MacLean’s Country Organic Ale

Brewed by MacLean’s Ales
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
West Grey, Canada

[2071-20090403] Cask. Fruity sweet flower aroma has a hint of mild cleaner. Slightly hazy, yellow body with no head. Toasted tea-like malt undertones in the flavour. Light-medium body. Watery.
(@ Volo; Toronto, ON)

Cask at Volo. Pours a hazy gold with a spare diminishing bubbly white head. Aroma: Ugh, I hate this, I get mostly soap. It does get a little better after a while at least. Flavour’s no better: Watery and it tastes bad. There’s no body at all, it’s completely flat. I know it’s on cask but even for cask this is dead. I think this was served way too young otherwise it’s a total failure.

Cask at C’est What - came a clear gold with a flimsy film of a head. Aroma of freshly cut grass, yeast, and grain. Flavour surprising - if I didn’t know better, I’d call this a pale lager. Watery, with a big yeasty middle and mild hop finish. Bready, doughy, grassy. Good, quaffable, but so far a bit of a letdown from Charles MacLean. I’m a bit biased though, as I’m not a fan of pale lagers. Even though this isn’t one, the Hallertau give it that feel. Okay.

Cask. At Volo. One of the first pours of this. Brutal - I heard after 24 hours it became *almost* drinkable. Hazy orange pour, minimal head - did NOT look appealing at all. Gross, strong, sharp aroma, smelled like mouldy wet fresh wallboard (gypsum) mixed with dishwater and peach koolaid - a charitable 2, I think this damaged my nasal passages. The taste was just a bit unpleasant - astingent, dishwater sour (hint of detergent) - vaguely fruity with a touch of bitter grassiness. Flat, dead mouthfeel, soupy and astringent .... no. Hell no, something is wrong with this.

2009-04-03. Hazy pastel yellow, tiny bubbly white head. Flavour starts a bit sharp - yeasty bit and fairly strong grassy leafy hops. Moderate bitterness throughout, pleasant hops. Underlying malts are present but subtle, lingering bitter finish. A touch green? Light spice touch to the hops. Aroma is mild, yeasty and floral with some grassy hops. Bit muddled overall, will have to give this one another go round. Cask @ Volo

On cask at Volo. A whitish colour, no head, yes low carbonation. A bit sour, 2/2 on Mr. MacLean’s own ales, but I will be open-minded going forward. Understated pale ale hops. Below average mouthfeel, unfiltered?