Cream Ale
Anderson Craft Ales

On tap at the Mule in Hamilton. Review from notes.

Appearance - Fairly clear, nice amber colored brew with golden highlights. Pretty clear, decent finger of white head poured and above average staying power.

Smell - Some earthiness with a little grass and some grain aromas floating in the background. Not a whole lot that is distinguishable but comes together nicely for that (modified) "classic beer aroma".

Taste - nothing crazy here, but solid grainy qualities with a little bread and more bitter earthiness than most cream ales I've had. Maybe some late dry hopping going on here. A little bit leafy too and pretty packed full of flavor.

Mouthfeel - Easy drinking, medium-light bodied, appropriate carbonation, goes down real nice.

Overall - Quite impressed with this brew, went back for a second even though my (delicious) tacos were already gone. One of the finer cream ales out there. Well worth a shot if you can find it.

 

 

 

 

Nov 13 2024

 

355 mL can from a sixer purchased at the brewery; dated Apr 14 2017 and served well chilled.

Pours a foggy golden-blonde colour, with one finger of soapy white head receding over the next two minutes or so. A thin collar of bubbly froth is retained, with some scattered swaths of lace being splattered against the inner surface of the glass; not much to look at, really. Wet earth and hay, fresh straw and green, leafy hops are apparent on the nose, which also features a clean, grainy, somewhat biscuity pale malt backbone. It's a subtle aroma, as you'd expect for this style, but one that I find quite enjoyable nonetheless.

Nothing too fancy here - just a straightforward, no-nonsense session ale. Grainy pale malts, together with doughy biscuit sweetness and faint suggestions of apple, characterize the front end of the sip. Restrained flavours of grassy hay and leafy hops join in towards the finish, which is clean, crisp, and followed up with an unerringly dry aftertaste. Light-ish in body, this cream ale has lively carbonation that prickles the palate aggressively at first, but softens with time, resulting in a smoother, creamier texture. In any event, it's extremely easy to drink.

Final Grade: 3.98, a B+. I can't claim to have tried all that many cream ales - I've only got a dozen or so under my belt, and that's after a decade of beer-drinking experience. But for what it's worth, Anderson Cream Ale is one of the best I've tried thus far. No, it is not an exciting beer, nor is it the sort of brew I expect a plurality of BAs to have a great degree of excitement for, but that comes part and parcel with this style. Well crafted, and worth keeping in the back of your fridge - even if it's not really your cup of tea, this brew's unobjectionable, familiar nature makes it the perfect offering for your more macro-minded acquaintances.