Key Lime Ale
Cowbell Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the LCBO, included in Cowbell's Summer Mixer pack. Dated Mar 25 2024 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy pale golden colour, kicking up less than a finger of loose, soapy white head that fizzles within ninety seconds. A thin collar and a few wisps on the surface are all that remain, with scant lace deposition. I'm mostly getting key lime on the nose, with added hints of wheaty malts, vanilla and herbaceousness - kind of underwhelming so far.

The flavours are along the same lines: key lime tartness at the forefront, joined by wheaty, grainy malts and some lemon curd sweetness by mid-sip. The vanilla asserts itself on the back end, blending into its limey finish; shades of vanilla echo into the aftertaste. Medium in body, with moderately lively carbonation that lends a crisp bite to this brew's smooth mouthfeel. Decent drinakbility, but I don't see myself craving another any time soon.

Final Grade: 3.55, a B grade. I added Cowbell's Key Lime Ale as a fruit beer because I really wasn't sure where else to put it - it doesn't seem to be a kettle sour, and doesn't drink much like a pale ale. Maybe an American pale wheat ale? More important than its classification is whether or not it's any good, and I'm afraid I'm not much of a fan. The lime flavours are fine, but I don't much care for the vanilla - I assume they were going for a key lime pie vibe, but without any pie crust flavour the gimmick falls fairly flat. If a lime & vanilla ale sounds appealing to you, give this a try - if not, take a pass and feel confident knowing that you didn't miss much.

At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, from their Summer Mixer boxset, from my favourite LCBO at The Roundhouse Centre in nearby Windsor. My fifth beer from the Blyth, ON brewery.