Aestas Ale
Cambridge Brewing Company

Appearance: Pours a hazy straw color with a light, fluffy, white head that fades to a film leaving sheets of lace.

Smell: Primarily citric and resiny hops, with a touch of graininess.

Taste: Toasty malts and a bit of citrus in the center. The finish is resiny hops with a hint of spiciness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, oily with a coarse finish.

Drinkability: Very easy to drink. It has a nice bitterness, but doesn't overdo it.

Had from the brewpub and presented in a basic pint glass. The beer was a light golden color with no head at all when presented - (a rather absent minded server whose inattention I will attribute to the lack of a head on the beer, about a half finger of "head space" was present leading me to think the beer was at the bar for a bit waiting for him to bring it to me). Lots of carbonation bubbles fed up the sides of the glass but little lacing throughout the sample.

A "light" fresh floral scent. Almost like wiffs from outside the door of a flower shop as it opens an closes. A clean semi-sweet malt aroma, some hints of peach and a trace of hops in the nose.

The tatse is surprisingly hoppy upfront. Much moreso than the nose would ellude. A lingering light fruitty presence, some peach and nectarine type flavors all backed with a semi-firm and just mildly sweet malt bill. Crisp in the finish, just a tad dry.

Medium/light body, crisp, clean and hoppy.

In interesting beer. The nose and the palate were presented with two different experiences here yet the end result was an overly drinkable -- if not overly exciting -- beer. Hops grabs the tounge and are enough to keep the beer "exciting" while still being balanced and quite sessionable. A good beer, yet still probably not my first choice were I to see it again.

I have tried this twice now, first time I was with A at the Bass Fest
and the second time a few days ago after eating across the street at
Emma's. I thought this was a good ale. I enjoyed the fact that Will
combined traditional British hops with some US varieties. The ale
is not quite at strong as most CBC brews, but the effect is lovely.
A very drinkable ale, with a bit more hop than you might expect in
an English Ale. Color is a bit lighter than their pale ale, and the smell
is not dominated by the hop, it is a nice clean aroma. I enjoyed the
light flavor and mouthfeel, a good summer ale for those who enjoy
a bit of hop, but can also be enjoyed by those who are not big
IPA fans.

Appearance: clear yellowish orange in color with a short 1" head that fell quickly. No lacing developed.

Smell: lightly fruity and a bit of citrus tones come through.

Taste: lighter malt body, soft fruit sweetness, mild floral bitterness, and a touch of orange. Very refreshing.

Mouthfeel: crisp from the start to finish. Relatively clean aftertaste. Light in body.

Drinkability: superb summer ale that refreshes and quenches the thirst. Easy drinking and a must have if you see it this summer.