Saturday morning and I'm nursing a nagging headache. Yes, Mrs P has a bit of a cold and I'm taking care of her. Be that as it may, I've taken some time out to quickly jot down my review of a beer I had the pleasure to drink last night.
The beer in question being Titanic White Star.
The Titanic Brewery has been around since 1985 and is named in honour of local man John Smith, who captained the ill-fated Titanic. Their range of beers include the somewhat truculently named, Lifeboat Ale, Iceberg and Wreckage. Some say that the Titantic beers go down well, but I would never sink to those depths just to get a cheap laugh.
THEY SAY:
"A light refreshing distinctively hoppy beer with a freshness that belies its strength, so easy to drink it will fool all but the crustiest of sea dogs."
WHITE STAR pours a very pale, golden yellow colour with a respectable head of bright, white foam that retains quite well and leaves a moderate amount of lacing on the glass. Appearance-wise, I'm reminded of Deuchars IPA.
The aroma is all about hops. Earthy, leafy, floral, spicy and woody with a faint pine-resin quality. It's also very fruity with the emphasis on sharp, citric fruit. There's not a lot of aroma from the malt - maybe a light caramel and a suggestion of husk, but it's hops all the way with this one.
It's medium-bodied with a softish mouth feel. As for the taste, well it's more of the same. Hops totally dominate this beer - not that it's completely unbalanced, but that's more to do with some sweet fruity hop flavours than the malt. It has a very pleasant leafy tang without being overly bitter, and the citric flavours tend more to the sweet end of the spectrum rather than sharp and acidic - there's also a hint of honey buzzing around. I'm not sure if there's any wheat used in the process, but it certainly has a slight grainy feel. However, it's hops that make this beer what it is. Floral and earthy, with some oak-like woodiness,and just bitter enough without being too nippy.
The finish is somewhat dry, with a long and lingering fruity aftertaste.
At 4.8% ABV, it's a little strong for a session ale, but it drinks like one. It's probably safe to say that this beer might be better suited to gentle quaffing on a summer's evening rather than gulping down on a wet and windy October night, but I wasn't prepared to wait around for 8 months to find out. It's not particularly complex, or strongly-flavoured, so I'd imagine it would go fine with most foods. Overall, a decent ale that is easy-to-drink, and is quite satisfying without overtaxing the taste-buds.
Would I drink it again? - I think I could sink another of these, without getting wrecked.