Moneypenny
Comrade Brewing Company

 

This was pretty good for the style, even if that style isn't one of the more interesting ones in my mind. I had this in summer 2016, so I'm not sure why it is listed as "retired" or "archived", because they're clearly still making it. Anyway, it was a solid hot-weather brew, a bit different than all the APAs and session beers that are currently so popular. Not too malty or heavy, but not super-hoppy either. Pretty drinkable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

they actually call this one an english summer brew, which was in fact a category at gabf, and ill tell you what, its medal worthy in my book. its so brightly flavored and well done, with hints of lemon and even thyme in the finish, herbal in a cool way, and also relatively hoppy for something english. like english hop varietals added late, something we dont see much of. maybe something in the new world hop paradigm, but delicately and appropriately dosed, tough to tell, but thats all in the finish. up front there is a biscuity or honey malty thing going on, maybe some maris, very clean but with some body. lightened up by expressive carbonation and a drinkably low abv. i thought this was excellent, its a simple style but there arent many of them out there, and a lot of them seem to run together. big fan of this one, they should enter in into the festival this fall, it could take it home.

 

On-tap at the brewery into a pint glass.

A-The beer is pale in color and light-golden-ish. There is some spotty lacing left behind from the collar of white foam. The beer is still looking in the glass. It looks like it is supposed to look, even if that isn't anything spectacular.

S-The aroma is very mild. It tends toward hoppy for the style with light suggestions of straw and grass, and a mild floral scent. The malts are clean and smell like crackers with just a hint of butter.

T-The taste tracks the smell, but provides a little more ooph. Pale cracker and white-bread-crust malt flavors with just a bit of doughy, buttery sweetness combine with a mild, Euro-style hop profile that is slightly grassy, bitter, and floral.

M-The feel is medium in heft with a semi-crisp carbonation. It drinks easily.

O-My first beer from Comrade is a winner. This beer drinks easily and offers a nice, slightly hoppy take on the style. What impressed me is how well-constructed this beer felt. The flavors are balanced and the mouthfeel is appropriate although a bit crisp for the style. The slight deviations from traditional style, however, give this beer a more modern and American feel than many English beers from the States that are often overly malty and flat.