Arcadia Battle Creek Special Reserve

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: English Pale Ale
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

Bottled November 2003, sampled May 2004. The bottle from 2003 listed an ABV of 4.25% Needless to say, I was quite worried as to whether such a low gravity beer could have made it 6 months on a warm, well-lit store’s shelves. To my delight, the beer was bottle conditioned and had ample yeast floating around, as well as a thick ring around the bottom. Upon opening, it had a wonderful, deep herb-like hops smell. I really enjoy tettnangs, so that was a big surprise. The hops aroma was complemented by moderately sweet english toffee notes and a bit of a kick from the yeast. Pouring revealed a golden-amber, quite bright and clouded, with some warmer bright red hues and a big, creamy off-white head. Plenty of lacing. Upon drinking, I was impressed with the mix of hops and malt. Neither too dry, not too sweet, this beer seemed to have integrated everything in a perfect balance during its 6 month warm rest. Spiciness from the hops, and a nutty almost chewy malt flavor as well. A touch of vanilla, more herbal qualities and a very crisp yeast/hops finish. Body was medium, and for a beer of such low gravity, that was impressive. No thinning. Low carbonation, lots of chewy toffee as it warmed on the finish and almost a butter-cream sweetness as well. This was truly a gem and one that blew my expectations to pieces. To be constructive, it did begin to get a bit too heavy on the cream-like sweetness as it finished and I had my second one. There was a bit too much carbonation upon first opening (but to be expected).

Clear gold in color, soft yet firm, finger high white frothy head, lacing in minimal strings. Aroma is somewhat grassy, notable English style barley malt and Fuggles hop aroma, slightly doughy of bagels with a whisper of flour grain. Taste is quite nice, very mellow and easy going palate with nice little flavors. Slightly crisp buscuit-like malt, frothy and full, delicate with slight floral and grassy hops, Fuggles mostly and perhaps some Mt. Hood. It has a wonderful appeal in the closing, nice fluffy whole grain and fresh buscuity flavors crescendo nicely with an easy floating dry finish. Medium body feel, lightly crispened and dry. Has a certain grainy texture witha touch of sweetness underneath. One amazingly fine drinker. Gone in no time flat. It reminds me in some ways of Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, a good quality to have. Good stuff! For a mild, this is really nice.

Finally had on tap at Shakespeare’s Kalamazoo. Nice, bitter, smooth.....

At this point I was about to sware to never drink another Arcadia brew again. this one was good. decent hop charecteristics, very quality

This is listed as a "Mild Ale" on the bottle, so I wonder if this one is classified correctly. Anyway, it pours a yellow/gold color with lots of floaties. Aroma is malt and sugar cane. Flavor is malty with some floral and even citrus notes. Good body with some nice carbonation tingle. Pretty good beer here.

My first gusher in a long time from an american brewery. Even after the first couple ounces of liquid have been displaced out of the bottle the bubbles keep coming. Needles to say, huge bubbly head of an off-white color. Lightly hazed golden color. Pale malt and light acidic punch in the nose. More carbonation in the feel. The final pour into the glass reveals scads of powdery looking yeast. LIght malt flavors lead to a zing of dried herbs and a dry honey flavor. Somewhat acidic, especially in the linger. Change the hops and this is a near saison in many properties. It would seem that the sweetness others have detected have been eaten by some beastie and created more carbonation and given this one a different life. Ah, the life of beer. It’s good, but in a funny way.

Pale golden color out of the bottle with a tight fizzy white head. Light citrus nose with some dough. Lots of lemon citrus in the flavor, with some peach, bready yeast, and a long hop finish. There is some toffee and caramel sweetness, but it is mostly white sugar. Body seems a little light, and I wouldn’t have guessed that this was a British Mild like the label says or an English Pale Ale. It is enjoyable enough.

It has a golden hue with a moderate creamy head and very good lace. The aroma hinted of roasted malts, caramel and toffee, floral and herbal hops, dusty yeast esters and a touch of honey. The taste starts carmel malty with a light fruity twang. Some subdued bitter notes upon the finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and soft, chalky. A good beer but nothing really special about it. Lucky to find some of this is a cooler, guess I got a good bottle.