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Sunday, May 02, 2010

Ossett Excelsior


...It seems that Ossett Brewery are having a surge of popularity in Leeds right now. Everyone's meeting in, talking about, and drinking at The Hop, which just goes to show how fast quality drinking dens in Leeds get support, and now their bottled output is popping up (and selling out) in various outlets across the region.


Excelsior seems to be the only one widely available (although the lush-sounding Treacle Stout is also being bottled), and I'm not complaining at all. Excelsior (5.2%abv) is their strong pale ale, and it's lovely. Stealthy in terms of alcohol, it's easy drinking with a full, rounded and undeniably smooth in the body. There's a cereal/malt undertone early on, which soon gets overpowered by a massively grapefruit/citrus hit courtesy of lashings of Cascade hops. This means a dry, bitter finish, but one that remains balanced. I've even drunk this chilled and can report that it serves as a (albeit strong) wonderful thirst quencher on the hotter days. All in all a great transition from a cask favourite to a bottled standard.
Ossett Brewery - if you're reading: can we have Big Red bottled next, please?

4 comments:

MicMac said...

I had their Citra in the Everyman Bar in Liverpool last week - it was stunning stuff & in my hit&miss local 'Spoons I've recently really enjoyed their chewy Big Red & naffly-named golden On-The-Piste.

Leigh said...

MicMac - yeah, I love Big Red too, makes me want more darker beers from Ossett. Citra - not seen it but am assuming its a single hopped one. Will keep an eye out. Fine Fettle's nice too, if you see it.

MicMac said...

I was told yesterday that Ossett have had some more bottling done recently, I'll try & find out what beers.
Cheers,
Mike.

Baron Orm said...

I was recently very lucky to receive a bottle of each Ossett Brewery ale thanks to myBrewerytap (http://www.mybrewerytap.com).

I really enjoyed the Excelsior and that will be getting a 5/5 rating, the Treacle Stout is also very good and will be getting a 4/5 (it's more of a sweet dark roasted ale than a smoky stout).