Robinson’s Brewery: Build A Rocket Boys!(England: Golden Ale: 4% ABV)
Visual: Copper to gold. Large crisp head of loose bubbles that mounds in the middle. Lots of carbonation.
Nose: Crisp. Wheaty. Light caramel. Light crisp hoppiness.
Body: Nutty, malt and moderate bitterness. Malt drinks. Walnut. Light fudges sweetness. Touch of crystallised fruit sugar
Finish: Peanuts. Dry wheat hops. Slight hop oil. Fudge touch.
Conclusion: A very light and crisp beer here. A nice level of bitterness akin to that found in the decent German lagers, with just a touch of fudge and malt sweetness into a crisp wheat like finish. There is a very easy drinking quality to it, the bitterness refreshing but not bracing or assaulting.
It comes in as a competent beer, but I couldn’t find a hook to grab and appreciate it by. No elements really declares what the beer is all about. It seems close to a real ale interpretation of the Kolsch style. It is pleasant and with a simplicity in it’s balance of malt sweetness to hops. While the hop finish may be off putting to a lighter lager drinking it could make a good step stone to ales for those who are used to the hoppier lagers.
So, none too bad, but not one to get excited about. A nice but unassuming ale.
Background: The bottle top says “Robinson’s Unicorn Brewery, but all web searches just say Robinson’s Brewery so I’m going with that. This beer was the brainchild of the band “Elbow”, brewed at Robinson’s brewery and named after one of Elbow’s albums. Since I have been playing the end levels of Sonic Generations recently the name of the beer got that bloody annoying “Rocket!” sound effect stuck in my head. I won’t hold that against the beer though. This is one of a set of beers I found waiting for me when I visited the family back up north. Knowing I’m a beer nut they got a few beers in for me to review. You can’t beat a family like that can you. a family like that can you.
