Bamburgh
Acton Ales (Gundog Brewery)

Another beer from this brewery I've had before yet never reviewed.

Pours clear light golden amber into a pint glass, off-white bubbly head one finger high fades moderately quickly, leaves some lacing on the glass. Turns cider coloured in the shade.

The nose isn't overwhelming but one can pick up definate fruity notes more than any other. Creamy grapefruit arrives first almost reminding one of fruit cheesecake without the sourness or tart, moving along to sweet passionfruit, and ending on vanilla and sweet grain, although this finish is fleeting. Vanilla icecream definately inhabits the base of the aroma spectrum, coming through in the background of each stage.

The flavour profile is very similar to the aroma, with grapefruit and passionfruit notes on the sip, transitioning into mild cream soda and vanilla milkshake. The finish is biscuit hops, a slight bitterness, and mellow sweet malts, and just a hint of unripened banana - coming back to that fruit cheesecake in the nose. The aftertaste is quick to fade, leaving one with an almost clean palate ready for the next sip were it not for the bitterness; the mildness creates a feeling of balance, but the hoppiness leaves something to be desired, and could've done with a bit more oomph. With the creaminess the dominant taste in this ale perhaps it's favourable that the flavours are mellow, but it just feels a bit too lacking.

Feel is light-medium bodied, with light carbonation - that creaminess making it smooth, and a bit more robust in the mouth - althouth the result is a slight dryness on the tongue after all is said and done, reminding one a little but of eating young banana.

Overall it's nothing special, and without the kick of the flavours it's rather forgettable unless you're a massive fan of cream soda. I wouldn't go looking for it, but if you're sat at the pub and were just after a mild, easy drinking session brew without the tart and bitterness of some pale ales then it gets you from A to B just fine.