Speights Golden Pale Ale

Mainstream attempts craft in this beer that is designed to reverse the trend of the decline of the mainstream beer category in New Zealand. I say good on Lion for giving it a go, but will the beer live up to the blurb on the back of the bottle or will it be a gross misrepresentation? It appears clear, gold and sparkling with virtually no head in the glass. The aroma was solely of golden malt. I know hops when I smell them and there was nothing discernible here at all. Did it smell zesty? Only a little. Did it taste zesty and of caramelised barley? There was plenty of initial carbonation and then a tangy twang of bitterness that suggested that the hop money had been spent on bitterness rather than aroma. A fairly short finish with the emphasis on orange sherbet. I would suggest the blurb was written by someone in an office rather than as an accurate description. A good lawnmower beer but good for little else.