Spring Zing
Hop Back Brewery plc

Served a clear, light gold. Nice finger thick white head. Looks fine, though the plastic pint glass it was served in didn't help matters (tourist season's here!).

Wonderful aroma, perfectly summed up by "spring zing". Citrus and coriander dominate, but nice British malt keeps things from getting in to wit territory.

Somewhat, but just somewhat, let down by the taste. The flavours hinted at in the aroma don't come through to the same extent in this cask sample. Plenty of nice biscuity malt, slightly grassy hops, but I'm missing some of those other promised flavours.

A nice beer to welcome spring with, quite nice.

Appearance: pale yellow, slight haze, white sudsy foam that disappears almost completely

Aroma: light perfumey hops, grain, ginger, and lemon

Flavor: crisp malt profile with a fluffy, delicate hop flavor both complex and mellow at the same time; hints of coriander, lemongrass, and a limepeel bitterness; finishes dry with a throaty hop bite

Mouthfeel: light body, pert carbonation, crisp texture

Other comments: This is a light and very refreshing ale, but still complex enough to keep your interest.

500ml brown bottle, bottle-conditioned. The label claims that this is a "Lemongrass Beer", though the back label gives more information about the ingredients which also include maize, coriander, and five types of hops. BTW, the label also bears "Tesco Drinks Awards Winner 2008 - Bitters & Ales". BB 03/04/09, served cool in a straight imperial pint glass.

A: the clear yellow-ish straw hue and pillowy snow-white froth make this beer more like a macro-lager, though the carbonation is mild.
S: the smell is classic Hopback - lemony, hoppy with a deep note of earthy yeastiness, on top of savoury sweet wheat-ish maltiness. A focused touch of citrusness threads through all other elements. But lemongrass and coriander, if really used in this brew, are rather faint.
T: lemony, lightly spicy&grassy, and floral hops prevail upfront, backed by a flow of clean, moderate bitterness that lingers on top of a powdery texture of wheat malts, maize, and biscuity malts. Just like other Hopback's brews, an assertive edge of earthiness cuts its way throughout the drink, while only in the very end does the lemongrass reveal itself in the form of aroma and a savoury spiciness.
M&D: this beer has an absolutely fantastic texture, due to successful bottle-conditioning - semi-lively microscopic fizziness all around, matching the light body and super-clean palate just well. Very drinkable, to say the least.