Alt (Premium Celtic Ale)
Okell & Sons Ltd

Tasted by a pint at the Wetherspoon's recent real ale festival, served by a non-sparkler hand-pull at my local branch, John Russell Fox in Andover. According to the festival programme, this burnished-copper-coloured ale is brewed "in the true Altbier manner, with a cooler fermentation and two weeks' cold storage, to create a crisp, elegant and fresh flavour"; hops used are the "Sauvignon" type.

A: the colour is indeed elegantly burnished copper, coming with a light beige frothy head and low carbonation.
S: upfront, the lemony, flinty scent almost like Sauvignon Blanc type of wine springs to mind, allegedly from the "Sauvignon" hops?? A very mild malty backbone is noticeable, but relatively weak as far as an Altbier is concerned. Not bad actually.
T: in contrast to the aroma, the lovely malts (burned nuts & caramel) come on a par with semi-sour, almost grapey & applely fruity hops, then the dry-ish bitterness creeps up gently to linger with equally deep-running bitter-sweetness.
M&D: softly carbonated, fresh and clean on the palate, medium-bodied, all in all a well-balanced hoppy fruity ale this is - a true quaffer regardless of the style!