McNeills Ducks Breath Ale

Brewed by McNeills Brewery
Style: English Strong Ale
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

On cask at McNeill’s, 2/18/06 with Muzzlehatch. Served bright with a foamy white head, fairly dense in the middle, leaving plenty of lace on the sides of the glass and having only moderate retention. A nectarine-dull golden colored beer, with some lighter straw tints. The nose comes alive with lightly citric hops, a very slight hard-water-like note of light minerals and plenty of flowery notes coupled with soft, grainy, dry malts. Dry, grapefruit skins and perfume, with a touch of honey-almond and very light cherries are also notable, as well as some mossy/leafy dry hop notes. Aroma strength is fairly weak overall, as others have mentioned, but relative to the style (and taking in to account quality, not quantity), it dosent strike me as a problem. As I take my first sip, I’m surprised by both the tingly carbonation and moderately bitter hop profile. More light lemon skins, unripened nectarines and touches of grapefruit. Hops are really well done, not over the top in either flavor or bitterness, but just soft and flavorful. The malt is a creamy, almost chewy honey and just baked biscuits, with a growing note of very light caramel on the finish that complements the bitterness up front. I found no wateriness in my sample, and while it was in wonderful condition and tremendously drinkable, I didn’t really get much of the effect of a burton ale. I mean, an American yeast dosent really seem fitting, the beer just seems too clean. But scoring it based on the yeast used, it is nearly flawless. No diacetyl detectable, soft carbonation, no alcohol. Hardly seems like a Strong ale to me. Could probably put back about 12 of these on a nice sunny day.

On cask at McNeills. Pours amber with a thin film of bubbles. Smells like a true English bitter with some of the funk notes. Some perfumey notes also present. Taste is sweet and caramelly with some citrussy elements.

Please, for the LOVE OF GOD, keep grapefruit out of my english style ales. That is all.

22oz bottle Poured a medium and slightly hazy orange color with an averaged sized light off white head. Aromas of caramel, flowers, grapefruit and light oranges. Tastes of lighter caramel, flowers, and light citrus. Thinner body. I found the flavors did not live up to the aroma.

Muddy dull amber. Very low carbo visible. The aroma has floral hops with some woody notes and a yeast backdrop. Yeasty, heavy taste...thick, simple malts and oxidized hops. OK, it was best before an hour ago. Must’ve gone down the gurgler in those sixty minutes. Very light florals and esters. Pretty run of the mill stale Englishish ale.

Bottle. The pour reveals a cloudy orange color with a thin offwhite head. Aroma of oranges, grapefruits and hops (this is a McNeill’s after all). Good flavor of oranges, grapefruits, hops, caramel and butter, it finishes bitter. The body has a medium thickness with an oily texture and moderate carbonation. Good stuff from good ole McNeill’s.

(cask) Lightly haszed amber body with soft beige head. Aroma is medium sweet, mandarin orange. Taste is medium sweet, orange, some grapefruit. Some earthy and light mint in the finish. Soft ligt-medium body, soem duskiness in the finish.

sweet aroma of apple, caramel and hops coming off a cloudy, unfiltered copper color. head was a soapy white that faded down right away. the hops are a little strong at the end, giving a pretty bitter, oily tail to a pretty well balanced brew. the malts are sweet and hold up the front end, but the hops were a bit too much going to the back. thanks to Firemoose15 for sharing.