Brewer: 4 Mile Brewing, Victoria BC
Style: English-style Strong Ale
Alc/Vol: 6.9%
IBUs: 50

Description: Located in a historical landmark building in Victoria, BC (which dates back 1858), the Four Mile Brewpub is a craft brewing operation that is inspired by English, New England and Pacific Northwest brewing traditions. The English Strong Ale pays homage to these, combining a strong malt base with generous hopping to achieve a dark, unfiltered strong ale.

Tasting Notes: As introductions go, this one was both very pleasant and quite overdue. For some time now, I’ve been hearing about the 4 Mile Brewpub and how it can run with the best of Victoria’s craft brewers. And when I found that they were bottling their wares and delivering to my local beer store, I jumped right on it. And I could immediately see the appeal with this ale, boasting as it does strong notes of dark roasted malt, a nutty backbone, a bitter hop finish, and a hint or two of brown sugar and molasses. I could also see, taste, and smell the English inspiration, and was pleased that it was being fashioned right here in my hometown. Kudos, 4 Mile, see you again soon!

Appearance: Deep brown, cloudy, good foam retention and carbonation
Nose: Rich malt, hints of caramelized sugar, roasted nuts, syrup, grassy hops
Taste: Strong malt, alcoholic tang, chestnuts, hint of brown sugar, bitter hop finish
Aftertaste: Lingering nuttiness, toasted malt and hop bitterness
Overall: 9,5/10