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Irish Cream Ale
Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.
- From:
- Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.
- British Columbia, Canada
- Style:
- Cream Ale
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 76
- Avg:
- 3.1 | pDev: 10.65%
- Reviews:
- 13
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 25, 2014
- Added:
- Aug 27, 2006
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
Known for its low levels of hoppiness and nutty flavour profile, the Bowen Island Irish Cream Ale combines a nice mix of smooth drinkability and flavour. For appearance, you will see a rich and creamy head atop a dark brown liquid.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GrimmReaper:
Reviewed by GrimmReaper from Canada (BC)
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Was at the local LCB and decided to try a little variety with this one,Pours a bronze amber color with a full frothy thick bubbly off white 3 finger head which dissipates rather too quickly and left miniamal to no lacing.Nose was of corn and cream,lite malts and a tinge of sourness in the background.Taste was a tad of sweetness with some bland caramel and grains and than a sudden flatness and dry which had a metallic note in there also,this one just drops off quick and leaves you wondering what happened,for a good looking brew,flavor just isn't there,medium thin mouthfeel with a very dry and thin watery finish.Good thing i only bought a six pack.
Aug 14, 2008More User Ratings:
Reviewed by canucklehead from Canada (BC)
3.9/5 rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
this is a cream ale West Coast style ie. a dark amber beer. The irish red ale works with the malt forward flavour profile. I think this beer has improved since the last time I have had it. The nose is quite pleasant and the beer has a solid mouthfeel . Worth buying and certainly worth the money as this retails for about $8 a six
Feb 26, 2013Reviewed by maclean25 from Canada (BC)
3.31/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
3.31/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Got this as part of their Craft Beer sampler pack. It was a 12-pack of cans which came to $1.60 per can. I confirmed with the brewery that it is a Cream Ale, but uses dark malts. It reminds me of Kilkenny and Caffrey's which in terms of feel (smoothness and carbonation).
This pours with a decent amount of light-beige head. The body is clear with a red-brown colour. The aroma is mostly that of vanilla nut. The taste is dominated by caramel and roasted malts. It feels creamy and smooth with very fine carbonation bubbles. Medium body, ultimately a little watery. Overall, I think it is decent. It hits all my expectations, but nothing that really stands out.
Jun 13, 2012This pours with a decent amount of light-beige head. The body is clear with a red-brown colour. The aroma is mostly that of vanilla nut. The taste is dominated by caramel and roasted malts. It feels creamy and smooth with very fine carbonation bubbles. Medium body, ultimately a little watery. Overall, I think it is decent. It hits all my expectations, but nothing that really stands out.
Reviewed by timtwoface from Canada (BC)
3.03/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bowen Island Brewing is a solid local Vancouver-area brewery which I go to for two reasons - it's very cost effective, and still relatively delicious.
Some I like, some I do not, but the Irish Cream is one that I definitely do. It's crisp, clean, and refreshing when chilled (as it should be). If you're looking for something good to just relax with, with just a nice standard taste of...well...normal beer...then try it out.
Dec 01, 2011Some I like, some I do not, but the Irish Cream is one that I definitely do. It's crisp, clean, and refreshing when chilled (as it should be). If you're looking for something good to just relax with, with just a nice standard taste of...well...normal beer...then try it out.
Reviewed by CrazyMike from Canada (AB)
3.03/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dark copper-amber brown appearance with thick head that slowly settles down, leaving moderate lacing. Smell consists of grain, caramel and roasted malt. The smell is very faint though and hard to pick up.
Taste consists of roasted malt, bitter hops, grain with a hint of brown sugar and caramel. Like the smell, it is light and hard to pick up, clean taste though. Light bodied with high carbonation. Aftertaste is a bitter with a lingering caramel taste.
Overall, this isn't bad for its price. No strong features to it, but refreshing and inoffensive. Worth a try if you come across it.
Jul 24, 2011Taste consists of roasted malt, bitter hops, grain with a hint of brown sugar and caramel. Like the smell, it is light and hard to pick up, clean taste though. Light bodied with high carbonation. Aftertaste is a bitter with a lingering caramel taste.
Overall, this isn't bad for its price. No strong features to it, but refreshing and inoffensive. Worth a try if you come across it.
Reviewed by Derek from Canada (BC)
2.81/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
2.81/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Clear, golden amber, plenty of head, good retention, hint of lace.
Sweet grainy biscuity with a hint of fruity esters.
Bitterness barely breaks the flavour threshold, light grainy sweetness, hint of fruit.
Very light; overcarbonated.
I guess this is average for the style, nothing is off, there just isn't much flavour.
May 24, 2011Sweet grainy biscuity with a hint of fruity esters.
Bitterness barely breaks the flavour threshold, light grainy sweetness, hint of fruit.
Very light; overcarbonated.
I guess this is average for the style, nothing is off, there just isn't much flavour.
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)
3.65/5 rDev +17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.65/5 rDev +17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
355ml can. I saw lots of this in BC liquor stores this past summer - but not so much here, and a single is worth trying out a new (to me, at least) brewery's expression, eh?
This beer pours a crystal clear, medium copper amber colour, with two fingers of weakly puffy, kind of soapy dirty white head, which leaves a decent random pattern of webbed lace around the glass in its wake.
It smells of fairly sweet biscuity caramel malt, a twinge of indistinct grocery store fruitiness, and a bit of floral, grassy hops. The taste is semi-sweet, ethereally pastry-tinted caramel malt, blended well enough, I must say, with a touch of orchard fruit, and very little else, save a slightly earthy, weedy hoppiness.
The carbonation is quite soft, and barely noticeable, the body a near-medium weight, and smooth in the very sense of the purported style, and dare I say, actually creamy. It finishes still rather sweet and oh so mildly bitter.
It seems that Canada has kind of adopted this style as its own - there seems to be an inordinate number of these beers floating around, most of which are middling mimicries at best. This particular offering, though, seems to rise above the masses, due in no small part to its stronger malt profile, and, well, silken mouthfeel. Heady baby steps, folks.
Nov 19, 2010This beer pours a crystal clear, medium copper amber colour, with two fingers of weakly puffy, kind of soapy dirty white head, which leaves a decent random pattern of webbed lace around the glass in its wake.
It smells of fairly sweet biscuity caramel malt, a twinge of indistinct grocery store fruitiness, and a bit of floral, grassy hops. The taste is semi-sweet, ethereally pastry-tinted caramel malt, blended well enough, I must say, with a touch of orchard fruit, and very little else, save a slightly earthy, weedy hoppiness.
The carbonation is quite soft, and barely noticeable, the body a near-medium weight, and smooth in the very sense of the purported style, and dare I say, actually creamy. It finishes still rather sweet and oh so mildly bitter.
It seems that Canada has kind of adopted this style as its own - there seems to be an inordinate number of these beers floating around, most of which are middling mimicries at best. This particular offering, though, seems to rise above the masses, due in no small part to its stronger malt profile, and, well, silken mouthfeel. Heady baby steps, folks.
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
355ml can poured into 400ml dab glass oct21 2009
A hazy reddish copper with a nice two finger head that lasts a few minutes and leaves lace where it existed
S some sweet malt and some faint caramel
T not much going on here sweet grains with some cream corn
M a little creamy but nothing worth bragging about, nothing to
be ashamed of either
D this beer is easy to drink and overall I didn't mind it and for a discount beer it's pretty good
for the 7.50$ a 6-pack it's well worth it, you could spend more money on much worse beer
Oct 21, 2009A hazy reddish copper with a nice two finger head that lasts a few minutes and leaves lace where it existed
S some sweet malt and some faint caramel
T not much going on here sweet grains with some cream corn
M a little creamy but nothing worth bragging about, nothing to
be ashamed of either
D this beer is easy to drink and overall I didn't mind it and for a discount beer it's pretty good
for the 7.50$ a 6-pack it's well worth it, you could spend more money on much worse beer
Reviewed by astout from Canada (BC)
2.29/5 rDev -26.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.29/5 rDev -26.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Held off reviewing this for awhile until I could try it again and rethink it but I really just do not have anything good to say about it at all, either time.
Pours a decent looking deep orange colour not a ton of head but roughly what I would expect.
Aromas of caramel malt but also overcooked corn and I am not looking forward to drinking this at this point.
On the palate it is relatively hollow with little of the richer malt taste I was hoping might shine through instead I only get a hollow grainy vegetable flavour that leaves me well, not very happy.
Thin for an irish cream and a little over carbonated but for the price more or less on par with what I would expect.
I suppose the big thing with this beer is the price, for that it is OK I've had better but I've also had worse. I won't be going back but it could be worth a try just to say you've had it.
Sep 22, 2009Pours a decent looking deep orange colour not a ton of head but roughly what I would expect.
Aromas of caramel malt but also overcooked corn and I am not looking forward to drinking this at this point.
On the palate it is relatively hollow with little of the richer malt taste I was hoping might shine through instead I only get a hollow grainy vegetable flavour that leaves me well, not very happy.
Thin for an irish cream and a little over carbonated but for the price more or less on par with what I would expect.
I suppose the big thing with this beer is the price, for that it is OK I've had better but I've also had worse. I won't be going back but it could be worth a try just to say you've had it.
Reviewed by Shadman from Canada (AB)
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.18/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Beer Club has an Irish theme for March and I kinda cringed when I saw this as one of the offerings.
Pretty decent look for such a cheap beer. Burnt copper in color, clear with a rich, creamy head that should really decent lacing and retention. Looks a lot like Shaftebury's Coastal Cream Ale.
Malt certainly dominates the nasal passages. Some nice roasted malt aroma, nothing really rough or off-putting here.
Malt taste is quite up front, followed by a very slight hop bitterness. Roasted malt returns to coat the palate in the aftertaste. Kind of thin and watery in places, although there certainly isn't anything overly off tasting either.
Could be a bit creamier in the mouthfeel dept, but for a cheapie, it seems quite smooth.
Not bad. I found the more I drank it though, the more flat the flavor profile got. @ under $8.00/per 6 makes it decent enough, I guess.
Feb 26, 2009Pretty decent look for such a cheap beer. Burnt copper in color, clear with a rich, creamy head that should really decent lacing and retention. Looks a lot like Shaftebury's Coastal Cream Ale.
Malt certainly dominates the nasal passages. Some nice roasted malt aroma, nothing really rough or off-putting here.
Malt taste is quite up front, followed by a very slight hop bitterness. Roasted malt returns to coat the palate in the aftertaste. Kind of thin and watery in places, although there certainly isn't anything overly off tasting either.
Could be a bit creamier in the mouthfeel dept, but for a cheapie, it seems quite smooth.
Not bad. I found the more I drank it though, the more flat the flavor profile got. @ under $8.00/per 6 makes it decent enough, I guess.
Reviewed by Viggo from Canada (ON)
3.26/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.26/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Was looking for beers I haven't seen before in the store today, and came across this gem!
Pours a clear amber/orange, big decently thick off white head forms, slowly settles leaving some lacing. Smell is bland, light malt, oats and bread, some citrus, touch of floral, nothing much going on. Taste is slightly better, sweet, caramel, really oaty, some grains, citrus, slight toastiness in the finish, a little burnt. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Not something I would buy again but was pretty cheap and decently drinkable.
Feb 20, 2008Pours a clear amber/orange, big decently thick off white head forms, slowly settles leaving some lacing. Smell is bland, light malt, oats and bread, some citrus, touch of floral, nothing much going on. Taste is slightly better, sweet, caramel, really oaty, some grains, citrus, slight toastiness in the finish, a little burnt. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Not something I would buy again but was pretty cheap and decently drinkable.
Irish Cream Ale from Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.
Beer rating:
76 out of
100 with
22 ratings
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