St. Austell Tribute Premium Cornish Ale - St. Austell Brewery

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottle my parents brought back from London. From notes.

A - Poured coppery in colour with a one finger white head. Bright with good carbonation. A little spotty lace and a film of retention.

S - Mild grassy hop, citrus, fruity aroma.

T - Citrus, caramelly, earthy.

M - Good carbonation, medium body, fruity sorta ale yeast finish.

O/D - Decent enough. Could use a bit of tinkering but it's alright. Couldn't have as much of it as other examples of the style. Probably would get boring, but OK for a pint.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 20:22:12 | More by tbeckett

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

500ml Bottle from Asda (£1.99):
Bright, amber brown to copper colour with a thick looking lacing for a head that looks like a layer of foam on top of the clear beer.

Solid bitter aroma to start with strong earthy notes and a lot of bitterness along with some caramel and earthy notes. There is an earthy hop aroma to but this is followed by an unexpected citrus aroma and some sweeter fruits along with a few floral notes.

Earthy malts and subdued hops from the nose there is the citrus taste as well but this is more up front than it was on the nose. There is a trace of biscuit and some caramel too along with lemon zest and a touch of spice.

Medium and smooth body with medium to moderate bitterness and the slightest of citrus tangs on top of this. Well balanced and easy to drink with a crisp, well carbonated finish.

A basic bitter but has the nice addition of some citrus fruits added on top that gives it a new dimension and helps it go down pretty easily. Whilst not one that I'd go back to all that often, this one is a nice beer and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 19:23:04 | More by flyingpig

FLima

Brazil

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Amber color. Made a two finger head that dissipated quickly.
Sweet aroma of caramels, tropical fruits and herbal hops. Hints of plums and citrus.
Delicious taste, malty and sweet. Touches of oranges, tropical fruits, Brazilian guaraná, biscuits, toffee and malts that are hard to find elsewhere. Pleasant bitterness that slowly fades away making you beg for another sip.
Light to medium body with medium carbonation with small bubbles.
Very well balanced being able to match a myriad of flavors, from nice malts and hops and still being very refreshing and with high drinkability. Top notch beer for all occasions.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 16:45:44 | More by FLima

Jetulio

Spain

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle poured into a Pint glass
App---amber colour with a white head (1,5 finger) not lasting
Aroma--- malt, citron and wet herbs
Taste--- starts with a mix of light citrus and bitterness, bitterness lasting for a good while in a dry finish (for an English ale)
Mouthfeel--- medium body & carbonation, great balance in mouth with a nice dry finish
Overall--- balanced and classical but the dry touch at the end adds a little innovation for an English ale

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 20:15:59 | More by Jetulio

KarlosT

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this beer at Ye Olde Fighting Cocke in St. Albans England. This is the (or one of the) oldest Public (Pub) places in England. Very neat old octagonal structure, with several beers on tap.

On my recent trip to Europe (Germany & England), this was by far the best beer that I had. With all of the micro-brews in the US, it seems to me that most of the US brews are more interesting and have more character than any beer that I tried in these 2 countries. Perhaps I know where to look in the US, since most of my European brews weren't significantly different from Budweiser.

Not sure how to translate English to American, but this "Cornish Ale" sure tasted like an IPA to me. And surprisingly, like a West-Coast IPA ... it definitely had strong citrus flavors. Be curious as to where they get their hops. Sure seemed like Citra and Cascade.

The flavor was smooth, with a medium hoppiness for an IPA. There were definitely the citrus (grapefruit) flavors as noted early. The appearance and mouthfeel were consistent with a high quality IPA. I tend to find that several IPA's have a metal after-taste ... that was pleasently absent from this beer (good).

For me ... I could not detect an aroma with this beer. It almost seemed odorless. All I could conclude was that they do not dry-hop their beer.

Nevertheless, I found this to be a very enjoyable IPA, and look forward to having it again in the future. And this was my favorite beer out of 10+ that were tried on this European adventure.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2012 10:57:04 | More by KarlosT

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another one of the popular cask ales that we sampled on our vacation to England.
Amber color with bronze hilghts around the edge of the glass. Short, tight foam that lasted nicely. Rich aroma of biscuity malt and citrus fruitiness. Smell almost resembled the orange zest in a wheat beer. Fresh flavor that combined malt and hops. Grapefruit tang from the hops leave a slightly oiliness, but it is erased by the crisp, dry finish.
Great enjoyed in the sunny beer garden.

Serving type: cask

09-23-2012 21:40:08 | More by BigBry

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale amber with a white head. Good lacing.

S: A dry spicy hops smell. Beautiful.

T: Oh, light body. Tangy. No deep flavours to carry the hops. The bumf on the bottle describes a 'full bodied malt flavour' but it seems like exactly the opposite. Not watery though, just lacking bass. Nice floral aftertaste. Lovely spicy hoppiness.

O: Summery. Just needs something extra in the mix.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 08:30:27 | More by Hoppsbabo

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Barley sugar coloured body with thin but big bubbled white head.

Hops and syrup on the nose with some wheat cracker in there too.

Clean tasting and yes it does make you think of Cornwall nice mix of crisp malts and biting hop finish with an unusual effect of bringing a good quality to a mineral taste to a beer.

Easy drinking goes through the mouthfeel and makes a highly enjoyable ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 18:05:31 | More by EmperorBevis

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, best before April 2013.

This beer pours a clear, pale golden amber hue, with two fingers of broadly foamy off-white head, which leaves a low-slung ring of webbed lace around the glass as it sinks away.

It smells of crisp biscuity malt, muddled citrus peel, and earthy, floral, grassy hops. The taste is bready, restrained biscuit malt, a slight buttery character, which lends a slight toffee note, amongst some plucky herbal, earthy, and leafy hops.

The bubbles are quite restrained, the body a simmering medium weight, and tacitly smooth. It finishes fairly hoppy, the aforementioned noble bitter essences blending nicely with the latent toffee and biscuit malt tendencies.

A pretty enjoyable English bitter - bitter - natch, as well as grainy, and biscuity, all in proper proportion, the amp tuned just right. And, with the forgiving ABV, one could sensibly session the hell right out of this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 04:36:18 | More by biboergosum

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Jim at Sherbrooke for the sample. From a 500 ml brown bottle. Pours out a slightly hazed light amber hue, tall rocky white head that retains to a thick cap.

Spicy herbal hops in the aroma, some toasty and sweet toffee notes linger in the background.

Toasty and sweet bready malt up front in the flavour, some toffee sweetness, rounded out with earthy, spicy, herbal hops, with bitter leafy herbal hops lingering on in the aftertaste.

Medium-light bodied mouthfeel, smooth slippery texture, with moderate carbonation.

Clean offering of an English Bitter, hits all the right notes, well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:31:04 | More by IronDjinn

ckollias

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed this bottle out of a large porter glass.

A: Pours a clear copper hue with a 2-finger white head that quickly dissipates into a solid persistent lace leaving a decent trail down the glass.

S: Slightly tart and floral citrus notes in the aroma.

T: Floral and citrus flavors with hints of toffee and biscuits with a dry bitter finish.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Decent English Bitter – Easily drinkable but not the best I’ve ever had.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 01:11:10 | More by ckollias

janubio

Spain

3/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500 ml. bottle. Clear amber colour, decent head, but doesn´t hold for a minute. Smell of hops, resine, pine and some citrus. Medium body, not much carbonation, taste is mild, herbal, citrus and I think I fell some cask. Sure I'll have another one if a have a chance, but there's really nothing special in it.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 20:10:16 | More by janubio

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear reddy amber colour with a decent.

Smells fresh and hoppy.

Tastes rather hoppy too, definitely balanced nicely but more hoppy than malty. Accompanying citrus, and slightly herbal taste you get with yankee hops.

Overall quite a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 22:10:35 | More by CwrwAmByth

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served from a cask into an imperial pint glass in London, England. Cost was 3.60 GBP. Reviewed from notes.

A: Colour is a hazy shiny bright copper. The head is one finger of nice slight cream, decent thickness, and average retention.

Sm: Lovely bright fruit esters, light pleasant malt, and full barley. Quite appealing. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Light cream undertones throughout. Full but unobtrusive barley forms the foundation. The pleasant esters from the nose don't come through as much as I'd like. It's balanced but muted. No boldness or inspiration here.

Mf: Far too wet and smooth, making it difficult for the flavours to really come out.

Dr: Easy to drink, but priced highly. ABV is on the low side of average. I wouldn't have it again. Would be better on-draught.

Serving type: cask

12-26-2011 22:01:27 | More by kojevergas

StJamesGate

New York

4.22/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Amber gold with loose white foam that disappointingly fades fast. Red grapefruit and pomegranate, toasted hazelnut and touch of citrus oil - bright, fruity and appetizing.
Cherry scone, vanilla, melted caramel and smooth butter cookie malts with a hint of golden raisin or honey pear then Willamette blackberry and cedary orange from the hops.
Orange sorbet end and sandalwood linger. Smooth, round, medium.

Big juicy perfumed bitter with layers of fruit giving way to more oily spice - not always easy to tell which is malt and which is hops. St Austell uses American hops very judiciously. Unique, first rate bitter.

3rd top beer in a row from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 21:09:54 | More by StJamesGate

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a nonic pint glass at Dirty Dick's, London
It pours a brassy golden color with a medium-sized bubbly white head along with some patchy and trailing lacing.
Smells of dried hay, resinous hops, dry wild flowers, green apple and limes are noticed throughout in varying degrees.
A taste of green tea flows forward, dry biscuity malt and a slightly metallic hop bitterness inches through. A hint of limes and a lingering minty herbal flavor inches in as it warms.
Really a delightful, easy drinker!

Serving type: cask

10-18-2011 12:13:03 | More by BeerResearcher

stcules

Italy

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer with a slightly coppery orange color, with a compact and creamy foam (on average).
The smell is very fresh, with tempting notes of mandarin and citrus fruits well in evidence.
Even in the mouth you can find the same notes, with well present mandarin, citrus and orange peel, all on a sweet malt anything but cloying.
Even in the aftertaste you pick the same feeling, with a final freshness that allows to drink with great ease.
Beer well-balanced, easy to drink but difficult to brew. It’s very moreish.

Serving type: cask

10-14-2011 19:23:47 | More by stcules

Trizzle

United Kingdom (England)

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Faultless pour. Thick dense white head with great retention. Settles to a crystal clear just pale Amber body.

Very little in the nose. Muesli malt and some subtle peppery grassy hop hints.

A medium thin body with low cask carb, dry malt with some lactose like sugars are a solid backbone. Lemon zest and peppery hops give nice bittering and some extra zing. Finishes dry and moreish.

Great summer time ale.

Serving type: cask

07-09-2011 17:27:40 | More by Trizzle

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Handpump halfpint goblet at the Prince Regent.

A: Clear light amber body with a lovely finger of soft, delicate white foam. Great retention and lacing. Beautiful.

S: Hops dominate, with floral, herbal, and piney aromas giving it great character. Maybe even some lemony citrus. Very hoppy for what it is. I'm a fan.

T: Hops start things off with a floral kick, and are soon joined by lightly sweet, biscuity malt. Cleanly bitter, fruity finish. Tasty, but not as well-integrated as it could be: the hops while not terribly strong by any standards, are a bit harsh in context.

M: Medium body, low carbonation. Standard cask feel.

O: Not bad at all. I won't be looking to have this one again, but it's certainly worth trying if you're looking for a real ale that delivers solid hoppiness despite a nigh-session ABV.

Cheers!

Serving type: cask

06-15-2011 01:31:58 | More by woosterbill

markbatonrouge

Louisiana

4.38/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Ahhhh.... a summer of drinking English bitters/brown ales. I love that there's such a nice resurgence of cask ales in the UK since I last spent a summer there.

But my favorite of the summer was Tribute. It's clearly typical of style as a brown-ish English ale, but it also very nicely moves beyond style. The nose and the taste are key. There's a floral-ness to it, almost moving in the direction of an American-style pale ale. Indeed, this brewery clearly knows how to use hops for both flavoring (late in the boil) and for some aroma (dry hopped?).

There are definitely better styles of beer in the world today. But I still love those English cask ales, and they're tough to beat as session beers. This is one of the best. I'm back in the states now, and I'll definitely miss hitting my local for a pint of Tribute.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2010 22:06:56 | More by markbatonrouge

rarbring

Sweden

3.15/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear brass with copper colored beer, an off-white head leaving lacing.

A weak malty smell, dried grass, some lemon acidity.

The taste is an odd mixture of grape, licorice and a dry bitter finish.

Medium carbonation, a very distinct dry finish.

Hard to judge this beer is, another day I might enjoy it more.

On-tap at The White Horse, Soho.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2010 15:03:30 | More by rarbring

fullsweep

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Imperial pint served on cask at the Oysterhead in Polzeath, Cornwall.

A: Deep, golden amber beer, minimal head and lacing from the cask.

S: Summery, ripe banana and some delicate florals.

T: Very mellow with flavours of ripe banana and golden syrup--much sweeter than the bottled version, but yet not overpowering.

M: Very little carbonation--very smooth, goes down easy.

D: Dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: cask

06-14-2010 21:11:35 | More by fullsweep

mdbeerlover11

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was a wonderful surprise. I am here in London studying abroad when I stumbled upon a pub with my friends in which we discovered this hidden gem. I asked the barkeep for a recommendation. They followed by asking what I liked and I said surprise me! This is a wonderful beer with a sweet taste but by no means overpowering. It has a great poor and looks great with the golden yellow color. It may seem weak and inferior to other dark beers of Europe but I promise you, Tribute will make your trip wonderful.

Not too frothy, good color, great taste, sweet not bitter, pours well, and drinks veryyy smooth. Please try it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2010 01:28:09 | More by mdbeerlover11

weiht

Singapore

4.53/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm a typical english ale kinda guy, and when I was travelling around england couple of months ago I tried as many as I can. Till this day, every cell in my body still cries out for another pint of tribute as my country in asia doesnt have this.

Beer wasn't as clear in appearance, had a nice mild inviting smell to it. Taste is pale ale at its best, not too overly bitter. Some beers greet you with an immediate big taste but goes flat after that. This one is the opposite, it grows on you and you just want another pint. The aftertaste is very pleasant and still taste wonderful even after it has lost some temperature.

it goes down smoothly, and im not sure if its anything to do with the cornish waters

Serving type: cask

10-29-2009 05:54:13 | More by weiht

DerBayer

Germany

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a real nice Bitter and confirms my growing appreciation of the style. In fact other than Butcombe this is pretty much my favourite.

It has a nice fruity mildly bitter smell. It is also slightly spicey - is it coriander I taste? Hmm very nice composition in all and does not have an overly dry aftertaste

Another round please!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2009 20:11:16 | More by DerBayer