Bass Pale Ale

Brewed by Samlesbury (InBev UK - InBev)
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Preston, England

everyone knows it... it ain’t new... but it’s the one I rate all the others by... and it’s the one that gets sucked up the most by visitors to the humble abode.

I’ve had this a couple times over the years, both on tap and in bottle/can form. I can’t believe I haven’t rated it until now. Paid $4.99 for four 16 ounce cans at some liquor store in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Pours a lovely dark amber/deep copper, slightly orange brew. Head is beige and off white, creamy with a bit of brown to it. Smellls of warm bread baking in the distance. A very nice looking, nice smelling beer, but that’s where it ends. This is not malty enough and there are not enough hops detected. Bitterness is extremely slight. Aftertaste is all but nonexistent. Some after-taste, but so short lived you won’t remember it. This just isn’t worth the price, and not what one expects from a European beer. A lightweight in the PALE ALE category, if you ask me.

On tap at McInnerney’s, 03/01/07. Clear copper honey with a one finger eggshell head, good retention. Aroma was metallic and fruity with some woody hops and a bit of earthy. Flavor has the same with a bit of sweet toffee towards the finish. Low bitterness. Light to medium body with moderate carbonation.

No real surprises here, its just a solid basic english ale. Its definetly a step up from standard lagers, but the mass production blandness is there. It would be nice if this was more hoppy, but that would probably make it a pale ale. Kinda has that funky english mouthfeel that I cant seem to get used to.

Bottle and draft. Not sure how I forgot to rate this over time. Just a great pub beer and a rather classic ESB. Never fails to deliver.

Draft at a local restaurant. Bitter in tast with a little sweetness in finish. Out of all the common beers that are at most bars I seem to go for this instead of SN or SA.

Bitter yet well-balanced flavor. Just what I expected, this has earned a spot in my fridge.

Draft. A definite easy drinker. Slight bitterness and some sweet almost fruity flavors.