The beer is a slightly hazy
burnished copper colour. It pours with a vibrant and loose off-white
head through which wafts a balanced albeit mild aroma that walks a
tightrope between caramel malts and metallic bitterness. The flavour,
sweeter than I anticipated, kicks off with date or raisin notes and a
sticky toffee quality. The finish is relatively modestly flavoured, but
admirably subtle and complicated. There are treacle elements, but this
share the spotlight with an undercurrent of earthy hops.
I
really enjoyed SMX. It should be noted that, despite the
session-friendly percentage, this beer manages to taste full-bodied and
will fill you up. What that means, for me at least, is that it provides
an excellent way to enjoy a lush, well rounded ale without getting
utterly pickled. The truth, as I see it, is that SMX does deliver on its
promise: it blends classic English ale elements and low octane with a
21st century hop profile. A little less sweetness is my only initial
complaint.
I'll have to revisit this one soon
to be sure, but my inclination after a single can is that this stuff
merits a pretty great score.
Rating: 9.0 out of 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment