Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale - Black Sheep Brewery PLC

Tupperwolf

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"This ale can be from golden to reddish amber in color with generally a good head retention. A mix of fruity, hoppy, earthy, buttery and malty aromas and flavors can be found."

That's from the Bros' own definition of an English Pale Ale, and could have been written with this beer in mind.

Pours out a golden, orange-amber with a yellowish-white head that rises up to two fingers and hangs about in fluffy cake-frosting mounds, leaving sticky lacing behind. A few very tiny bubbles rise, and the beer is quite clear, with perhaps a bit of chill haze.

This is so English in scent and flavor both; I can smell slightly earthy, creamy malts, and distinctly English hops.

Fruits? Check... Earth, butter, nutty malts? Check. Hoppy? Yep. I really want to call this a Fuggle-hopped beer but I'm not sure - it's definitely got a lot of distinctively English hops. The malt has a ton of character and the hops balance it out, plus a little, with tasty earthy bitterness. The hard water (Burtonized or natural, I'm not sure) is noticeable as well, and likely plays a large role in the flavor of the beer.

The carbonation is good; Slightly frothy, with largeish bubbles that bounce the flavors around and compliment the slightly dry hop finish. No complaints.

I'll admit it - I bought this for the name. I'm not enamored by the British Isles yet - I'm an American/Belgian/German kind of guy - but dang if this doesn't have a good character to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2006 01:06:31 | More by Tupperwolf

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