Howe Sound Mettleman Copper Ale

Brewed by Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co.
Style: Amber Ale
Squamish, Canada

Lot’s of caramel in the nose, with roasted malt and some fall grass. Colour is true to its name - copper. Flavour shows walnuts, tonnes of malt, dust and some roast near the end. Palate has a slight after film, but expertly carbonated. Finish is quite a nice light roast with the caramel making another appearence. Good stuff.

Huzzah for the one-litre swing top bottles favoured by Howe Sound (and by me as well)! Not much of a head with this one, what there was being a thin, ivory-coloured layer on top of a rather nice and clear amber/copper body. The aroma was quite malty, with some hop undertones; I found the flavour to be very much the same. Mouthfeel was smooth, and it finished sweet and malty.

Weak malty aroma. Pours slight cloudy copper, nice thick head. Some sourness with a dry finish. Not alot of malt. Drinkable if not enjoyable.

1 litre bottle with new artwork for 2009. Spring seasonal. Appearance: Transparent coppery brown colour with three finger beige head when poured into tall half litre central European style glass tankard. Head recedes after a short while to a heavy ring and thin layer of froth, leaving modest lacing. Aroma: Tempered malty sweetness and chocolate, but not as strongly chocolatey as, for example, some European beers that are reminiscent of chocolate mousse. Taste: Restrained malty sweetness with gentle coffee and chocolate flavours, leading to a gentle hop bitterness that mingles with the malts and a finish that doesn’t linger for very long. Extremely well balanced, rewarding, and rounded. Unlike some amber/copper/brown ales from the pacific northwest, this does not even begin to taste like cola or rootbeer. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a slight silkiness. Minimal carbonation. Drinkability: Very, very drinkable. Its easy finish does not detract from its wonderful flavour. Easily sessionable and capable of maintaining the appreciation. If you want a beer with a long, lingering finish, this beer is not for you. But you are missing out if you don’t try this.

1L bottle. Spicy malt aroma, light honey , light aromatic hops. Mahagony colour, tanned head, big bubbles. Good malty base, light roast, slight honey sweetness and a proper hop balance. Falls a bit shy in the body department - lacks chewyness in the finish. Nevertheless quite enjoyable.

Bottle. Dark amber. Good off-white head and lace. Malt and yeast aroma. A bit chewy. Caramel grows from thin young-tasting to very nice middle. Hint of roughness and hops in the finish.

Clear copper with a musty, caramel aroma. Flavour is more of the same with a bit of earthyness.

1L swingtop. clear amber brown, vanilla-tinged head. Straight shooting toffee-nut, a little earthy, a little fruity. Approachable, a little thin, but enjoyable.