Big Country
Rooster's Brewing Co. Ltd.

A 330ml can with a BB of Jan 2019 (canned April 2018). Acquired recently from Trembling Madness in York. A collaborative brew between Rooster's and Bale Breaker Brewing Co in celebration of the former's 25th anniversary. Described on the label as a Transatlantic pale ale hopped with Simcoe, Mosaic, Jester and Experimental CF160, and fermented with Lallemand's NE yeast.

A: Poured into a tulip. A bright golden hue with good clarity and intense carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy white foam that lasts for a few minutes before subsiding to a patchy surface layer.

S: Aroma of seriously fruity hops with hints of tropical fruit, white grape, melon, mild citrus, grass/hay, subtle grain, pale malt and ale yeast. Fantastic hop presence.

T: Tastes of fruity aromatic hops with notes of citrus zest, light peel, tropical fruit, white grape, melon, grass/hay, ale yeast, pale malt and faint earthiness. Pretty dry, followed by a robust hop-driven bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with spritzy carbonation and good body. Lightly astringent; hop oils tickle the palate. Aftertaste of bitter aromatic hops, tropical fruit, white grape, melon, grass/hay, ale yeast and pale malt.

O: Excellent - a tasty pale ale with great input from both sides of the Atlantic. Looks the part, while the aroma and flavour are amazingly hoppy and fruity with subtle yeast and malt notes. Nice body. Shame it isn't canned with the yeast, but otherwise a top-notch effort. Very drinkable and well worth sampling.