This is another one that stood out from the summer-case-crowd through the strength of its branding; simple in design but well executed with a modern feel to it. Foundation Stone is a 4.5 % pale ale that’s made with pale and crystal malts and Boadicea and Pilot hops.
It’s lager-golden in colour, really pale, the aroma is quite muted but there’s some malt there, bready and biscuity notes from the malt backed up by some toffee and caramel. The flavour is dominated by the finish and comes and goes quickly. There’s not much up front at all and then in sweeps this pretty hefty bitterness towards the end; it’s a sharp, bright, punchy bitterness that reminds me of something you’d get from a noble hop. Right at the very end it dries out and you get some of that malt coming through, sort of grainy, sort of cereal and then it’s gone.
Perseverance brings a gentle peppery hop note that appears just before the bitterness, you have to go looking for it though. And, whilst we’re looking, I get a slight lactic tartness too, in the flavour and then in the aroma as a sort of yoghurty, sour milk character.
I’m struggling for things to say about this beer, help me out ...
Find out more about the Drink Along here.
This is a difficult one, I know what you mean by finding it hard what to say.
ReplyDeleteI like the label, It's clean and crisp, but very well put together, a bit like whats inside the bottle really.
Pouring out the beer it was well carbonated, which worked for me this time, and it was a pale golden colour with a slight copper hue.
There was a faint aroma, hard to describe but it reminded me of spending time down the allotment weeding, and the freshly cut weeds.
The initial flavour doesn't give much away, but it grows in your mouth, the dryness and bitterness develop, I got that slight pepperiness note coming through and as it passes it leaves my mouth feeling slightly metallic, as if I have been eating a copper pipe of all things.
So in summary, it smells like weeds and tastes like a copper pipe.
I actually found this to be a very refreshing and enjoyable beer, I'll be keeping my eyes open for other Lymestone Brewery beers in the future as if this is anything to go by they should be good.
Perhaps a herbal hop aroma? It came through to me as a slight peppery flavour as it warmed up. Very slight though. I also got the metal you describe.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was ok, just difficult to get excited about because there wasn't really that much going on. Perhaps a little too butter too?
Playing catchup. Picture -> Hawkshead Red
ReplyDeleteTop quality quafing beer from Hawkshead; I too get the metallic taste - presumably a feature from the local water. coincidentally I was @Hawkshead a couple of weeks ago for a beerex. The Red didn't taste much different then. So pehaps the lack of taste is a feature if of the beer rather than the bottled beer?
Is that what happens to a brewery when it gets too big? Or is this type of beer preferred North of Watford!?
Still playing catchup (sorry - don't know why I put the Hawkshead red above).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Lymestone Foundation Stone. Great quality but tasteless. I've had this before. Where are the "juicy fruits"?
Where are the "the hops that pepper the taste buds"
I really do think they're talking about a different beer.