360 Ale

360 Ale bills itself as an English pale ale. It hails from the fairly remote but extremely beautiful city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, where it's brewed by Sleeping Giant Brewing Company (named in honour of the mountain that overlooks the town). The 473mL cans are pretty snappy looking and the brew inside is a 4.9% grog. It's a copper-hued and hazy ale, and it pours with a proud layer of sudsy cream-coloured head.

To match the copper colour, 360 smells a bit like a penny, though one that's spent a fair bit of time around hops and malt. The flavour also has some metallic elements, though the beer is primarily malt focused. Toward the back end, there is a dusting of bitterness to approximate balance.

I thought that 360 Ale was a pretty engaging little pop. Despite the insinuation on the can, it's not all that innovative (English pale ales are plentiful--even ones that claim to finish with a North American fervour); however, what does provide is nice flavour, good balance, and sessionability. I definitely see myself purchasing this ale again--particularly since this one is available at my local grocery store (don't laugh non-Canadians; this is a new and exciting innovation in Ontario!). A bit fuller body might have been nice, but I'm not complaining.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

New Scotland Brews--Hell Bay English Ale

Hell Bay English Ale comes from Liverpool, Nova Scotia where it's lovingly constructed by the Hell Bay Brewing Co. It's got 5.2% and comes in 500mL bottles with what looks like a submarine mine on the label.

The English Ale is clear and chestnut coloured. It pours with a fluffy off-white head and has a lovely caramel and malt aroma. For flavour, the English Ale has a toasted malt vibe that is supplemented with notable hops placement.

This is a quite enjoyable beer. Neither hop bomb nor weakling, with a fair measure of interesting flavour, it gets the job done. This Nova Scotian, Liverpudlian ale has lots of flavour and works well from start to finish.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Saranac Our Pale Ale

Saranac Our Pale Ale is produced in Utica, New York by the Matt Brewing Co. It's sold in 355mL bottles that do not have a percentage listed, though the Saranac website informs me that there is 5.5% alcohol and 32 IBUs in this brew. O.P.A. is a rich, clear, brassy ale topped with a healthy off-white head.

There is a warm, coppery aroma that has some grainy notes and a bitter follow though. Our Pale is a very easy drinking pale ale. It's malty and metallic initially, giving way to a fairly mild, dry, and bitter finish.

This'd be a nice beer to bring on a camping trip, since it has some character, but you likely wouldn't have a lot of trouble putting a couple away. I'd have liked a bit more hop fullness though.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.