Good evening all. The last couple of days have been fairly frustrating due to project work issues, but fortunately there always seems to be a silver lining when I delve deep into the beer cellar. Tonight's choice is something special that I picked up from Camden Town Brewery during my visit last weekend- USA Hells, an unfiltered lager dry hopped with whole Simcoe flowers. The tour and the beers were great, with this beer being particularly nice on keg, so hopefully the bottled version will be just as good! Review after the pic....
USA Hells (4.6% ABV) pours a pale golden colour with a thick white head that retains itself well throughout drinking. As expected it's slighty cloudy, and there's also some lacing present at various points (typically after recharging the glass, the bottle is rather big!). The aroma consists of malt, floral hops, bittering hops and some sulfur, although the latter doesn't stay around too long after the beer has been opened. Tasting the beer brings up plenty of malt and some oaty flavours, with floral hops, subtle citrus notes, bittering hops and a honey aftertaste. The finish is crisp and slightly dry, with the main hop bitterness coming out during drinking. The Simcoe is surprisingly apparent in this beer, which is fantastic stuff as it's one of my favourite hop types. The mouthfeel is slightly thick and well carbonated. Overall, a very interesting beer that combines the hoppiness of a pale ale with the well-rounded crispness of a lager to create a fairly unique experience. As is the case with most beers, the keg version is much better as the extra carbonation really boosts the hop flavours and creates a more pleasing mouthfeel. Definitely recommended, but go for the keg if you have the opportunity.
Until next time....
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