Siren Craft Brew Yu Lu
When I first saw the name of this beer I thought it sounded like some kind of tropical fruit drink. But no, it's a pale ale.
Details
- Session pale ale, 3.6% ABV
- 330ml can
From the website:
Refreshing and exciting in equal measure, Yu Lu is brewed with Earl Grey tea and lemon zest for taste that belies its strength. Distinct peach and apricot notes are complemented by zesty bergamot flavours and a delicate loose leaf tea bitterness.
Expectations
I don't know what to expect for this one. It says "session pale ale", but it also says Earl Grey tea and lemon zest, which fills me with trepidation.
Experience
On opening and sniffing the can my first impression is that it smells like an air freshener. The beer looks like a perfectly normal pale ale with a pale yellow colour and not much head to speak of. It looks quite fizzy though.
The smell is hard to describe. It doesn't smell very fruity, just a bit hoppy and a bit acidic.
I was expecting quite a strong taste, but I didn't get one. I don't get any taste of lemon zest, and I've never had Earl Grey tea so I can't say if it tastes like that either. I doubt it though, because overall it just tastes a bit hoppy and bitter.
Somehow I am both relieved and disappointed by this beer. I don't like beers that have strong fruity tastes, but I was sort-of expecting it this time and it left me missing something that I don't actually like. I'll be getting nostalgic for chicken pox next.
Verdict
3/5 : Not bad, not brilliant. Just not very interesting. I expected more.
