Blimey India Pale Ale
Three Heads Brewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: copper-brown with minimal head edging the glass
S: I can't get much seems malty, but also has a slight metallic tinge

T/M: definitely grain forward, tasting like my kitchen smells when creating a wort. I guess that is also malt-forward, but not really in a sweet way. The bitterness is typical for an English style beer, to me. The bitterness is actually kind of strong, but far from overpowering. The bitterness is maybe lime and grass in taste, but it is hard to tell, as it blends with the malt in a balancing act. Towards the end, as the bitterness wins out, I get something similar to the metallic taste I noted in the smell. The finishing bitterness is a bit oily and maybe lightly pine in nature.

O: this beer main taste grew on me a bit, but the finish started to detract a bit more at the same time. I definitely wouldn't turn this down, but won't seek it out, either.

 

 

 

Pours copper with golden hues and perfect clarity. A finger of off white foam that fell pretty quickly to a ring and film on top and left great lace to look at while it drinks. Refreshed with each tip of the glass.

Nose is light citrus and toasted grains. Light caramel malt sweetness. Hops are earthy and herbal. The fruit leans toward orange but there's a touch of lemon in it as well. As it warms the malt gains a slight nutty quality. No alcohol on the nose.

Taste is just what you want in an English style IPA. The light ripe fruit and the light malt sweetness are inseparable as they greet the palate. The toasted grains vie for a bit of attention and show a bit of deepness and strength. The hops show up herbal and leafy with a friendly bitter to grace the middle of the beer. The nutty quality accents the toasted grains once again as it finishes dry and earthy with it's light sweetness intact and lingering at the back of the throat. It has a low abv and and for alcohol on the palate, only a tiny bit of warmth as you swallow. The bitter becomes a bit spirited as you drink but it's never sharp. Light fruity aftertaste. Body is full with malt but smooth and this drinks light.

This is an amicable, sessionable beer with perky hops in a frisky partnership with toasted grains. It's light enough to drink all day. The flavors are unclouded and not complex but just enough to keep you wanting more. Drinks effortlessly. Very, very good.

* I have just found out that Three Heads recently re released Blimey after an 18 month long hiatus.

On-tap 8/6/13 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep golden brown color, with a short dense off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, some citrus and some hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of caramel, honey and a little citrus. Then a mild hops presence for the style comes in. There’s a hearty malt character that creates a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth but a little watery, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, it’s a solid beer but there are better choices within the style.

Appearance: Pours a clear copper color; the head was not particularly distinguished though it did a fairly good job of lacing the pint glass

Smell: Toasted bread, stone fruit and hay; tobacco dominant

Taste: The herbal and earthy elements jump out and are underpinned by the stone fruit and toasted bread flavors; rather bitter in the finish in a very English way, with a strong sense of tobacco

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: Though they have re-formulated the recipe, boosted the ABV to 6.7% and are now calling this an English IPA, it still tastes a lot like an ESB to me