Shepherd Neame Port Grumpy's Pale Ale

Grumpy's Pale Ale Port Brewing/Shepherd Neame Port-web

US brewer hitting all the right marks!

5.0% ABV

Reviewed by RD

Info: A joint effort between the Shepherd Neame brewery in Kent and brewer Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing and Lost Abbey Brewery in California. Brewed using English barley and a selection of 4 hops Amarillo, Bramling Cross, Brewers Gold and Phoenix. This was classed by Wetherspoons as a “Strong Bitter”. On sampling I can assure you this is a fantastic pale ale like only American breweries seems to pull off.

Colour: Served on pump it settles to a very pale yellow/amber colour. Thick and somewhat creamy head. Plenty of lacing and retained its head right to the end.

Nose: On the nose you get a lovely sweet hop aroma which is followed by an earthiness. Reminiscent of the smell of freshly dug up potatoes

Taste: clean, smooth and a little touch of bitter hops on the finish. A true textbook American pale ale. Beautifully creamy and rounded, like the classic Sierra Nevada pale ale without the floral hops. There seems to be something so perfect about pale ales from California, they get it so right!

Overall Experience: I wish this wasn’t just a sneaky little lunchtime half, I’d have loved to have quaffed a full pint of this on a warm summers afternoon. I may even sneak one in after work on my way home. I’m not in California and its not sunny, but this beer could have convinced me otherwise for a few minutes. Loved it!