Mothers Ruin

The Beer

They called gin the ruin of mothers; we have taken the name for a pale ale instead, because ruining reputations is our favourite pastime. This is the lightest and quickest of our trio: pale gold, citrus-bright and dangerously drinkable at 4.2%. Challenger brings the bitterness, Cascade brings the fruit, and the whole thing goes down with such ease that you will order a second before you have finished forming an opinion on the first.

Tasting Notes

Appearance

Pale gold with a faint straw haze, bright and lively beneath a white, tightly-beaded head that clings to the glass like it has nowhere better to be.

Aroma

Fresh citrus leaps out first: lemon zest and a snap of grapefruit from the Cascade. Behind it sits a soft biscuity malt, a light floral perfume, and a whisper of cut grass. Clean, bright, no nonsense.

Flavour

Crisp cracker malt opens, then the hops take over: citrus and a gentle stone-fruit note, balanced by a firm but polite bitterness. It finishes drier than a landlord’s humour and cleaner than a whistle.

Mouthfeel

Light-to-medium bodied with a lively, fine carbonation that scrubs the palate between swallows. Refreshing without being thin, quaffable without being forgettable.

Finish

Short, dry and bright. The citrus lingers a heartbeat longer than expected, then vanishes, leaving you reaching for the glass again. That, of course, is the plan.

Vital Statistics