Better Bitters Nickel Brook Ale (pre 2009)

Formerly brewed at Better Bitters Brewing Co.
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Burlington, Canada

341ml bottle from the LCBO. Dark amber body. Malty aroma and flavour seem more like a bitter to me, rather than golden ale.

341 mL Bottle. Murky copper body with a small foamy off-white head that just seems to want to cling to the sides, and yes, it coats the sides of the glass with some nice lace; my curiosity is piqued. This ale has a strong but interesting aroma of sweet malt, crystal malt, prunes, mission figs, and little hints of chocolate and fresh-ground coffee. No slouch for flavor; notes of chocolate, prunes, raisins, and mission figs accentuate the rich malty body. All of it lingers in the aftertaste in a way that it would probably go well with a fine cigar, and then fades to a finish that invites for another sip. Better Bitters, I’ll be beating a path to your door.

341 ml bottle from the brewery. pours dark amber with a lively off white head. malt nose of dark fruit with some chocolate notes. the flavour is balanced without being big in any way. a little thin but hella drinkable. when on form this would make a great session ale.

Clear amber brown with clear, off-white head. Butter bomb threat! Diacetyl disastah! Gassy and oily. Sweet and malty, a bit messy but flavors are actually tolerable after getting past the aroma.

Sampled at the brewery. It is certainly drinkable, but lacks anything distinctive. The hops are very mild and the aroma is slightly fruity.

341 ml bottle from MrManning!!! Nose of light hay (hops?), and a caramel and a slightly "off" note; hazy copper with a small beige head; flavor is kind of fruity, vegetal, and slightly sour in an odd sort of way. It doesn’t taste anything like most blondes I had had!

341ml bottle. Pours a copper gold with an amber hue. Aroma: Very nutty, with some floral hops, something fruity and fresh that I can’t put my finger on, not that bad. Taste: Nutty up front with a creamy mouth-feel, followed by a decent hop bite, and then a caramalt aftertaste. Pretty decent, not as bad as I was worried it was going to be, I just don’t understand the style classification. Golden/blonde ale? What? I guess the crispness and mild hops is something I’ve noticed before in other beers of the style, but the nuttiness? And the colour? Something isn’t right here.........the nutty flavour gets kind of annoying after a while.

Pours a slightly cloudy amber-brown with the briefest of heads. Aroma slightly sweet, slightly foul. Tastes remarkably like a brown ale rather than a blond or golden. That’s why the "European" hops & malt stick out so - slightly jarring. Nice dry finish with just a gentle reminder of why I found the hops peculiar. Body is limp and lifeless. I like this hybrid-brown ale, but they need anglo-hops, more body, and a touch more carbonation. Thanks to robinboyer for the trade!