UPDATED: JUN 20, 2021 From old found notes. Pours a light copper, quick head. Nose roasted grain. Middle is light caramel, medium kilned malt, brief woody hoppiness. Finish is slightly thin malt.

This beer was just OK for me. Brought it over my parents house few months ago for dinner. It had some decent flavor, just the mouthfeel felt a little funny to me....I was thinking it was part of English Pale Ale style and all, which may not be my preference for ales. I enjoyed trying it, but for the price I was a little disappointed that I didn't try something else. Wound up leaving the last few for my dad, as he liked it, and usually seems picky about some of the crafts I let him try.

From Oct 2005 My first sample of the Cincinnati contract brewed product. I poured it into my glass and thought the appearance was quite nice with a good head of foam. Aroma wise, a strong malt presence was immediately apparent so I knew this was brewed to the style and that's a plus in my book. ;^) The taste was quite sweet with a bit of caramel overtones and the hop presence was in the background but in enough presence to give the brew a decent balance. I *could* taste a bit of the alcohol and that prevented me from giving it a higher score. Over all, I find it to be a drinkable English Pale Ale and if it were available locally, I'd buy it from time to time.

From old tasting notes. Brewed by Whitbread and Co., PLC in London, England. Clear, pale copper color with a foamy light tan head. Slightly sweet caramel-apple aroma. The foretaste is effervescent and tastes of slightly toasted bitter malt. Midtaste is dry and hoppy as is the finish. Week hopped, though not overpowering. Very good.

Bottle - pours copper gold with white head - nose/taste of bready malt, touch of honey and caramel - medium body

Bottle. Brown, medium off-white head. Aroma malts, some caramel. Taste evolves from malty to mildly hoppy. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Rated from old notes. Disappointed to hear this one was retired as it was an old standby for me back in the late 90s. Poured dark copper with a creamy head. Taste was caramel malt, nuts, and a light touch of honey. Good stuff.

Old rating. Bottle from Old Town. Pours an amber color with a modest off-white head. Malt and caramel aromas present. Slightly sweet and bitter on the palate with a little pepper on the finish. Nothing special.

American version, bottle. Pale golden yellow color, medium white head. Aroma of straw and white pepper. Taste is slightly less bitter than a lager.

I have no idea how old this bottle is, but when in Rome...12 oz bottle into a wine glass. A: Pours a dark ruby color that’s in no way pale. About one finger of off-white colored head is formed, only to fade away quickly due to poor retention. No real lace. S: Wow, this is VERY sweet. Tons of dark fruits inhabit the aroma, with only a hint of oxidation to break up the monotony. Honestly, it’s a pleasant nose, just not that complex. If the bottle didn’t say "pale ale", I’d wonder if it were an old ale instead (it’s certainly old in more ways than one...) T: It tastes dangerously similar to prune juice - cripes, this is sweet. There is some mild oxidation, but nothing too horrible. The finish is a combination of chocolate and mineral water. Some decent qualities exist, but the whole package just seems...off. M: Despite the sweetness, the dry finish is honestly kind of unpleasant, which says nothing about how unfitting the sweet and dry get along on the palate. Carbonation is almost nonexistent. O: A truly great beer can stand the test of time (unless they’re hoppy, natch), and this hasn’t. If you still see this at your Neighborhood Liquor Store™ and you’re considering picking this up, don’t do it! Get something else instead.