Mar

03

Holy Grail Ale

By Andy Murphy

Rate this article: (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

 Loading ...

As someone who has memorized the entire script to the dead parrot sketch and knows a thing or two about silly walks, I can forgive you if Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale found its way into your shopping cart the very same day you discovered such a beer existed.

But I’ve avoided the beer, until now.

Did I think it would taste like Spam? Was I afraid of a good taunting? Would Tim the Enchanter blast me away for drinking the beer? Of course not. I stayed away because I was worried the Holy Grail Ale would be like the giant, wooden rabbit in Monty Python and the Holy Grail — funny looking and quaint on the outside, but ultimately empty.

I’m pleasantly relieved to report the Holy Grail Ale is actually quite good. The beer is not the explosive failure I had feared — no beer equivalent of the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that you could easily drink three of these beers, though no more, and no less. Three shall be the correct number thou shalt drink, and the number of the drinking shall be three. Four shalt thou not drink, neither drink thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.

Okay, now that I’ve alienated everyone who played varsity sports in high school, the geeks and I can hang out and talk beer.

The beer is brewed in the UK by the Black Sheep Brewery, which describes the beer as:

Another fine addition to the Black Sheep Brewery range of premium bottled ales, our Holy Grail was specially commissioned to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Pythons. It has a distinctive taste with plenty of fruity hops, and is full flavoured with a dry and refreshing bitterness.

The Holy Grail Ale bottle is 1 pint, 0.9 oz (500 ml), which is just enough to fill my Duvel glass with cloudy, straw-colored beer and top it with a thick foam the consistency of steamed milk. The head began to dimple in on itself, and with my tulip glass so full and with the dimpled head perched so high atop the beer, it took on the look of a crown. Not a grail, but a pretty good start to the quest.

The aroma is all pale malt, lightly sweet and beery. And the taste is very smooth, pale English malt, biscuity. There are some hops, but not much bitterness — these light hops act as “flavor glue”, holding everything together and adding complexity. The beer has a creamy feel, and it is a genuine pleasure to drink.

I’m praising this beer almost grudgingly, because I was absolutely convinced I wasn’t going to like this gimmicky beer.

I guess a lot of character is added when a beer (as the label boasts) is “tempered over burning witches”.

No related posts.

Rate this article: (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Categories : Beer a Day