Bass Pale Ale

First Brewed: 1777
Brewery Location: Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England
ABV: 5%

History & Availability: Billed as "the world's first pale ale," a style that now spans the entire globe, Bass has had a strong impact on the world of beer and by most accounts has been relatively stable since its introduction in the 1700s. Bass was so popular through the 1800s, in fact, that it became the recipient of the UK's first registered trademark, as other brands tried to use Bass's distinctive red triangle mark to their advantage. In the US, Bass has become the most popular imported English beer (though not the most popular beer from the British Isles; more on that later). Since this beer is imported from England and is widely available around the globe, your chances of finding it in your local supermarket are fairly high.

Appearance: The ale has a medium color to it, as most pale ales do (despite the name) - somewhat coppery and with a very small and fast-dissipating head (this is the foam that appears when you pour the beer, for those of you who don't know the terms). It pours very easily and has what I'd call scant carbonation - not too little, but definitely not as much as you'd find in a fizzier beer or soda. Very clear; you could almost read through it given some backlighting. The picture I took is oddly dark and not really representative of the beer itself; I'll work on proper lighting for the next review.

Smell: The smell is sweet and very malty, nearly drowning out the other scents the ale has to offer. Upon closer inspection you can smell some woodiness to it but again the strong malt smell is really what to pay attention to here.

Taste: A very interesting taste for a pale ale. There's a hint of fruity flavor to this beer that you generally wouldn't find in an Indian or Belgian pale ale. The aftertaste especially leaves a hint of almost citrus-y flavor, or perhaps apricot. The infused taste is very strong in this ale, so if you're after something a little more "traditional" you might want to steer somewhere else; but if you're looking for an interesting fusion of pale ale with the dryer fruits, this is definitely something to try.

Mouthfeel: Medium weight; certainly more than most macrobrews but definitely not as much as a stout. The carbonation essentially disappears once sipped and except for a slight tingling at the tongue, there's not much activity in the mouth.

Drinkability: This is where the pale ale shines. Bass leaves little aftertaste after about 30 seconds, allowing you to continue to drink to your heart's content. A very smooth ale in my opinion. You can easily get through 3 or 4 of these in an hour or two and not feel weighed down at all. If you're looking for a drink that you can slosh around with your buds, this may be near the top of your chain.

Overall verdict: B, although be aware that the dry-fruity taste may not be for you.