Beer #119 – May 1, 2010: Greene King Abbot Ale

Beer: Greene King Abbot Ale

Brewery: Greene King / Morland Brewery, Suffolk, England

Style: English Pale Ale

Serving Type: 16.9 oz can

Price: $8.99 / four-pack

Availability: Year-round

Glassware: Glass mug

Strength: 5.0% ABV (alcohol by volume)

Drinkability: Pretty nice, very drinkable British ale

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Clear amber-orange hue with a medium creamy white head

Aroma: Sweet grain, slightly spicy British hop aroma

Mouthfeel: Medium thin body with a somewhat creamy carbonation

Taste: Starts with mild caramel and buttery popcorn (think Cracker Jack), with the earthy green-grass flavors of classic British Golding and Fuggle hops coming through.  An ale with a classic British flavor and a slightly bitter finish.

Pairing: Classic British pub fare.

Trivia: While the “Widget” (a plastic sphere containing nitrogen) was first put into canned beer by Guinness to recreate the creamy nitrogen head and carbonation of a Guinness on tap, British breweries such as Greene King have found that it also produce a similar carbonation to pale ales served from a cask.