McEwan's India Pale Ale - The Caledonian Brewery Company Limited

Jason

Massachusetts

2.88/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: Weak looking head, clarity is fine though.

Smell: Smells of shortbread, a touch fruity … where are the hops?

Taste: Maltiness is slightly feeble, light on the palate with a cracker like graininess. Bitterness tastes processed like an extract perhaps and light at that, just gets to the balancing point and goes no further. Maltiness drops a little residual sweetness in the end.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, faintly crisp. Lacks in fullness and depth.

Drinkability & Notes: Quite drinkable, it actually goes down real easy like a light ale would. Sad thing is this is not labeled as a light ale, labeled as an IPA makes this beer somewhat of a sham. I have had pale ales that are bigger than this! At $9 a six-pack don’t waste your dough.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2002 18:45:08 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

2.38/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Presentation: 12oz European brown bottle, red labeling and a picture of the weird smiling pirate guy wearing a funny fu-fu hat. No freshness date

Appearance: A brown beer, with light copper hues. Pours a moderate healthy looking creamy white patchy head.

Smell: Bitter hops, floral aromas, toasted malts, some caramel.

Taste: Creamy mouthfeel, followed by an even semi-sweet malt flavour. Grain, a touch of caramel and toasted malt flavours. Little malt character. Alcohol notes. Bitterness is limey, floral and tea-like, becoming more pronounced by a fine, dry, champagne-like carbonation. Finishes grain dry.

Notes: An unusual IPA. First, it's Scottish. Second, it taste nothing like a traditional IPA and holds none of the characteristics that you might expect (big malts and big hops to balance). I'll pass on this one. Not to style and a rather bland brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2001 00:00:01 | More by Todd

BGsWo22

New York

1.25/5  rDev -57.2%

03-20-2013 22:56:15 | More by BGsWo22

spycow

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev +11.3%

03-10-2013 20:40:52 | More by spycow

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +19.9%

01-13-2013 18:46:54 | More by outoffocus

cliff1066

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -14.4%

01-06-2013 05:17:30 | More by cliff1066

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev +2.7%

01-01-2013 05:08:53 | More by t0rin0

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

12-17-2012 15:18:45 | More by stereosforgeeks

beerpadawan

California

2.5/5  rDev -14.4%

08-27-2012 00:18:14 | More by beerpadawan

djrn2

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

03-20-2012 14:13:33 | More by djrn2

jfcaa193

Connecticut

2/5  rDev -31.5%

02-19-2012 02:22:23 | More by jfcaa193

irishkyle21

Ontario (Canada)

2/5  rDev -31.5%

01-17-2012 16:21:08 | More by irishkyle21

Kahlerbock

Kansas

2.5/5  rDev -14.4%

01-12-2012 17:13:54 | More by Kahlerbock

rab53

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev +2.7%

12-05-2011 05:10:47 | More by rab53

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev +2.7%

11-27-2011 14:58:58 | More by Rochefort10nh

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Looks like a faint brown ale, almost no head, aroma was lacking hops but did have a fruity tomacco (yeah like the Simpsons episode) aroma that was enjoyable.

The brown ale comparison really comes out in the taste, this doesn't even taste like a weak English ipa, this is just like a mild brown ale. It is what it is. Expensive and disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2010 17:35:02 | More by Beerandraiderfan

AgentZero

Illinois

2.23/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Brown, kind of like a caramel color, somewhat odd I thought. Not much of a head, just a 1/2 a finger of bubbles that dissapeared quickly leaving no lacing.

S - Somewhat grainy, slightly malty, more of that than any hopes.

T - This is not good, and I don't think it's an IPA. Tastes more like a somewhat creamy, crappy english bitter that was poured out of a can. Too sweet, not enough hops.

M - Thin, needs more bubbles.

D - Not hard to get down, but I don't want too have anymore.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 20:31:10 | More by AgentZero

tatoodkelt

Maryland

3/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had heard that McEwans wasnt going to be imported much longer so back in December I was lucky enough to score a couple of the scotch ales which I am a big fan of as well as one of these.

Consumed 12/10/2009- from notes.

Brown 12oz bottle as shown poured into a pint glass.

A- Poured a clear rusty brown with a thin soapy white head that faded away quick. It was almost all red when held up to the light. Not much in the way of carbination or lacing.

S- Sweet malts, almost a Log Cabin syrup smell. Not bad, just not what I expected.

T- Pretty much matched the nose with the addition of some light fuits. Didnt seem to be much of a hop presence.

M- Light to medium bodied, a little thinner than I expected. Not any where near as much carbination as I've come to associate with IPA's.

D- Worth a try for a different take on an IPA but I wont be looking for this one a again.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 14:22:54 | More by tatoodkelt

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a dark amber-mahogany with a thin, creamy, quickly dissipating white head.

S: toasty and bready with a light floral hopping.

T: The initial flavor was dark, sweet malt, with a light smokiness and earthy tones. The sweet malt hopping dominates the palate with only a very light hoppiness and fruitiness in the finish.

M: a touch thin, smooth and lightly carbonated.

D: Drinks more like a Scottish ale, very sweet malting with earthy hopping. A decent drink by itself but many will be disappointed in the hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 23:43:43 | More by beerthulhu

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.9/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured dark caramel color, unusual for an IPA. Had a ruby color tint in the light, no head to note. Nose was almost more malts than hops. Tasted of SOME hops, little bitterness, but not as hoppy as I would like. Perhaps I am waaay to accustom to West Coast IPAs now. I would say for an English IPA it would do the trick.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 21:19:01 | More by barleywinefiend

changeup45

Florida

1.8/5  rDev -38.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Sampled in 2004. When I first tried this beer I really liked it. I must have been drunk. I'm glad I've had it again to give it the correct review. IPA? Not even close. IPAs are one of my favorite styles and this has got to be the worst one I've had. This had a dark brown body, a little heavy, with a fairy thick head and a decent amount of lace. The color looks nothing like an IPA. Hops? Hardly any. Are they sure they put the right label on this? Wow. Somewhat smooth, but not a fan of the flavor at all. A scotchy malt flavor is the best way I can describe it. Or a mild version of their Scotch Ale, which I found disgusting. Maybe I'll get it again in a year or so to see what I think then.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2008 19:12:02 | More by changeup45

frischd

Ohio

1.3/5  rDev -55.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

My wife poured this into a pint glass when I tried it. I could swear she had a Jack Daniels, "Jack and Cola". The color is a dark caramel color with a nice head. With the first sip I gag a little. After each drink it become easier to go down. But over all it was a challenge to drink the whole bottle. Being a huge fans of hops and IPA I was let down. I am still confuse why this is called an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2008 19:40:25 | More by frischd

JamesS

Indiana

3/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a wonderful dark copper color, almost a barleywine in tint, with a nice head and nice lacing. A rather weak aroma, a bit of malt (strange for a PA), but not much else. An odd taste for a PA, more malty than hoppy, not really bitter at all. The nice little bit of smokiness saved it from being below average. Goes down pretty smoothly, though.

Try it for a different take on an English IPA, but not if you really want a normal IPA beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2008 04:11:53 | More by JamesS

BBM

New York

3.38/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer pours a deep brown with amber highlights and almost no head. The aroma is earthy and herbal, with that slight twangy sweetness you find in other Scottish ales.

Certainly not in the vain of other IPAs you may be used to, the order of the day here is more herbal and tea-like, with a burnt sweetness colliding with the bitter herbal hop finish. Think of it as an English pale with a Scottish flare and you're almost there. Mouthfeel is medium-thin and well carbonated. This beer is perfectly sessionable and fine to drink as long as you're not expecting an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2007 13:54:12 | More by BBM

Mudpuppet

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Poured an almost brown color with very little head into an imperial pint glass.

S- Sweet, malty nose with very little hops.

T- It isn't a bad tasting beer but I am with everyone else when they say they thought try got the wrong beer. Until I looked on BA I thought it was labeled incorrectly. I am not a huge blow-your-face-off hops fan and wanted an English IPA with balanced hop presence but this is not an IPA at all. I would call this a brown ale with a nutty almost caramel flavor.

M- This has good carbonation for a brown ale but maybe a bit low for an IPA.

D- It isn't great but very drinkable. I could drink this as a session beer without a problem. GIve it a shot but remember it isn't a IPA!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2007 19:50:29 | More by Mudpuppet