Black Sheep Ale (Special)
Paid $3.99 for a 16.9 oz bottle from The Wine Fountain in San Jose, CA. Poured into a pint glass with two pours. Nice inch and a half frothy white head that retains quite well. Transparent golden color with excellent carbonation. Good lacing. Bready and sweeter malts balance well with light hops and yeast. Also has some hints of butter and nuts. Reminds me a bit of a more aromatic pilsner. A lot going on in the nose, but overall, nothing is overly intriguing. Taste is better than the smell with this one. Buttery and smooth. Sweet and bready malts up front with a nice mild hoppy finish. Very well balanced. Quality ingredients (which I thought the opposite of in the nose). Thick and creamy with medium body and high carbonation. If you haven't had an English Pale Ale, this would be a good place to start. Very different than an IPA or APA, so if you are somewhat afraid of a strong hop character, you may really like this one.