Philadelphia Original Light
Red Bell Brewery & Pub

 

Well, what can really be said about this? It pours a crystal clear golden body that's topped by a foamy bright-white head. It has great head retention and keeps a thin surface covering throughout the glass, and it even leaves some spotty lace! The aroma expresses a grainy maltiness. It's a touch wort-like with no hops to be found, but it's clean and welcoming. I certainly prefer its overt maltiness to the vapid alcohol aroma of some of the heavily-attenuated mass-produced lights. The body is also surprisingly full for the style, falling clearly into the medium range; and the fine carbonation leaves it crisp in the mouth. Very nice! The flavor, like the aroma, concentrates on grainy malt without hop flavor, but does offer a gently backing bitterness. It finishes clean and smooth with a short-lingering note of residual malt that dissolves to reveal a moderate dryness. Really well done.

Quite dark for a light beer. Lots of carbonation and a nice head. But no smell of taste to the brew. The beer lacks any real character. I wish it tasted like it looked.