type: Pear Cider
origin: Belgium
ABV: 4.5%
location: House
served: 568ml bottle to glass, over ice
So InBev have augmented their 'Cidre' with a pear version, presumably hoping to challenge Kopparberg's domination.
I can't really blame them. After all, their standard apple version
is basically a Magners clone, with toned down flavour and colour, and
Magners have a pear version (to try and challenge Kopparberg) so why
shouldn't Stella?
Thus, we now have a Pear version -
but shouldn't that be 'Poire', keeping with the French-language
branding? Or, even better, 'Poiré' - which is the French name for pear
cider.
Smell: As with the apple version, there's hardly any aroma at all. A slight hint of pear, but . 2/4
Colour: A very pale greenish-yellow. Actually looks a bit like weak soda water and lime, certainly more than it looks like cider. 1/4
Taste: Definitely less sweet than Kopparberg, and less
flavoursome. About on a par with quite a few of the generic pear ciders,
and definitely drinkable if no alternative exists. 2/4
Overall: No cider brand is complete without a pear version these
days, it seems, but the Stella version is pretty generic. Another basic
cash-in, rather than any attempt to make an interesting new product. 5/12
"C'est poiré, not pear cidre!"
Bell's assessment of a range of beverages... plus the occasional alcohol-fuelled rant
Friday, 31 August 2012
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Bell rates... Newcastle Summer Ale
type: Ale
origin: Newcastle, England
ABV: 4.4%
location: house
served: 355ml bottle to glass
I bought a couple of bottles of Newcastle 'Summer Ale' a few months ago. Today, a late-August afternoon, was truly representative of Scottish summer weather: periods of torrential rain, thunder and lightning and 11°C temperatures. Therefore, it seemed fitting to break out the 'Summer' Ale.
Fundamentally a blonde ale, the back label lists wheat among the ingredients, and I suspect a small portion of the grain bill was more heavily roasted than would be the average for a typical pale ale of this type. I didn't detect a great deal of maltiness, but there was a slight roasted element to what I did take from it.
The hop character is far more evident though, both in the aroma and the taste.
Smell - Very hoppy, with a slightly floral element. A slight alcohol smell is also evident, but overall pleasant. 3/4
Colour - A clean, clear copper, with a good, creamy, white head. 3/4
Taste - Bitterness is the main element here, with not a lot of maltiness, but the bitterness isn't overpowering, and the flavour is quite palatable. Good aftertaste. Light mouthfeel, sharp and refreshing. 4/4
Overall - It has to be said, if you're able to drink it in a time and place that than reasonably be classified as 'summer' then it's quite successful as a pleasant, refreshing tipple. Might make a good BBQ beer if you're able to get one lit befor the rain comes back on. 10/12
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