McNeill's Champ Ale - McNeill's Brewery

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy dark marigold color with a creamy white head at first that quickly turned to a few larger bubbles in the center of the glass and a ring around the glass.

A stonger citrus aroma of lemon and some grapefruit. Smell is great with a nice malty scent as well.

Tasted like a well bittered APA, there is a nice light sour bite that is enjoyable but balanced out with the bittering hops. some dry bite at the end and a lemon flavored sweet flavor as well. More grapefruit flavor in this beer than I have tasted in any other - period. The Grapefruit really comes out because this beer is not overhopped to some ridiculous IBU rating to sell bottles. As for the dragon on the label though I have not quite figured out its relevance. Maybe the dragon likes to drink Champ Ale?

Strong carbonation and a nice finish. I bought 4 bombers from a grocery store of McNeills on the way back from VT and I am beginning to think that was a great idea...

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2010 00:32:54 | More by alpinebryant

Hhawk06

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one out of a 22 oz. bomber, although I don't think they sell it any other way. It poured quite attractively, that was darkish golden in color and very carbonated. The head was cloudy, largely beaded, but surprising quite sustaining. The nose was solid as well, as it displays a soft hop aroma along with a bready freshness. The drink itself was very well balanced in the mouthfeel with a straight medium body. The soft floral hops are countered exquisitely bye a crisp maltiness, almost like a cracker. The brew itself is definitely balance driven and it is very well achieved. It finishes freshly, dry, and with a bit of orangey smoothness. The remaining faint and soft hop bouquet is very elegant and impressive. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2006 12:34:45 | More by Hhawk06

koopa

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a cloudy watered down iced tea color (mild copper brown) with a 2 finger white crown that displays moderate retention and some lace.

Smell: English yeast, butter, toffee, slight fruity note, light hop presence.

Taste: Same as the nose but not as colorful. Might not be the freshest bottle so I'd like to revisit this one again.

Mouthfeel: Light side of medium bodied with ample crisp carbonation and a moderately soft crown.

Drinkability: Extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 01:45:10 | More by koopa

scottum

Vermont

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Bobcat in Bristol, VT.

Pours out a nice amber with a nice white head. Hops are strong here, but not uber over the top. The malts are very mellow with a touch of sweet and toasty. This beer is a well crafted pale ale with a beautiful hop flavor. Nice and drinkable with a wonderful hop bite which keeps me coming back for more.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2004 03:14:17 | More by scottum

Brad007

Vermont

4.05/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pale/light amber color with a two finger head that recedes. Aroma is nice and malty upfront with a decent hop bitterness to it. I can smell a faint hint of mint as well. Hmm. Taste starts out biscuity and malty and then fades into a mild hop bitterness that isn't too dry on the tongue.

A second sip confirms many of the things I suspected in what appears to be a well-balanced version of the American Pale Ale style. Very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2007 03:53:04 | More by Brad007

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.03/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I got this bottle in a trade with Vermonthiker. Thanks Tom!

My first sample from McNeill's:

It pours a hazy orange gold with a 1 finger head of foam. There's some good lacing here and the head retention is very good.

The smell is light but nice. I'm getting some fruity notes along with some caramel sweetness and some citric bitterness.

The taste is definitely fruity. I can taste some pear, some lemon, maybe some orange, a bit of malty sweetness in the background, and it finishes quite bitter and with a slight sourness. This has a real grapefruity kick at the end and like I said, it's very bitter....but nice.

It has a medium mouthfeel that's on the lower end of medium, and it's on the medium side with the carbonation. Most unusual tasting American Pale Ale because of the flavours here and because it's only 5.5%abv, it makes for a pretty darned good sessionable Ale. I see the sticker on the bottle says $3.99 for the bomber..that's an oustanding price for a very pleasurable APA indeed! Well done McNeill's and thanks again Tom!

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2008 23:01:03 | More by Bitterbill

mikeys01

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a nice amber/light brown color, with a healthy white head that gradually dissipated. Aroma is very strong with citrus hops and just a bit of caramel. Taste is boldly hoppy and bitter at first, more so than expected, but then blends into a nice malty midground that carries you through to a smooth finish leaving just a hint of bitterness and floral hop flavor on the tongue. Body is quite medium. A very good American Pale ale, not an extreme example of the style, but very nicely done indeed.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2004 02:38:08 | More by mikeys01

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid drinkable pale. Enough C hops to give off a citrus smell, great big creamy long-lasting head. Well malted, good with lunch. Citrus taste and aftertaste dominated. Not too bitter so was popular.Good amount of hops. Middling mouthfeel. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 04:02:26 | More by northyorksammy

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

McNeill's Champ Ale
22 oz brown bottle
Best before April notched on the side label
Served in a 20 oz tulip pint glass

* Purchased at the Co-op in Brattleboro, VT *

Pours a light, hazy brown color with a thick head on top. Random trails of sticky lace leave patterns on the glass.

Light and fruiy nose. Hints of apples and hops.

Clean and grainy mouthfeel with a really nice hop finish. The hop presence gives way to flavors of fresh peach and Macintosh apples. The hop finish also leaves a nice bittering effect. Extremely smooth and creamy.

Yet another great beer from McNeill's brewery. Nothing over the top here, rather a straightforward and consistent session based APA.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2006 00:12:26 | More by Hibernator

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber purchased at North end Market in Brattleboro, VT.

AP: Golden hued amber, very active(good to see) nice 1" tall, foamy head, good retention, Nice legs too!

Nose: Ultra sweet hops, fruity and mildly citrusy.

Taste: A tasty, tart and slightly fruity hop taste dominates. A mild malt flavor appears then finishes with a nice leafy-hopped bite.

Mf: Medium body, feels rather thick but displayes plenty of bubbles and has a big fresh bite. The constant foamy head gives it a nice added smooth feel.

DA: Mmmm...

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2006 14:46:15 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

oberon

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass a hazed light copper color with a thinner white head atop a few chunks and floaties swirling when I got to the bottom of the bottle,nice subtle aromas some floral/citric hop along with biscuit malt a nice even mix.It sorta reminds me of an old school craft American pale ale it has a healthy dose of citrusy,resiny hop but a firm slightly caramel malt base hold up through to the finish.A solid pale its food friendly and has enough subtle complexity to keep me wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 17:55:18 | More by oberon

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This nice APA was a hazy orange color with a thick white head that retained well. It had a citrus aroma, and an outdoorsy scent. Grapefruit taste, not much in the way of malt. A crisp beer, a little too carbonated for me, but would still drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 12:35:00 | More by lordofthewiens

Billolick

New York

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

$3.99 for the bomber @ the Brattleboro, VT. Food Coop.

"Best before last day of" dating on bottom of the label, nice info for the consumer.

Pours cloudy typical amber, looser off white head that stays then goes to to a frothy foam/film and better then decent lacing.

Gritty & citric, moderatly pungent hop nose.

Respectable APA, moderate cascade infused hop package, flowing over a nice malty base. Fairly balanced, but enough hops for respectability.

Decent every day APA, perhaps a bit thin mouthfeel wise and lacks the depth of flavors to challange the all stars of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 03:18:12 | More by Billolick

dwarbi

New York

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Truly a beautiful ale! Frothy white head. It sticks around for a while. I think I could take this head out and play with it. Maybe mold it into my own likeness. Hazy beer. Golden amber. Smells nice, but not powerful enough. Tastes chunky. A little bitter. In your face, but with a gentle finish. Interesting mouthfeel. A bit of a bitter aftertaste. I like it. Very drinkable, this beer definitely keeps my interest.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2003 17:37:55 | More by dwarbi

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours light creamy and bubbly head. A hazy pale almost glowing wheat orange color.

N: Nose is quite nice and complex. It has some creamy malts, and a decent pale malt aroma. Hints of fruit and... grape?... and a nice hop aroma, with some grassy, chewy, and fruity hops.

T: Starts with a malty bite, some nice dark toasty malts, a really nice malt flavor actually. It then comes through with some light pale bitterness and some light grassy and spicy hop flavors. Those hop flavors are then followed with some fruity and juicy hops. More earthy malt flavors mingle. A slight citrus orange peel flavor comes through a little on the end, but isn't too bad yet.

M: Somewhat light body with good carbonation.

F: FInishes with a nice light pale bitterness that builds a bit, then adds more of the spicy hop quality and can be somewhat dry. Then it gets a somewhat unpleasant bitterness, like biting on an orange peel as that orange peel citrus flavor goes way over the top. Overall it's a nice pale ale, with some nice hop flavors, lighter fare, great malt flavors, and refreshing. The only real issue is that strong orange peel bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2010 02:30:25 | More by jlindros

erosier

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

L: Pours a golden orange color with a small and almost non-existent head white head that leaves little lacing down the glass.
S: Smells of sweet malts, nice floral and some citrisy hops as well.
T: Tastes like the nose - very nice sweet malty base, and then a big citrisy/floral hop flavor at the end.
M: Smooth, refreshing, but it seemed a bit raw. Nice flavors though.
D: Pretty drinkable, I enjoyed this one alot.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2008 13:55:40 | More by erosier

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was up in Brattleboro, Vermont the other afternoon and stopped in at McNeil's for a pint. They had this on tap but I didn't get a chance to try it. I had opted for their Ruby Ale. Before I left town though I stopped in at the Brattleboro Co-Op, which is a great place to buy beer, and picked up this bottle for only $2.99. What a great deal for some fresh, locally brewed beer!

Champ Ale's label has a picture of a jester along with "Champ" who is the creature akin to the Loch Ness Monster who is supposed to lurk in Lake Champlain.

Pours a deep, golden color with a few inches of thick bubbly white head. Its got a hazy, almost "soft" appearance.

Smells a bit citrusy, a bit sour and a bit like lemonade. There is also a sort of strange yeasty smell to it.

The taste is sort of sour at first, as soon as it hits the tongue. I was worried for a second that it might have been off. However, it appears that it is just a citrus flavor from the hops. As it warms I begin to pick up some fruit flavors and an almost Belgian saison spiciness to this beer. Lots of flavor packed into what brewery owner, Ray McNeill, simply referred to as a "pale ale" when I asked about this at the bar.

Great stuff at a fantastic price!

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2009 01:46:00 | More by indiapaleale

Durge

Connecticut

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the pub in Brattleboro this pale ale is a yellow-ish amber color with a thin white head but good cascading lace. The aroma is mild citrus hop with a bready, vaguely caramel idea. The taste buds pick up rye bread mixed in with the citrus bite, much like I noted in the cask ESB. There’s a nice grapefruit/lime taste that stays steady with a hempy, dusty, almost evergreen grain theme underneath it. The body is on the heavy side of light, with tasteful but delicate carbonation. Highly drinkable and a good choice for the beer lover at large.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 18:09:46 | More by Durge

UnionMade

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours amber gold with a light white head. Aroma is american hoppy with a solid malt base. Light esteriness, mostly apple. Some citrus. Flavor is definitely hoppy. Light to medium body with plenty of hop backing. Herbal and spicy. sort of like SNPA, but with it's own character. Hells yeah.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2003 06:05:37 | More by UnionMade

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 650 ml bomber from the Lebanon, NH Coop.

A: The APA is a pale amber color, like watered down iced tea. Translucent, the ale sits under a white head of nearly half a finger.

S: The nose is grainy, a toasted bisctui aroma that covers up any sign of hoppiness. Mild citrus wafts out after some searching.

T: Biscuity toffee flavors rule the day, a much maltier ale. Tea flavors run alongside the grains, a sweet body that covers up most of its hoppiness. What's there is citrusy and very faint. Not a malt-bomb, just one that is very focused on its own breadiness.

M: The breadiness of the APA is nice, a rich landscape of toffee and biscuit. A little more in the way of hops would really help though.

D: Another solid beer from McNeills. All the horror stories that I've hear are fading away as I sip my way through their line-up.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 21:00:36 | More by akorsak

marc77

California

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Copper hue with a light haze. Well retained ivory white, lofty, dense head leaves lace. Mellow citrus of a ripe tangerine and pink grapefruit dominates the aroma. Secondary are light caramel malt notes and a pine sap tinge as well. Understated, yet enticing aromawise. In flavor, incipient is a lightly acidic, sweetened lemon twang. It is promptly complemented by stately, orange rind bitterness and vibrant orange zest notes. Bready pale malt hints surface as the beer warms, but there is meager outright malt character overall. Vitrually bereft of yeast presence, save a trace persistent tartness. Lightly bodied, perhaps overly so, with a passably dextrinous mouthfeel. Finishes with a brief surge of hop bitterness and lingering clementine hints, which whet the palate for more. In terms of hop flavor, this is perhaps the most purely sweet orange laden APA I've had, having little of the stylistically ubiquitous grapefruit or pine notes. Well balanced and soft overall. With a more pronounced malt backbone this would be excellent. Very tasty, nonetheless, and certainly better than OJ. Thanks to Mikeys01 for the bottle!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2004 00:28:19 | More by marc77

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Champ Ale begins with a rich, malty nose, full of caramelized brown sugars, lychee nut, hints of chocolate malt and milk chocolate, and a good counter of rosewater hops.

On the tongue, the beer starts off slow, with a grape-like flavor mixed in with caramelized brown sugars, then moves to more light fruit esters, including apricot, orange, and berry. These lighter textures are soon joined by a good undercurrent of toasted grains, adding a biscuit/cereal base. Hops are very faint here, noticeable not so much because of their flavor (though they do nicely balance the sugars) but from the tingling they leave on the tongue and soft palate. The aftertaste is a mixture of nicely toasted grains and light pine notes from the hops, and lingers for quite a while. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium to medium-heavy.

Overall, this is good fare, and some lovely citrus and fruit flavors play around on the tastebuds.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 02:56:54 | More by jondeelee

Hagbard

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy deep golden color with some reddish highlights. The beer is not transparent. A thin, soapy, white head forms. The aroma is subtle with a hoppy presence. Slightly fruity. Thankfully, there is more to the taste than their is to the aroma. The taste is very hoppy up front. Immediately a bitterness asserts itself with a florally background. The bitterness mellows a bit allowing some citrus juiciness to assert itself. This beer is seriously hoppy. Much more strongly hopped than most of the more mainstream, tamer IPAs. In fact, without knowing better, I would have assumed this was an IPA. I really like this beer as it has some really nice hop flavor, however it isn't something I would grab when looking for a nice mellow pale ale. If I'm looking for hops...bring it on!

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2005 12:07:42 | More by Hagbard

cavedave

New York

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly cloudy light amber, with a quick to leave off white head that places a bit of lace, and settles to a lively skim.

Smell is yeasty tart, bready like an English bitter, and some floral and lemony citrus hop in a nose that is lighter side of medium strength.

It tastes like a bitter also, but with a tart edge, some caramel, then that English hop fade out herbal bitter at the end, here with some lemony/citrusy bitter added. This is an APA? The simple flavors combine in a balanced and delicious way, esp as it nears room temp.

Nice mouthfeel, very low carb., full bodied for style, and a long fairly clean finish. To nitpick there is just a bit of the lemon taste buildup on palate.

Drinkability, rated against others in style, suffers. Ten better in this style easily spring to mind.

Impression: Another well made McNeill's beer that is good, esp. for price, and tasty, yet not a standout.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 01:19:31 | More by cavedave

Goldorak

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Translucent and orangey golden, with only a ring of lace.

Smell: Clover honey and grapefruit hops. Good stuff.

Taste: Very well balanced. Sweet malt cascades into a light hop bitterness. Low carbonation makes this creamy smooth and very drinkable. APAs like this are rare in my neck of the woods, so I enjoy them when I have the chance.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2005 01:08:02 | More by Goldorak