Beer Works Boston Tea Party Ale

Ice-filled glass at the brewpub. Yep, ice-filled. This sounded unique and though my experiences with samples thus far weren’t encouraging, I though WTF I’ll get the most unusual thing they have even if it looks awful. Much to my surprise it was not. Uncarbonated I was told, and certainly it didn’t seem to have any head or taste of fizz....amber body though muted by the ice....bright lemon-tea aroma actually hints at some pale malt, perhaps a touch of ginger...amazingly full body given the ice dissolving into it, pale malt suffused with lemon-lime, green tea and a touch of dry pine...this is really quite the pleasant drink on a very hot day, though I suspect it would get boring after one or two. Gave me a little hope for this brewpub, but alas I had to go before trying more...

Golden/light amber in color with a small white head. Well not only does this look like ice tea as far as color, it’s also served on ice. Talk about a margin, fill a pint glass with ice, top it off with 10 oz. of beer and then charge $5 for it! Aroma of tea,herbal with a little malt. Upfront malty sweetness,tea that finishes dry and somewhat bitter. As a tea this was great, would be even better if they tossed in some lemon and sugar, but as a beer it’s lousy. Great concept but presentation kills what’s already a mediocre beer.

On tap at the brewpub: Hazy tea color on ice. On ice? You have to be kidding me. Smells like tea and light fruits, watery cold mouthfeel, starts and ends lightly sweet. WTF, this was horrible.

On draught at the Fenway location, 5/9/2005. First, the facts. This is an ale described by the brewer as "malty sweet" with tea and lemon extract used in the fermentation. It is served on ice.
Ya, so talk about unique. I really gave this one a chance and was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it is served with ice, I almost couldnt believe it. An iced-tea colored beer (light amber-gold) with a foamy white head, some retention. Aroma of lemon, tea and honey, quite herbal and much like iced-tea. Flavor, though full of tea and light lemon acidity, does have a strong maltiness. The ice dulls any real complexity, but you can tell there is more here than just tea and lemon flavored nothingness. Body, before the ice melts, is actually medium, with some honeyish consistency, bits of caramel perhaps. Little bit of yeast apparency and then a lemon acidity finish. Strange, strange experiment, but I give them credit for it.