Fast Mail
Ballad Brewing

 

On draft at the brewery, in Willi Becher style pint glass

Clear light brown in color, off white colored head. Mild caramel in the aroma, a little toasty. Similar flavor, off-dry finish. Thin to medium bodied.

 

Dark copper bubbly brew. Sufficient white head.

Smells of bread and candy, and some earthiness

Caramel and biscuit malt flavors, pleasant sweetness and the full mouthfeel. Bit of toffee on the finish. While easy drinking quite a bit of character. Polished brew, very enjoyable.

On tap at Kregger’s at Hand in Richmond, VA.

This one pours a light brownish color, with a small head and lots of lacing.

This smells like dry cocoa, with bready malt, tea-like and leafy hops, and biscuits.

This is really solidly brewed. It’s got a soft and lightly sweet bready maltiness, and a touch of tea and hop bitterness. It feels authentic, and basically English-like.

This is soft and creamy, with a great level of drinkability.

This is a well done version of a style that I basically never see anymore.

 

"Fast Mail" was the name of a postal delivery train that crashed in Danville, Virginia, prompting the song "Wreck of the Old '97". This beer is a burly American form of an English mild ale, and it delivers!
Each bottle is date stamped, too!

Appearance: Dark copper, rather opaque, goodly amount of carbonation, with a cola colored head.
Aroma is complex, with heavy malt and cocoa. Bit of a treacle taste as well.
Taste is malty, with appropriate hop bitterness. Has that leafy tea flavor that one sees in English bitters- this is neither an amber lager nor Pilsner, and it's clear that the brewers have carefully crafted an English-style beer. Sour yeast creeps through as well.
At 4.2%, it's sessionable, but the flavor is so strong that you wouldn't want to rush this one. Like I said, it's a crisp and carbonated version of the English mild ale and is a nice change to the same-old you see in stores. Keep rolling, Fast Mail!