1.6 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 1/5 OVERALL 5/20
hand bottled bottle - i think it lost all carbonation - was flat, meaty, sour and pretty much undrinkable. will update if i can get a better bottle or visit the brewery.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask, GBBF. Orange color, cloudy. I can hardly notice the aroma, but the taste is big. Too big, in fact. Loads of hops and blackcurrant. Harsh and oily. Some oak and licorice. Medium to full bodied, harsh and heavy for an ale.
3.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Pours a lightish amber with a light mist of head. Kind of dull looking. Strong hoppy aroma. Flavor is mostly hops, with malts merely providing balance. Very citric, with bitterness carrying through the entire sip. Not quite as bitter as the aroma would suggest, but good enough for me.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle: Good nose,piney & citrus. Great hazy reddish orange color. Bittersweet light bodied with a long finish. I could drink a bunch of these. Another winner from Mcneills
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
NERAX '03: Hazy deep orange color, stale earthy hops, a bit flat (for cask). However, it was better than the sum of its parts and was enjoyable.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JUL 22, 2004 7/11/01 Is it an IPA or a pale ale? The bottle says two things, but on tasting, the huge hoppiness and strong aftertaste are much more becoming of an IPA. I think fans of the style will appreciate the power of the hops and the sour/bitterness; I appreciated the great citrusy (grapefruit) nose and beautiful amber color.
5/21/02 I've grown to appreciate IPAs and hoppier Pales more in the past year, so I'm bumping this up a bit. Still not McNeills' best (the Ruby Ale is similar and even better), but so-so from this brewery is miles ahead of the best from most others. 9/4/7/4/15=3.9
July 04: 22 oz bottle, very little fizz, overfilled. Mostly spicy, citrusy aroma, a bit of Cascade pungency as well..very strong. Earthy, woody in the body, malty and juicy at the front, heavily hopped at the finish. Nearly opaque reddish-orange, bottled conditioned and unfiltered. Holds up quite well despite the hordes of IPAs I've had lately...wish I'd plopped for one of these on cask in Brattleboro a couple of weeks ago.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
A tasty ale, but not too full bodied. Similar to Ruby Ale, but hops are not as floral/citrusy. The finish is wonderfully clean, with only the slightest note of pure bitterness lingering into a pleasing end. A very likeable brew.
3.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Very much an IPA, not my favourite style. Wonderfully floral, citrus aroma. Light and sweet on the palate initially, giving way to a lingering, very bitter finish.
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