McEwans India Pale Ale

Brewed by John Smiths (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Bitter
Tadcaster, England

I’m confused. Labeled as an IPA but classified as a Bitter. Furthest from an IPA that I have had. Malts in aroma. No hop aroma or flavor. Not even sure it would rank as a bitter. Luckily I only had to have a few ounces of this.

If you want an IPA look elsewhere. This lacks the hops most anticipate, or in my case crave, when looking for a sample of the style. Slightly sweet, and not bad beer by any means, but could be better labeled.

If I’m getting a beer that’s relatively cheap and quaffable, this is usually it. I enjoy it without thinking about it, and the lower alcohol % makes it a slightly more conscionable choice for a session beer. With concentration upon the beer, its appeal kind of pales, although I often don’t really pay too much attention to it. As an IPA, it’s hardly a good example, being vaguely creamy and metallic, with a kind of treacly sweetness. But hey, it goes down like a circus seal, so whatever.

Clear, caramel-y color, thinnish, evaporating head. Burnished malt in the nose, dark fruits, but not much noise from hops, rather lifeless, actually. Not too pleasant over the lips, either...hard to describe, actually...very sad and sickly taste, rough flavor, not tasty at all, then, thankfully gone without a trace. Each further sip brings out a wince, a groan, an unhappy expression I reserve for moments of utmost disdain. Ewwww...sickly sweet, overly caramel-y, no spark, no pizzazz, nothing good to be enjoyed here...eeeyuck! Gonna have to send this down the ol’ drain...so bad it hurts!

Little or no head...similar aroma. Neither the hop nor strength of an IPA. Seemingly a little watered down, although the actual taste is not bad. A good try but probably not something I’d have again.

DRAFT: Color of red-tinted gold with a quickly disappating head. Aroma is almost smokey in it’s dryness. Flavor is very flat. Tastes like the beer was filtered through school chalk. Quite a solid bitterness for style, some acidity cleaning up the malt (I have to thank the beer for doing that), a smokey malt flavor, and fruity yeast and a sweet hop flavor (fuggle or northdown) coming back in the finish. This was pretty crappy and... did this not used to be an 80 Shilling style.

Clear brownish amber in color with a sticky white head. Malty aroma with just a tinge of citric sourness. The flavor starts slightly sweet ands with a bit of dryness, but no hops ever come to the front. Body is a bit thin. Not an IPA or a Bitter. More suited to being an Amber ale.

Brown colored, little white head. Thin bodied. Buttery and nutty aroma, some dry tones with roasted and skunky sides. Flavor is also mildly buttery, some roastiness too. Dry and bitter ending. Not very traditional IPA.