Beer Review: 90 Shilling Ale

ODell's 90 Shilling Ale was my beer of choice during the week. The name comes from the fact that in years gone past a tax of 90 shilling was placed on the highest quality barrel of beer and it is with such expectations that I opened the bottle. The beer is based on a light version of a Scottich Ale and was the first beer to be brewed by ODell Brewing Company back in 1989, it has also won a number of awards over the years:

• Bronze, British Style Ale, 2009 Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival
• Bronze, English-Style Brown, 2006 Los Angeles County Fair
• Bronze, American Amber Ale, 1991 Great American Beer Festival

The beer pours a deep, rich red colour, with a small white head. Aroma is of grapefruit backed up by a sweet malt profile. Medium bodied with a low level of carbonation and a lovely creamy mouthfeel. The finish is very clean with little or no hop bitterness. Hop flavour is subdued (only 27 IBU's) and the taste is dominated by the malt bill. There is no dominant malt flavour but there are subtle hints of toffee and caramel, all of this backed up by the merest hint of citrus hops.

A pleasure to drink and would make a fabulous session beer (5.3%), it is unfortunate that it is pretty rare to come across American Amber Ales (or is it an American/Scottish Amber Ale?) in Ireland as this is a beer style I really like. Highly recommended.