Smoked honey I Royal city brewing co.
Guelph, On
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 25
Style: Smoked brown ale
Colour: The skin of a rhino from 100 yards out
Price: $3.95/500 ml bottle
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 25
Style: Smoked brown ale
Colour: The skin of a rhino from 100 yards out
Price: $3.95/500 ml bottle
Royal City Brewing Co. from Guelph has finally hit the shelves of Eastern Ontario LCBO's, and I couldn't be happier. Until now I've only been able to look longingly at their lineup ever since they made my Full-Line Branding top ten. Now that I've drank a couple of their beers, it's obvious that the beer is as good as the labels. Smoked Honey is right up my alley, and if you're a fan of darker ales like myself, you should be thanking your lucky stars that you now have a new option.
Smoked Honey is a well executed brown ale, a style that usually either tastes really really good, or more like the ass of a dead horse. Some of the worst craft beers I've ever had at various festivals have consistently been brown ales, but when done well, it's a mother-fuckin treat. Smoked Honey is definitely a treat. Not only has Royal City done a nice subtle brown ale, but they've layered in beechwood smoked malt that while subtle, also adds a nice balance to the sweetness of a brown. Having talked about sweetness and smoked malt and honey, it should be mentioned first and foremost that Smoked Honey isn't really that heavy of a beer, and while there is significant flavour here, it drinks on the lighter side in terms of mouth-feel and finish. The characteristic sweet malt of a brown ale is there, but it's balanced by the subtle smokiness, and the honey isn't in your face, but rather mingling in the background of an ale that's really quite complex. Smoked Honey has a soft carbonation, some might even call it borderline flat, but it's perfect for the style. The aftertaste lingers, but at the start it's not overpowering, beckoning you for another sip. The more sips you take the more the smokiness builds, which is a nice feature but at the same time makes the beer seem a bit heavier as you move along, and after a full bottle there's some really strong aftertaste happening. Hops aren't a factor here, which is refreshing, and in the end this is an old school type of beer that's tailor-made for ale enthusiasts, of which I am one. You can also tell that Smoked Honey would make a great accompaniment to most foods, but alas, I've got zero bbq in front of me.
The verdict: In a summertime world of session ales and saisons, this is one of the more unique and enjoyable beers that I've had in a while, and I'll pay the extra dollar every time for a beer of this quality.
Smoked Honey is a well executed brown ale, a style that usually either tastes really really good, or more like the ass of a dead horse. Some of the worst craft beers I've ever had at various festivals have consistently been brown ales, but when done well, it's a mother-fuckin treat. Smoked Honey is definitely a treat. Not only has Royal City done a nice subtle brown ale, but they've layered in beechwood smoked malt that while subtle, also adds a nice balance to the sweetness of a brown. Having talked about sweetness and smoked malt and honey, it should be mentioned first and foremost that Smoked Honey isn't really that heavy of a beer, and while there is significant flavour here, it drinks on the lighter side in terms of mouth-feel and finish. The characteristic sweet malt of a brown ale is there, but it's balanced by the subtle smokiness, and the honey isn't in your face, but rather mingling in the background of an ale that's really quite complex. Smoked Honey has a soft carbonation, some might even call it borderline flat, but it's perfect for the style. The aftertaste lingers, but at the start it's not overpowering, beckoning you for another sip. The more sips you take the more the smokiness builds, which is a nice feature but at the same time makes the beer seem a bit heavier as you move along, and after a full bottle there's some really strong aftertaste happening. Hops aren't a factor here, which is refreshing, and in the end this is an old school type of beer that's tailor-made for ale enthusiasts, of which I am one. You can also tell that Smoked Honey would make a great accompaniment to most foods, but alas, I've got zero bbq in front of me.
The verdict: In a summertime world of session ales and saisons, this is one of the more unique and enjoyable beers that I've had in a while, and I'll pay the extra dollar every time for a beer of this quality.
