Caledonian Deuchars IPA (Bottle/Can)

Brewed by Caledonian (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Bitter
Edinburgh, Lothians, Scotland

This filtered bottled version of the beer often pronounced as Doo-shah by people who don’t know better, is (I’m embarrassed to admit) in better condition than the cask version often found in bars and pubs without terribly good beer. This may be helped by the 6% increase in ABV. It has a delicate and refreshing citrus fruit and floral character. I imagine I’ll buy this one again.

Bottled. Very little aroma but a surprisingly pleasing flavour of wheat, citrus and spice. There’s also a touch of carbonation that suits this beer well. I’ve had this beer in cask form in the past but only pubs that serve it way too cold; this was much better at cellar temperature.

Low carbonation and minimal head over a very nice body of spice, citrus and bitters. Nicely done.

Canette 500ml (LCBO). De couleur dorée et claire. Nez de houblon terreux, légèrement herbeux et aux notes citriques (pamplemousse), malté de céréales avec des notes de caramel doux, légèrement fruit. (agrumes, léger de pommes) et avec des notes de tabac de cigarette. Mince en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture légèrement crémeuse et aqueux. Goût légèrement fruité (agrumes, notes de pommes, traces de pêches) accompagné d’un goût moyen-léger amer de houblon herbeux, légèrement terreux et aux notes florales et citriques (une amertume présente en arrière-goût durant toute la gorgée) et d’un léger goût de tabac lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût malté de céréales avec un petit goût de biscuits et de caramel (faibles notes rôties) puis en finale l’on retrouve un faible regain d’amertume de houblon herbeux plus asséchant. Post-goût moyen et un peu sec, légèrement amer de houblon herbeux aux petites notes terreuses et florales ainsi qu’un léger goût fruité (zest d’agrumes, pelures de pommes rouges).

Thick head,carbon good,gold colour,aroma sweet hops,lemon like.Flavour citric,a sweetness of peach and dryness at the finish with pronounced bitter.Bitter wipes out everything else.

500ml Can: Pours golden in colour, fairly heavy carbonation, and a strong foamy white head that slipped to a thin line. Strong lemon and tropical fruit aroma, piney. The flavour is blander than expected, and very dry. Not enough bittering, although a mild amount of herbal hopping is present, and a fairly present maltiness lives throughout. Balanced and decent, but certainly not an IPA.

Can. Medium-gold appearance is pretty middle-of-the-road for an IPA. Malt and minor citrus/pineapple nose. Palate is pretty weak, light bodied and the lower-alcohol content makes things even blander. Nice fruity flavour goes down well, but medium-bitter finish is short-lived and falls victim to the below-average palate. The cask version is sure to be better.

500ml Bottle. Golden coloured with a slight white head. Aroma was hoppy with citrus and grassy notes. Flavour had some sweet malt before a decent hoppy finish. Good.