My second experience with Ipswich Ales conjured up images of pilgrims and hearty meals on the discovered eastern shores of America. The ship, in full sail, adorns the bottle and my own hearty meal accompanied this brown ale. Two small meat and cheese sandwiches and a bowl of piping tomato soup felt like just the ticket as I sat fireside, cuddled up in my in-laws cabin, peering out onto the stark, cold of the Green Bay shoreline.
It poured a rich brown, close to a carbonation-light root beer which turned amber as I held it in the light. The root beer similarities continued through the head, with an airy, frothy foam head. The scent was full of malt and breadiness, followed by nuts, raisins and a thin layer of brown sugar. Malts continued in the taste and the bread combined with apple and the ‘Ipswich’ taste that made me fall in love with their Original Ale. A tinny, hoppy after taste lingered mildly, and overall there was a good balance in both malt/hop blend and carbonation. As I drank, wispy waves of lace ebbed down the edges of my glass. Overall, I enjoyed it, at least more than many of the brown ales I’ve tried thus far. The apple I perceived made it more pleasing, less nutty and gave it some substance to eliminate the thinness I felt in the same style brewed by others.
ABV: 5.5%
Grade: B