Girls Gone Mild
Lore Brewing Company

 

Lore splashed onto the Kentucky beer scene with a few of the standard tried-and-true styles that have seemed to work reasonably well. But reaching into the bag of English tricks pays off big with this English-style mild ale.

Maybe misconstrued with stronger brown ales, but the appearance of the beer speaks both languages. Medium brown in color, the beer is capped by a firm and understate off white head that again, may easily have come from cask conditioning and dispensing. Firm retention and light lace gives the beer a classy and handsome British look.

Aromas really span the English gamut and start with lightly toasted malts that bring out the scent of buttered toast, roasted pecan, light chocolate, coffee grounds, light caramel, and light vinous fruit scents that conclude with a grassy and woody note that results from noble British hops.

Flavors do much the same. Where the taste of toast, chocolate, nuts, coffee, apples, dates, figs, and orange all play a part in the varying flavors; they do so with such a light impact on the palate that the beer becomes both complex and surprisingly drinkable. Balanced by the earthen hop character of fresh cut grass and stems, the beer develops quickly to a broad bitterness that coats the back of the throat in finish, along with light mineral taste.

Light bodied from start to finish, it's remarkable to see such variance in taste and the robust flavor but without the associated weight that's expected from those flavors. Light toast dryness, fleeting malt sweetness and earthy bitterness assists the dryness that comes early and leaves a snappy bitterness on the throat, quickly leading to the next drink.

With all the double-this and imperial-that, I'm happy that Lore sees promise in lower gravity beers that are full of character and properly executed.