I’m on my way back home already from my trip for work to Dallas, TX. Yes, I’ve only been in Dallas for about 18 hours, but it’s a quick one. Last night I documented my trip to Uncle Buck’s Brewery & Steakhouse – along with their IPA, Brown Ale, and English Pale Ale – and while their English Pale Ale was the best thing I had there, that’s not saying much. So what better beer to have the next day then one of the classic standards of the English Pale Ale style.
It was served in the bottle, so I couldn’t see exactly what it looked like, but having had it before, I know that it’s usually clear, amber colored, and has a thin head on it. From what I could smell through the small opening of the bottle, there were some light malty, somewhat bready aromas.
The body was light-medium, and crisp, smooth and drinkable with only a slight bit of carbonation bite. The flavor had a very light caramel malt taste up front, followed by a lightly earthy hop flavor. The finish had a little bit heavier hop flavor, but it was still a fairly light hop finish with a bit of dryness.
Since it was so light and drinkable, it would go with almost any food. With a heavier meal like a burger or steak, it would be a light palate cleanser. With a lighter meal, like the Santa Fe salad I had, it complemented the other light flavors. If you wanted to be traditional, it would be perfect with some fish and chips.
Overall, I found it very, very drinkable, and the light, earthy hop flavor gave it just the right amount of flavor. While the flavors were not outstanding, it’s a nice reminder of the muted English style, as compared to the more bold American beers. There was nothing that really stood out, however, I could see myself enjoying several of these in a pub, hanging out with friends.
My Rating: 
Reader Ratings[five-star-rating]
