Farsons Blue Label Ale

Brewed by Simonds Farsons Cisk
Style: Mild Ale
Mriehel, Malta

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Brought back from a recent holiday in Malta, as ever, the beer never quite gives the same impact as in it's natural home. The beer is a hangover from when Malta was used as a British Navy base, reminding the Jack Tars of home. The label describes the beer as smooth and mild, but in fact I recieved a cloying sweetness that masked many of the beers characteristics. The taste is thin with no evidence of bitterness, the malty sweetness is not allowed to develop into alcohol. In the heat of Malta this can be quite refreshing, but in the dampness of a UK winter there is not enough to keep you interested. Moral, drink it before you leave the island.

Brown 25cl bottle, best before 10 Sept 2010, drank on a sunny evening early June 2010. Poured into Palm Special tulip. Amber, clear, yet darker than your average Pale Mild. Off white bubbley head sat on top, the thickness fell away slowly to leave a high collar and wispy, but full covering. Roasted, toasted malts hit the nose, not over-stated, but there all the same. The malts carry on into the taste, some hop bitterness is evident, but the malts smooth those away to give an easy drinking beer that is ideal when you’re hot and don’t want a lager/pilsner based beer. It would/could be easy to knock down its mouthfeel, but at 3.3%ABV I feel it holds its own more than a lot of weaker strenghted Milds. As far as I know this brewery is the only one in the Med that brews ales, and long may it do so. It is also one of the reasons I’ve been on holiday to Malta four times!

Can 330ml.

Clear medium amber colour with a average to large, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, malt extract, light roasted, light to moderate hoppy, hop extract. Flavour is moderate sweet and light bitter with a average duration. Body is medium to light, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft. [20111208]

Canned. Amber colour, mediumsized off-white head. Aroma is fruity and floral with some mild caramel and mild wooden notes. Flavour is caramel, some toffee, mild grass and some quite bitter notes.

Pours a medium amber color. Aroams of caramel malts and some hops. Flavor is kind of thin, sweet, with some hop bitterness.

UPDATED: FEB 28, 2012 Can in Sliema, Malta. Light amber colour with an off white head. Fruity nose. A mild hoppy flavour with a light sweet malty note.

Bottle. This was my staple diet at the evening entertainment at the hotel whilst on holiday in Malta during September 2011, so it holds happy memories. Plenty of body for its low strength woth a bronze appearance. Surprised itsc classed as a mild-to my mind its a dark bitter. Much nicer than drinking Euro Fizzz lager. Pleasant and very drinkable.

33cl. can from Valletta, Malta. It pours a clear copper-reddish liquid with a small-medium thinly lasting white head that leaves little lacing. The aroma is mild but all right, with roasted malts, caramel, herbal hops and even a distant licorice touch. It tastes likewise, intenser and pleasant, with a medium sweetness, low-medium bitterness and a sour touch. In the mouth it feels mild but lively carbonated, smooth and quite thick, with a medium body and a dry bitter-sweet finish, with an aftertaste of caramel, malts and herbs. A slight metallic touch can be sensed, but does not spoil a pretty decent brew. Presentation is colourful and quite nice and original for an impressive beer: quite rich, pleasantly flavoured and only 3.3% ABV! Well done.

Bottle in a Malta bar. Clear amber pour with an off white head. Aroma and flavour of malt with some fruit. Bland but drinkable.

Nice dark amber pour with an off white head. True to its style it is mild in aroma and flavor, a little bit of malt not much else. Not sure if it is the beer or the style but a pretty forgettable beer.

Draught. Beautiful red-brown color with a beautiful head. Low-alcohol beer : 3.3% ABV. A very nice beer. Like often, it’s a lot better on tap (Tried it in Malta) than bottle and a lot more than can.