McEwans India Pale Ale

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

Bottle. Pours dark caramel with off white head. Aroma is malt, caramel and molasses. Not the usual IPA aroma. Flavor is caramel, malt and molasses. This is definitely not an IPA (as labeled on the bottle).

I was wondering if I got a bottle that had gone bad, but looking at the other ratings this thing may just be that damn bad. Pours dark brown & is hazy - small off white head. Darker than most IPAs, but I didn’t find much about this beer I would call IPA except the label. Thin body with virtually no carbonation. Flat, musty, old caramel flavors. Sourness then slips in. Time to pour down the drain and never think about buying another one. I don’t know how old this was, but I can imagine it ever being good.

Bottle - some malt in the aroma, but there is also an odd sourness. An oddly brown body and a small, soapy white head. Flavor is also sour. I get no hops in this beer at all. It cannot be an IPA ... it would have died before it reached India, as I fear this one did before reaching the colonies. Blech.

How can they even call this an IPA??? I want my $8 back. Seriously, I don’t think I can even finish the six pack before it goes bad (but I have no idea how old it is, anyway). Reminds my of some kind of horrible sweet bread, but less hoppy. Now, where do I get my refund? I enjoy McEwans Scotch Ale, so this was a major disappointment, especially since I wanted an IPA tonight.

The RB style is a better description than the bottle label. This would be a restrained example of an IPA even for and English beer, but a bitter not necessarily so. Still a dark amber color with a sweet malt taste and aroma.Some hops at end with a slightly dry finish. Not a very good example.

Amber color with thin white head. Darkest IPA I’ve ever seen. Sweet malt aroma with a hint of noble hops in the background. This beer seems similar to the McEwan’s Scotch Ale, maybe the same type of malt and yeast used. A little thinner than the Scotch Ale. Nice beer, a bit out of the IPA style. I’d prefer much more hop presence in the aroma and flavor. I’m left with a malt-grain slight hoppy aftertaste that is really nice. I enjoyed it.

Dishwater brown in color with a skunky nose. Little froth and effers. Flavors of heavy malted bread, tobacco w/ a fine bitterness on the finish and black licorice.

12oz bottle no freshness date noted. Pours a dark brown with a thick tanish head. sticky lacing
Aroma is more malty, Doughy, roasty a little caramel. Not much in the way of hops.
Flavor is sweet and roasty malt, carmel,
not much hop in the finish either.
I’ve been told that this is going to be discontinued soon, I won’t miss it.