8 Man English Pale Ale

Another beer from Bath, Ontario's utterly respectable, farm-based Mackinnon Brothers Brewing Co., 8 Man English Pale Ale is a 5.8% alcohol brew, housed in 473mL cans. Those pale blue aluminum sheaths feature an image of a mustachioed English rugger, seemingly taking advantage of a break in the action.

8 Man is a handsomely hazy ale. It has a ruddy chestnut brown colour and pours with a blanket of dense eggshell head. Its aroma presages a balanced ale, boasting a healthy measure of roasted malt notes superimposed over a faint but hard to ignore hops layer. True to its pedigree as an English-style pale ale, this little number focuses more strongly on the malt portion of the beer equation than does its North American brothers and sisters. Nicely roasted and rich in caramel notes, this malty, slightly sweet front end is where 8 Man really shines. Toward the close, there is a nod to bitterness, but it feels little more than perfunctory,

I'll admit that, just as I prefer football to rugby, I am typically more pleased with hops-heavy American/Canadian style pale ales than brews that ape the maltier English style. However, this charming offering from the Mackinnon Bros. left me feeling sated and impressed. 8 Man English Pale Ale is most certainly worth checking out.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.