McEwan's India Pale Ale

I picked up a six-pack of McEwan’s India Pale Ale from the beer store to see how the Scottish do their IPAs, and because there is a picture of a pirate on the label. It ran 9 bucks and change, so I was hoping that the pirate toasting to my health on each bottle was standing sentry over a hidden gem. I got my hopes up that this buried chest would be full of golden treasure, but instead, all I dug up was an empty box filled with empty dreams.

The beer poured the exact color of a brown beer bottle, which I found very unique. The head feigned thickness, with a creamy facade that was soon eaten away by hidden larger bubbles that degassed quickly, leaving a sparse lacing in their wake. The nose was of cloves, nutmeg, and mulched leaves, with dark earthy smells abounding. Upon tasting this offering, I was reminded of a sweet and spicy mixture that called spiced rum to mind. The body was unsubstantial, with the feeling of a watered-down whiskey or non-dairy creamer, and it finished with a slight molasses and herbal taste.

This beer was not a bad beer. However, it was not a great beer, nor even a good beer. It was simply beer. It had some slight characteristics, but I was not wowed by this ale. One big thing that bothers me, though, is when a beer is mislabeled to be a style that it is not. If this were labeled as simply an English ale or Scottish ale, I wouldn’t be complaining about it as much, for it does have certain unique qualities. However, just as Bass Ale should not be labeled IPA, neither should McEwan’s. It misinforms the drinking public of the qualities of the beer. This had neither the hoppy qualities that the descriptor “India” would indicate, nor the color that the word “Pale” describes, leaving only the word “Ale”. As an ale, McEwan’s is decent, thought not spectacular by any stretch. As an India Pale Ale, McEwan’s is a failure by any measure.