Sleeman 20th Anniversary Ale

Brewed by Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. (Sapporo)
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Guelph, Canada

Bottle: So usually I try to turn my notes into a pleasing list. Today, I shall simply transcribe from my notes directly: "Smells skunky, biscuity, a little sour. Flavour is bitter, lame.. F it, I’m going downstairs."

Bottle - hmmm, not bad for a sleeman. Typical pale yellow, fast-fade head. Aroma is clean and metallic. The taste is decent, at least to me. It has a good, clean taste with light notes of sweetness and barley. Not bad for a beer on a hot day.

Bottle. 5%. My least favourite Sleeman, especially due to the hype surrounding it at bars and pubs. Nice amber colour, clear, tan foam, but an unpleasant aroma and a taste to suit. No additives can save this beast.

***review from Aug 23, 08***
20th Anniversary Ale? This could have been brewed to celebrate the purchase of a box of no-name Kraft Dinner. A marketing ploy that will only lower my thoughts on the over rated beers produced by Sleeman.
Stunk right from the get go. Poured out a clear amber brew with a small white cap that retains only clinging to the rim. Smells like some cheap crap out of a can that would cost less than a buck. Wet grass, sweet, apples, some decent barley. The taste was also a let down: Sour, unpleasant bitterness, outright drying effect. Pretty much totally unpleasant without being a total loss. Good thing this bottle was given to me.

"Clear bottle just like all the sleeman’s brews, don’t know why but I like there bottle design. Mild skunk aroma coming from the beer smoke. Crystal clear copper body with a thin white film floating on top. Grassy, malty aroma with more hops then the normal Sleeman beers. Some apple is also in the aroma, it reminds me of a weaker version of a Euro lager. Taste is also Euro like but milder. Melon tasting hops, corn, hony, and old bready malts make up the flavor brew has a metallic finish. Beer has enough flavor to be interesting and light enough to be easy drinking but it just a plain old everyday beer what I think is a strange choice for an anniversary beer."

Pale amber beer with a thin white head. Aroma is very lightly caramelly with a touch of light crackery character. Faint herbal hoppiness. Light bodied and easy to put back, but Sleeman’s has certain shot for the low end with this one... no surprise there.

330ml bottle from my dad. expected to give a lower rating based on the aroma before I tasted it, but it actually turned out to be drinkable. I wouldn’t call it good, however.