Quite looking forward to this one to be honest. I had it from cask at Craft Beer Co on their launch night a while back, and it was fantastic. Simple and elegant, uncomplicated but just really well put together. I’m always dubious as to how well sub-four-percent beers really work from the bottle, so it’ll be interesting on that front too.
Here goes ...
Ilkley Mary Jane is a 3.8% pale ale that’s brewed with large amounts of Amarillo hops (YUM!). It won gold medals at the Northern SIBA competition in 2009/10 and a took a bronze medal at the national finals.
Colour is golden and bright. Aroma is full of toasty, biscuity malt and then very ripe fruits. I get an almost stewed fruit aroma that follows through into the taste. It’s making me think yellow and fruity: peaches, mango, apricot, maybe some tangerine; things like that, all when very ripe. There’s some of that grainy, malty character in the taste too and then it’s all wrapped up and rounded off by a gentle bitterness. Lovely.
I’m really impressed actually; this is flying down, it tastes great and it’s only 3.8 %. I know from homebrew attempts that it’s difficult to pull off beers at low ABV in a bottle; there’s nowhere to hide, mistakes shine through because everything is pared down and scaled back, but this really pulls it off.
Top stuff, no?
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ReplyDeleteI love this beer - it may be low on ABV but not on flavour and not so much that you have to think about it, instead it can be just enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think this the perfect session beer - tried and tested; as i'm lucky to see this on cask quite often around my area!
(Also the ABV is 3.5% not 3.8%)
Ahh, its taken a while to get to a bottled beer worthy of a mention. A tasty "light IPA" if you like. You can tell its a low ABV but for what it lacks in body it makes up for in drinkability; delicate citrousy notes best served nice a cool on a warm summer's day(!). A bit to fizzy for my liking but that's a minor complaint. 4.5/5.
ReplyDeleteBlanchfield_c: I would drink this all the time if we got it casked in London. Really nice stuff.
ReplyDeleteDrinkerab: Agree with you, this is the first great bottle for a while. Also can see where you're coming from with the "light IPA" comment.
BeerBirraBier.
I'm a bit late on this one, but did find it very enjoyable. I would put it in a similar category to Thornbridge Wild Swan, both very enjoyable light and fruity beers. If anything the Mary Jane has slightly warmer fruits, whereas the the Wild Swan is more zesty, but I still thought there were a number of similarities.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very nice beer and one I would happily drink lots of.
Not as late as me Growling Dog!
ReplyDeleteBig flavour for a little beer. Bitter and biscuity, I agree a bit too fizzy but very drinkable. Not much aroma for me. Lingering bitter finish.
Agree with the Wild Swan comment, although that is much lighter and fresher in flavour.
I'd love both of these in my local, I'd hammer them!
GDB: I bloody lovey Wild Swan! To make beer at that ABV, that tastes that good, from a bottle! Well, that's no easy task at all. Agree with you completely that this has more yeasty, estery fruit going on, whereas the Wild Swan is more hop drive and cleanly fermented.
ReplyDeleteMike: A side by side of those two would be interesting. I actually think the Mary Jane might be better from cask and the Wild Swan better from bottle.
BeerBirraBier.