BBC Freebies!

Workin at a packie sure has it's perks!  Like say when a rep comes in touting their beer, but we have no desire to carry it..I get the samples!!  YAY FREE BEER!  Dude was from Berkshire Brewing Company..left us with their Steel Rail Pale Ale, Lost Sailor India Pale Ale and Berkshire Ale Traditional Pale Ale.  So..having a beer blog, and a healthy obsession with beer, I had to document the tastings for you guys!  (done a while ago..but I've been lazy in updating)

Steel Rail Pale Ale up first, and damn, it's just a fun beer to say!  C'mon say it with me!  Steel Rail Pale Ale..just rolls off the tounge. Yeah, I know, it's really the Extra Pale Ale..but it's way more fun to say the other way.  5.3%ABV and 20IBUs..nice healthy beer.  Hazy golden pour, solid head on it..sweet malty aroma and a bit of an IPA-hoppy-citrus smell.  On the medium to slightly full-bodied end of taste and mouthfeel.  Nice simple beer overall, bready/caramel-esque malts, slightly hoppy on the finish, a bit creamy throughout.  A change, I think, on how beers are made now..everything is trying to be overly hoppy, unique malts, odd additives.  BBC Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale gives a bit more body and taste than a traditional pale ale, but there's no frills on this one. Pure, simple, tasty beer.

Now the Lost Sailor India Pale Ale...

5.5% and 40 IBUs..a bit lower on the scale than most IPA's.. a bit noticeable in the nose.  Still plenty of the citrus and piney hop notes, but not as powerful as most.  Nice golden brown pour and thin lacey head...rather light taste.  Hops are certainly present..slightly grapefruit maybe?  hints of sweet and nutty malts  but the hops don't kill you with bitterness.  The citrus carries through to the aftertaste very well.  Another seemingly excellent, yet simple beer by Berkshire Brewing Company.  I've gotta pick up some other offerings and see if delicious simplicity is the company's M.O.  Who wants to try some with me!?

Also got the Berkshire Ale Traditional Pale Ale.  6.3%ABV and 23 IBUs.  Nice light brown pour, foamy lacy head.  Wonderfully sweet malty aroma and some fruity citrus.  The taste is a nice blend of crisp and somewhat 'creamy' with balanced bready/toasty malts fighting for your taste buds with piney and citrus-like hops..no bitterness at all.  Finished with more of the sweetness than the hops, slightly like mild toffee or something..leaving a nice sugary buzz in your mouth well after you've sipped.  A great pale ale and more complex than you'd expect from a pale and from BBC considering the other two beers I tried.