I’m not the biggest fan of pale ales, especially with an unreliable fridge. But, the label swayed me this time, as many another time in the past. It’s so focused, so determined, so much a beer that wants to kick itself down your throat. Plus, it’s Australian pale ale, so that’s something unusual up here. Bomb Squad is the name, but there’s also a little tagline at the bottom that resonates in these times: There Is No Tomorrow. Hits a little harder than that carpe diem crap, doesn’t it? Oso Brew does not have a particularly dour image, quite the opposite, but maybe it’s meant to be a call to action. I hope it doesn’t blow up in my face, after being shoved around in that fridge.
It is indeed a pale ale, straw colored, almost glowing white foam. The aroma comes in like a double decker bridge, with a strong whiff of fruit on top and a piney woodiness chugging in on the bottom. That bridge in Sydney isn’t a double decker, is it? Not like our beloved Gummint Bridge. I can’t quite see trains being bright and tropical at this time, since I don’t think they’re bringing in fruit these days. Somebody else must know a breezy pineapple bridge somewhere. There isn’t a lot of fruit in the flavor, it’s almost more of a rind or even grassy taste. This could be what you get when you eat dirt in an Australian football game. A pale ale is not an IPA, so you don’t expect it to be overwhelmingly hoppy, but it’s not a lager either, so you shouldn’t expect too much sweetness. This is a much more powerfully flavored pale ale than I’ve had for quite some time. It’s not quite what I expected, but I get to like it more with each sip. It might not be to everyone’s taste, especially in the summer, since it’s not especially easy-drinking. It’s rough around the edges and with a low and foresty flavor, not light and airy like other pales. Those traits make it feel like a get-up-and-go beer, though, not a sit-back-and-sleep one. Good for an early afternoon, in the on-street seating, ready to attack the rest of your obligations right after. If I’m not mistaken, 4.1% fits in the mid-strength category, so I guess it’s one Ozzie Man might recommend.
Supplier: Be Hoppy
Price: €5.50
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