Mr Sno'balls
Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.

Mr Sno'ballsMr Sno'balls
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From:
Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
English Pale Ale
Ranked #92
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,332
Avg:
3.57 | pDev: 12.89%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
27
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 10, 2022
Added:
Nov 21, 2009
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
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Ratings by rarbring:
Photo of rarbring
Reviewed by rarbring from Sweden

4.22/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Nice orange, light amber color. The rather rich foam settles slowly, leaving residues on the glass.

Smells very fresh of grapefruit and lemon, and a hint of summer meadow.

The first taste is a clean sweetness (no caramel or malty tones) which quickly gives way to a grapefruity juiciness then a hoppy bitterness that lingers a while.

Nice feel of small bubbles, and a freshness that makes me want to try it on the porch a summer evening.
Dec 22, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.69/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Oct. 2010: 330 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.5%. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate carbonation in the glass. OKish aroma of herbal and citric hops, hints of toffee and caramel, also a touch of blackcurrant leaves. Crisp flavour, not too sweet, with notes of toffee and hops, hints of blackcurrants. A moderately grapefruity bitterness in the finish. Quite enjoyable.
Sep 10, 2022
Photo of stcules
Reviewed by stcules from Italy

2.94/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Copper color, scarce and evanescent foam.
Smell of malt and caramel, toasted, light burnt, a bit of citric.
In the taste caramel and roast, sweet but not too much. Few hop.
Not too easy drinkable.
May 21, 2018
 
Rated: 2.88 by dandy14 from Brazil

Nov 03, 2017
 
Rated: 2.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 01, 2014
Photo of heygeebee
Reviewed by heygeebee from Australia

3.51/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
From Leura. BB May 14

Appearance - copper brown, one finger head

Smell - English malts thru and thru

Taste - malts, toffe, caramels, the usual

Mouthfeel- light carbonation.

Overall - a style which is overall very very English. Taste is neither powerful one easy to define, but it is Good Beer.
May 19, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by IanSpindler from Canada (AB)

Feb 27, 2013
Photo of flyingpig
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland

3.41/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A deep copper amber colour with a foamy, off-white head about a thumbs width tall. This settles to a thick looking lacing after a couple of minutes and remains like that for the rest of the beers life.

This one didn't come across as the strongest beer in the world as far as smell was concerned but that's not to say it wasn't a pleasant smell once detected. There was some earthy malts, and perhaps some caramel at the start along with a faint blend of fruits and a hint of citrus. Not a bad smell but far to weak on the nose to fully appreciate.

An unexpected mix of fruits that features some banana, a little citrus, some earthy malts and caramel along with a bit of citrus and some lighter, earthy hops. Quite a good mix of flavours and one that works well together.

Definitely medium bodied and fruity with a slightly citrus light tang and acidity. The finish is quite bitter and despite what the bottle says about it being crisp I would class it as a wet beer and definitely one that leaves you wanting more at the end.

A nice beer that was well balanced and had a good variety of flavours throw into the mix. Not a classic beer but a welcome addition to their range for December anyway and it is certainly better than most other Christmas beers I have tried.
Dec 24, 2012
Photo of FLima
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very small head that vanishes quickly. Surprisingly a dark brown colour (package gave the impression of a light beer), but a positive surprise. Aroma of roasted malt and nuts. Very low carbonation with a medium body. Lots of taste but still light at the same time. Predominant roasted cereals (maybe a little smoked), citric, sweet and bitter. Coffee in the middle. I liked, pity it is a small bottle, and it got better once it warmed up.
Oct 20, 2012
Photo of danieelol
Reviewed by danieelol from Australia

3.43/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Whoa...I didn't realise it looked like that.

It is copper with nice head and lacing.

Smell is banana, teriyaki, faint rauch and roast. Some herbs (Belgian). Some of the promised citrus. Sausage roll; lots of it.

Taste is more of the herbs, more sausage roll and its composite herbs. Decently bitter.

Mouthfeel is fine, medium body and carb; creamy, bitter.

Overall an interesting beer. Probably wouldn't buy again, but worth trying.
May 03, 2012
Photo of joemcgrath27
Reviewed by joemcgrath27 from Canada (AB)

3.47/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - nothing pale about this ale appearance wise, very dark brown, short head dissipated quickly to a few random blobs
S - citrus and spicy hop aromas, mild biscuity and nutty to finish
T - this is a bit of a quagmire (giggidy) , its has hop notes of citrus, earthiness, and peppery spice, some mint and bubble gum, with nutty malt, tasty but hard to pin down
M - light with a cool minty fresh feel throughout, don't think I would call it 'crisp' as the label states but definitely clean and refreshing
O - this beer is an oddity to me, definitely enjoyed it, but its all over the place, which makes it well worth a try
Mar 24, 2012
Photo of IronDjinn
Reviewed by IronDjinn from Canada (AB)

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From a 330 ml brown bottle, best before date on back label listed at MAR 2013. Pours out a deep dark translucent brown hue, a finger's width of creamy beige head that slowly settles.

Toffee with toasted and roasted malt on the nose, a little bit of chocolate, some grassy and floral notes.

Bitter roasted malt up front in the flavour, coffee notes develop, as well as some toastiness, while some mild toffee malt appears near the finish, along with some herbal and grassy notes on the finish. Aftertaste starts to reveal some citrus character.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel on the thinner side, some velvety texture although can be a bit watery at times, carbonation is on the low side.

An interesting twist on the style, almost a style of it's own as a Black Pale Ale, similar to the Black IPA or Cascadian. The Roasted Barley tends to steal the show and dominate the bulk of the flavour profile though. Worth a second shot.
Jan 22, 2012
Photo of CrazyMike
Reviewed by CrazyMike from Canada (AB)

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pitch black appearance with a small amount of brown head that slowly settles down leaving some lacing. Smell consists of citrus, nuts, fruit and toffee. Nothing too strong though.

Taste is similar to the smell, mainly consists of citrus, toffee, nuts and a strong emphases on malt. Picked up some bread, brown sugar with a hint of chocolate and coffee. Clean with a good combination of tastes. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Aftertaste is bitter with a lingering malt taste.

Not a bad winter beer, it's refreshing and drinkable. First beer from Harviestoun and it’s encouraging me to drink more.
Dec 12, 2011
Photo of leaddog
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)

3.67/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - Was taken by surprise by its dark brown, opaque colour (considering its ABV). Very thin white head.

Smell - Sweet citrus fruits, faint aroma of tropical fruits. Very sweet and tangy smelling overall.

Taste - Taste of the citrus is there, as well as a roasted characteristic that I can't quite put my finger on. Not too bitter. Very unique and interesting taste.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied pale ale with nice amount of carbonation. Goes down smooth, a little creamy as well.

Overall - I was very surprised with this one. When the bottle says "crisp, clean, citrus", I expected a pale golden brew to pour out. Not entirely sure if this really should be classified as an English "pale" ale. A unique beer from Harviestoun.
Dec 04, 2011
Photo of wordemupg
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)

3.45/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
330ml bottle poured into tulip 30/11/11

A clear dark copper with no visible carbonation but a short lived film of dark tan head that leaves a fair bit of random lace somehow

S nutty leafy hops with a little citrus and dark toffee, smells a little tame in terms of intensity

T a little brown sugar and rye bread on top of what I smell, just a little coffee and faint milk chocolate

M medium bodied and although it has more bubbles then whats visible that's not saying much, earthy after taste is faint

O not overly exciting but nothing for the brewer to be ashamed of, there's some complexity but lacking intensity flavors and smells a little faint

average beer from most breweries but considering Harviestoun's lineage this one was a bit of a disappointment, worth trying but perhaps I'm a little spoiled by their barrel aged stouts
Dec 01, 2011
Photo of Converge
Reviewed by Converge from Canada (AB)

3.62/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
330ml bottle poured into 16oz pint glass.

A - Bubbly tan head off the pour. Really dark amber hue. No retention. No lacing.

S - Earthy hops, roasted malt, and distinct smokiness. Light cirusy notes are present along with caramel malt.

T - Light leafy hops and smooth caramel malt upfront. Not as zesty or citrusy to me as others, but it's still there. Nuts, toffee and roasted malt all make an appearance. Not getting much from the hops though; they feel really subdued. They're not really even buried under the malty goodness here, as there's plenty of room for them to shine through, but they just don't. Still a great flavor profile, and I love the smokey malts.

M - Pretty hefty body for a 4.5% ABV beer. Little carbonation present, but due to the weight in the body and the smoky and roasted flavors, I don't really mind.

D - Not particularly seasonal tasting, but still very enjoyable. Definitely an English pale ale, with the lack of hops/bitterness, and the strong focus on malt.
Nov 20, 2011
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.65/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330ml bottle. A not entirely welcome reminder of the looming change of seasons 'round here in the Great White North. It also sounds a little too much like something a little girl would name her cat.

This beer pours a clear, dark rusty brown hue, with one skinny finger of thin, bubbly, and foamy beige head, which leaves a decent hanging arch array of lace around the glass as things fall away.

It smells predominantly of biscuity, bready caramel malt, nutty milk chocolate notes, a twinge of juicy citrus, and earthy, dusty hops. The taste is more biscuity malt, but softened a fair bit further by the bittersweet chocolate, nuts, shy citrus, and leafy, earthy hops.

The carbonation is not quite sedate, with a slight twinge here and there, the body a near medium weight, and agreeably smooth. It finishes off-dry, the biscuity malt still there, with a growing flinty edge that somewhat muddles the latent floral, obfuscated citrus hops.

Not quite sure about this one - it's definitely more of an English Brown Ale, for reasons self-evident, perhaps the recipe changed for its North American debut. It's definitely drinkable, even though the proclaimed 'crisp, clean, citrus' is reflected minimally, at best, and the low-ebbing flinty edge seems poised to rise up at any given moment.
Oct 27, 2011
Photo of dgilks
Reviewed by dgilks from Australia

3.38/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear amber colour with a smooth, creamy, light tan head. Fair head retention.

Slightly metallic malt aroma with some light earthy hops. Okay.

Simple malt profile with a touch of metallic character. Good bitterness and a touch of citrus. Decent.

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. Good.

A decent little Pale Ale. Nice flavour but the malt is a touch metallic.
Sep 26, 2011
Photo of Brabander
Reviewed by Brabander from Netherlands

3.03/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Review from notes. I got this bottle form my buddy Craig, Zimbo in Scotland. Drank it some months ago but completely forgot to review it. It is always good to have notes. Here we go!

Poured in my Struise glass the beer looks ok, darkyellow fluid with two fingers foam. Almost no carbonation, a pity.

This beer should be crisp but i could not detect that. Also no citrus on the palate. This is not a wrong beer but very flat with a dry taste.
Sep 18, 2011
Photo of MrKennedy
Reviewed by MrKennedy from Australia

3.2/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
330ml bottle purchased from Slowbeer with thanks to bluebetty for organising! Poured into a Murrays tulip style glass.

Pours a light copper colour, with a relatively see-through appearance. Has a one and a half finger head of white foam that recedes to just a touch more than film. Not a lot of lacing.

Smell is initially of honey, followed by a little bit of citrus. A touch of caramel is there as well. The aromas are relatively restrained, but defined.

Taste is of caramel and sweet malt with just a little bit of an off-putting malty tang to it that has you having second thoughts.

Mouthfeel is ok, decent body for the style. Not a lot of bitterness late as you would expect from a traditional Scottish brewery.

Overall a well brewed beer that is restrained with a little bit of definition. The tanginess does detract a little and is something that stops me ordering any more. The first beer from this brewery that has failed to live up to expectations.
Aug 20, 2011
Mr Sno'balls from Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 27 ratings