Monkey's Fist Pale Ale - Sail and Anchor Pub Brewery

PolarBear3

Australia

2.48/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Poured a pale amber colour with an off white head that disippated quickly leaving very little lace. Disappointing.

S - I get a little apricot and some peach but not much at all really

T - Citrus sweet fruits including the peach and a little hoppy with some spice and I also get a little musk or candy at the back end.

M - Medium carbonation and fairly light in body.

O - Very disappointing this one for a pale ale. Glad I only brought one becauseI reckon I would not be able to finish another. Pass

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 09:18:04 | More by PolarBear3

Kulrak

Australia

2.93/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly cloudy straw color with zero head (as I have come to expect from Sail and Anchor beers). There does seem to be a couple streams of bubbles though. That's more than the last 2 had. I'm really having trouble smelling anything but water on this one. The taste is of some cascadian hops, very faintly, and some malty sweetness. Not too bad at all. Mouthfeel is heavy and that's about it. Overall, I like it. They could have used more aroma hops, and maybe some more carbonation, but the flavor is there.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 11:03:52 | More by Kulrak

heygeebee

Australia

2.58/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

From notes. From Dannos.

Pours Amber clear one finger head. Sporadic lace

Bready doughy malts on nose.

Taste is Dull and sadly stale, with apricot doughy malts again. No real hops. A Little lemonade like sweetness

Mouthfeel is Ok for style.

Really, this is a poor example in what is a crowded market.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 00:59:27 | More by heygeebee

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.1/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours amber with a fading white head.
Sweet malty aroma along with some vegetal notes and soft spicy hops.
Malty flavours too with a little caramel even showing up in there. Pretty inoffensive. Not too bad.
Light body.
A bit bland but far from bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 05:04:47 | More by CrazyDavros

doktorhops

Australia

3.03/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Last of the new Sail & Anchor beers in the free beer taste test: Monkey's Fist Pale Ale. "The one with the unexpected punch!" proclaims the back label, "We'll see" says I.

Poured from a 345ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Presents with a clear amber body. There is a thin white head sitting atop, English Ale style.

S: Combination of citrus, passion & stone fruit hops with a straight biscuit base malt and chilled mineral water. Not as full on as brews like Murray's or Stone & Wood, hoping the flavour picks up the slack here.

T: Not a great deal happening with this one; yes the above aromas present their respective flavours but aside from some hop bitterness at the finish it's a very average APA indeed - not even close to Murray's, Stone & Wood or Little Creatures. Disappointing that all four of the Sail & Anchor beers taste-tested were lacking in flavour as with anything beer related flavour is indeed king.

M: Slight dense carbonation with a mid to light body.

D: Too easy to drink! No challenge for the taste buds and ultimately frustrating that a brew with promise seems to be made for the pseudo-craft-drinking market. That being said it does fare better than James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale, which is an abomination, so it has at least one thing going for it.

Food match: I would aim for something Middle-Eastern, not too spicy, like lamb with a harissa rub and Moroccan couscous or eggplant turnovers, tomato rice, lentils and saffron rice.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 09:15:45 | More by doktorhops