Eagle Swoop Bitter
Random Row Brewing Co.

Not a style I have a lot of experience with and I have never had a "cask conditioned" draft of any British beer, but at 4% .abv, This beer has enough flavor to make a fine session brew!!! First pour was from an ice cold can and the head was kind of small while the mouthfeel seemed a bit thin. I let the rest of it warm up and was rewarded with a big frothy white head with good retention and spotty flecks of lacing on the glass. Nice, slightly hazy, color- a mix of gold/copper. Aroma and taste were subtle but the most prominent feature was a a mild to moderate bitterness. Mouthfeel was crisp and light, very sessionable after letting it sit for a while. If I was engaging in a marathon session, a few pitchers of this one would do the trick!!

There doesn't appear to be a date on the label or the can, but this was purchased in the "New Arrivals" section which was refrigerated.

Appearance: The body of the beer is a dark gold color with hints of shiny copper. It has a medium-short white head which is a bit fluffy and also creamy textured. It has good head retention and there are nice spots of lacing on the glass. There is some opalescence and it has pretty good clarity.

Aroma: It smells like burnt corn and has a bit of a sickly smell to it.

Taste: Nothing really comes through at the tip of the tongue, but this very strong bitter mint flavor hits the center of the palate. It has a massively high bitter and burnt herb flavor which is very strong. There is a touch of caramel but it is always blasted away by this very bitter herb flavor. After a while a bit of a skunky character comes through. There is a strong yeasty aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: The body feels mediun-light. Bitterness is extremely high and it lingers on the palate well after the beer has left the tongue.

Overall: The label on the can states that this is a "Special Edition English Bitter Ale brewed in collaboration with Wintergreen Adaptive Sports." It is rare to find an English Bitter brewed by a US craft brewery, but unfortunately this is not an English Bitter. This beer has overdone the hop character and bitterness to the point where it obliterates any malt character and makes it unenjoyable. It lacks nuance and balance. There are also off-flavors and aromas which further hamper drinkability. On the positive side it is a very nice looking beer. As a whole I would not recommend it and I would not buy it again.