For this #beersaturday I'm will be reviewing an English style Ale and a charity SMASH Lager. I hope you enjoy.
Atherley Pale Ale
Brewery: Couchiching Craft Brewing Co
Origin: Mississauga ON Canada
Style: English Style Pale Ale
Abv: 4.9%
IBU: Unknown
SRM: Unknown
Marketing: Cream colored sleeve on this can with a wallpaper like Texture. Navy blue and burnt orange accent colors. Simple minimalist design style with stamp like images of a hops cone, a bridge, a canadian flag and the notted rope brand logo. It's not an exciting design but it's fine.
Color: The beer poured an amber orange color with a cream colored head of foam. Its a nice looking beer if you you ask me.
Nose: The beers aroma is malty sweet with notes of bread dough and fruity pear and apple.
Taste: It has a mild sweetness upfront with an almost dry quality about it. Its a little tangy and equally bitter in the finish. It tasted well balanced to me overall. There wasn't a huge amount of flavor but nice nonetheless.
Texture: Sharp prickly bubbles on the tongue with a silky velvety texture underneath. Some weightiness in the mouthfeel. Medium bodied.
Impression: Not a bad beer. Nothing too special but enjoyable. Not a strong recommendation from me just because it doesn't stand out among other beers. I'd drink it again but wouldn't go out of my way to do so. One of those types of beers.
Better is Possible
Brewery: Sleeping Giant Brewing Company
Origin: Thunder Bay ON Canada
Style: SMASH Lager
Abv: 5.0%
IBU: 10
SRM: Unknown
Marketing: Red colored can with bold black and white lettering on banners of the opposite color. No real image on the can other than a United Way logo. For those that don't know United Way is a charity organization and this beer was produced in order to raise money for charity, as outlined on the back of the can.
It's kind of a cool way for a Brewery to give back to their community, though I wonder if there is a better way to do so than donating money to an organization like United Way?? The beers is characterized as a SMASH beer (Single Malt and single hops). This is the first time I've ever heard the term.
Color: The beer poured a pale yellow color with clear filtered liquid and a foamy white head of bubbles on top. A thin layer of head actually stuck around for a while too, which was nice.
Nose: Fresh smelling aroma with grassy citrus notes. Pleasant.
Taste: Dry and mildly tangy with a nice bitter finish that was long lasting. Some flavor notes of citrus.
Texture: "Angry bubbles" texture with a somewhat silky mouthfeel underneath. Light to possibly even medium bodied.
Impression: I had low expectations for this beer when I saw that it was brewed for charity. I figured that it would be a cheaply produced beer that would be reflected in the drinking experience. I was actually pleasantly surprised by it though. It was fresh and crisp tasting and quite flavorful for a lager. I would buy this again.