Spooks Ale

To mark Halloween, I picked up a bottle of Spooks Ale, produced by Shepherd Neame Ltd. out of Faversham, Kent, England. According to the label on the 500mL bottle, this beer is the "Official Ghost Brew for All Hallows", a "Brew of Protection", and one that you should "Drink If You Dare". It's a tad low-octane at 4.7% alcohol, and pours a beautiful red-gold topped with a generous layer of creamy head.

There is a nose with a lot going on. There are notes of roasted malt, copper, bread, and a slight hop twist. The flavour is chiefly malt-driven, but also features some vaguely bloody iron elements and a classically British hop finish.

As usual for a beer with less than 5% alcohol, I'd have liked this stuff to be brewed a bit stronger. However, it's ably flavourful. A touch less focus on the iron/copper elements would have been nice, but the finish and the roasted malt breadiness made this an enjoyable piece of brewing.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Have a happy and hoppy Halloween!