Simko Eil
Õllenaut OÜ

 

Reviewed from notes taken in Summer 2014:

5.80% ABV. 33 bottle cost 4 euro @ Drink Baar in Tallinn. Served into a stem-tulip.

Expectations are high going in given the brewery's reputation. Batch #050. Best before 26/01/2015.

HEAD: None. No lacing.

BODY: Dark tangerine orange. Plenty of fine yeast particulate is visible suspended in the body. Has good vibrance and glow.

Appears adequately carbonated. It's a very good looking American Pale Ale across the board.

AROMA: Pleasant fruity hops, floral character, tangerine citrus, mango, citrusy zest, pale malts, and fruit peel with a hint of rindy bitterness.

A clean pleasant aroma of mild strength. I'm looking forward to trying it.

TASTE: Tropical fruit, sweet bread, pale malts. The taste is a bit of a letdown after the aroma's potential. It's a simple build for an APA. I usually like oniony hop flavours, but the onion in this plagues the entire third act and finish, and feels like a bit much, distracting from the more appealing fruity hop flavours.

Average depth, duration, and intensity of flavour. Cohesive. Not gestalt. Imbalanced; that onion needs toning down.

TEXTURE: Smooth, wet, unrefreshing. Could be softer and lighter. A bit too thick and hefty on the palate.

Not oily, gushed, hot, boozy, astringent, harsh, rough, or scratchy.

OVERALL: Quite drinkable. But it's not a great APA (even by Estonian standards) and I wouldn't get it again. A swing and a miss from Õllenaut. Forgettable fare.

C (2.91) / AVERAGE

Clear dark orange body. Slightly off white head.

Orange, tangerine, and floral. Little pine behind everything. Not much malt going on.

Orange, little more resinous, bready malt. Flavor is a little flat.

Smooth medium body. Mild bitterness.

Good but stick to Põhjala for Estonian IPA needs.