Bailout Bitter
Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company

1 litre bottle, beer brewed as a gimmick for the global recession.

Appearance: Bright, transparent, golden colour with three finger white head when poured into 500ml tall central European style glass tankard, receding to heavy ring and thin layer of froth with good lacing.

Aroma: Lots of hops, satsumas, subtle alcoholic warmth.

Taste: What exactly is a golden bitter brewed in the pacific northwest? Answer: basically a very hoppy golden pale ale or smoother version of an IPA. I haven't come across any other golden bitters before, and this tastes nothing like any bitter I have had. I'm not sure that calling this a bitter is correct; but then Howe Sound already have a hoppy pale ale. All this aside, this is a tasty beer. Crisp, hoppy, fruitiness that you would expect from an IPA, but something is slightly different about the flavour in this beer. A hint of blonde ale and pilsner flavours, a lingering but not overpowering finish from the hops; and also a malty aspect that you might expect from a good central European pilsner, while still tasting like top-fermented ale. Curious beer, but interesting and very tasty.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, crisp.

Drinkability: Certainly drinkable, rewarding from the hops and balance of the beer, while leaving you wondering - what style is this? Nevertheless, it's good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source/Serving: Bottle

S: Straw and corn husk, fields of wild greens, fruit stems, fresh light toast, punky wood.

T: Smooth and pure bread notes up front with a touch of floral and herbal notes. Neither sweet nor bitter. Fairly thick body and slightly oily. In the middle it has a deep, but not too intense, resiny, oily, grassy, herbal bitterness. Malts sweeten to match maintaining the bread but adding a touch of caramel. Some yeastiness comes in which continues to the finish which is a little dry and grassy bitter with lingering oily/musky herbs.

Had this a long while back but didn't take any rating notes, but I know its a tasty treat so got another big bottle
A - clear golden with a tall fluffy white head, left some random sticky lacing
S - smells of a distinct crips pilsner hop odour, light orange citrus, toasty grains, and a peppery note
T - a very saaz hop taste of crisp grassiness, moves to a more herbal hop taste with a toasty and toffee malt character, with the grassy hop taste lingering
M - light with medium carbonation, thin smoothness, finishing dry and nicely bitter
O - it starts like a pilz and ends with a very ESB character, and that mix makes it both very tasty, drinkable, and interesting. I hope that they have decided to keep this in the regular rotation.

Split a 1L swing-top with a friend. Man, I wish it were easier to find beers like this. It's drinkable, balanced, fresh, and damned tasty. The malts brings dry bready toast character with light hints of caramel malt sweetness. The hops are grassy and floral with a lemony edge. This is a great full-flavored session beer. More please.

A - I bought this bottle totally off the label. "Bailout Bitter." Love it. Poured into a stein, golden to copper color, transparent with a quarter inch of head that quickly sank into the beer.

S - Malty smell, wet hay and honeysuckle.

T - Slight sweetness and quickly followed by a moderate bitterness. Well balanced.

M - Light body and moderate carbonation that dances in the mouth.

D - Very drinkable and sessionable bitter. Nothing fancy, just a good beer.

Cloudy amber appearance with lots of head that rapidly disappears. Aroma is citrus and grainy with a hint of caramel.

Taste is similar to the smell, lots of citrus and caramel malt. Picked up bread and bitter hops. Medium bodied with good carbonation, very crisp. Aftertaste is bitter and malty.

Overall, interesting taste and drinkable. The label alone gives it character and temptation to get it. If you can pick it up before it goes off the shelves, you should experience it.

Thanks to AmericanBrew for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a golden color with a large white head. The aroma is grain, lemons and oranges. There is a lot of hop aroma in this for an ESB, but it doesn't meld together all that well.

The flavor is not quite like the aroma. The two main flavor components are grain and lemons. Very low bitterness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.