing. After my initial shock, it does seem more English in character...it's softy mineral laden and floral. The finish is dust-in-your-mouth dry, and is pretty much neutral in flavor with a mellow honey and melon residual hop note.

M - Initially soft and mineral-y, this dries up like a damn desert on the finish. After the swallow, a softly glowing sugar sweetness slowly ameliorates the sandy dryness.

D - If only this had more interesting notes in the nose, this would be an outstanding beer. As it stands, it's very good... especially in the brilliant mouthfeel.
Oct 24, 2008
Photo of cswhitehorse
Reviewed by cswhitehorse from California

3.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The Trafalgar IPA poured a copper color with a 3 finger foam head with some big bubble lacing on the outside.

The smell was an odd hoppiness with sour apples leading the nose. The taste was malty with a light and soft bitterness. In the mouth it was fairly thin and not bitter enough for me. Overall I wasn't in to this one.
Oct 03, 2008
Photo of scubahood
Reviewed by scubahood from Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Presentation: 16.9 brown bottle. Bottle conditioned.

Appearance: Nice head with lace for the more subtle natural carbonation. Noticeable sediment. Great golden honey color.

Smell: A nice hop bouquet. Slight tones of citrus. I was hoping for a little more kick.

Taste & Mouth Feel: Solid mouth feel with low carbonation. Nicely balanced with a great taste. The finish isn't real hoppy.Not as intense as I prefer in IPA's.

Drinkability & Notes: Very drinkable. Not my favorite beer in this style but a solid choice and would not turn away if offered.
May 06, 2008
Photo of sweethome
Reviewed by sweethome from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured from bottle per the BA picture.

Bright golden color, light white head - medium.

Honey and fresh flower petals on the nose.
Sweet entry, biscuit, then a bit of floral hops - very true to British tradition in flavor - firm bittering. A bit restrained by American IPA standards - but spot on for the tradition.

This opens well - bitterness develops over time. Tends to snap on the finish. Still, smooth and easy drinking. Classic backbone of ipa - a pretty darn good definition of british style ipa.
Apr 20, 2008
Photo of SirSaranac
Reviewed by SirSaranac from New York

3.26/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This english IPA pours a dark copper... huuuuge frothy head... great retention. Good lacing. Malty scent... hops aren't very strong. Dark fruits? The taste is rather one dimensional... Hops are far from dominant... Malt throws some elbows. Dark fruits are faint in the taste. Overall, sort of a boring brew.
Feb 25, 2008
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

3.72/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a slightly clouded golden brown with a nice off white head. Nose is of old leather and a bit of citrus with a slight smoky edge. Flavor has a constant sweet tone to it. In the back there is a bit of bitter to it though. Feel is good. Thick with carbonation and definitely drinkable. Nice to try and worth it. Good looking bottle too.
Jan 01, 2008
Photo of OWSLEY069
Reviewed by OWSLEY069 from Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a clean orange-ish, copper color with a white head. Aromas of hops and a sweet malt. In the taste, hops and kind of sweet, a tad malty. A smooth, small bitter mouthfeel, with a dry hoppy aftertaste. A nice IPA, standard English IPA, nice hops and a good balance.
Oct 03, 2007
Trafalgar India Pale Ale from Freeminer Brewery Ltd.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 73 ratings