Better Bitters Nickel Brook 80/- (Scottish)

Brewed by Better Bitters Brewing Co.
Style: Bitter
Burlington, Canada

oodles of this while i was employed by nickel brook. its really a nice session bitter when fresh. drinking it off the bottling line was especially memorable. its modrately hoppy but the malt profile is its best feature. better on tap then in bottles.

341 ml bottle from LCBO, impulse buy, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.

App.: Clear amber with a large off-white meringue. Aroma: Light, stark nuttiness and caramel, very British, a touch of earthy/soapy hops, an odd aroma that is kinda floral/soapy/chemically, likely from the hops? Palate: Medium body, full but smooth effervescence. Flav.: Like the nose – nuts, caramel and soapy hops, all very serious and British; dry with some bitterness and a fairly light aftertaste of toffee and nuts.

Exceedingly British, but not particularly enjoyable.

Nothing outstanding. A good aroma of British hops, slightly malty flavor but the finish is wattery.

Bottle as Nickel Brook Ale. Nice amber pour, small creamy white head. Pleasantly hoppy and fruity aroma. Taste - nice stuff. Malty, pleasantly hoppy again, and a nice bit of caramel in finish. Body is light but nicely carbonated - just a little watery. A very good brew a step above the same old Ontario blandness.

2009-07-30. Dark amber body with a modest beige head. (3+) Aroma is a bit funky, light dry malt. Bit odd. Flavour is similar with dry malt, quick caramel notes. (6+) Average palate It is a bit thin for a scottish ale, and the flavour a bit more dry than my preference. Bottle at Hart House

[2340-20090730] Sample. Nice fruity malt aroma. Clear, dark amber orange body with a medium-lasting foamy light gray head. Smoky toasted bread crumbs flavour with a long fruity grain finish. Medium body. Very drinkable, nice.
(Labelled "Scottish" but confirmed as "80/-" by server at CBF&SBBQ @ Hart House; Toronto, ON)

On tap apparently at the KW ribfest tonigth (many, many, many, many, possibly too many glasses as I helped pour samples for other people). Pours a nice amber with a small beige head that retains quite well. Very nice aroma of Brit malts and scotchy aspects. Mild fruity esters. Flavour is full of toffee and caramalts, with a very nice balancing dryness in the finish from the hops which I am led to beileve are of a less distinct British variety. Minor smoke aspect in the aftertaste. Very well balanced and drank very well throughout the evening. Advertised as their "ale’. I would buy this if it were regularly this good.

Draught at C’est What Spring Festival. Pours a clightly hazy amber gold with average slightly off-white head. Fairly mild aroma of sweet malt. Malt likewise most prominent in flavour with some fruitishness in the finish. Pretty unmemorable.