ABV: 4.5%
Origin: Mexborough, South Yorkshire, England
This tiny brewery was set up in 1992 in the Concertina Band Club at Mexborough, near Doncaster, essentially to brew beer for the club, though occasionally its beers seep out to beer festivals, especially since Roger Protz featured this particular beer in his 300 Beers To Try Before You Die. Concertina bands are a minor but significant tradition in the north of England, linked to the better known brass band movement which emerged in the 1880s.
Always keen to take recommendations from Roger, I was delighted when Bengal Tiger appeared in cask at the Great British Beer Festival in 2009, and not at all disappointed with my sample. Despite the relatively low gravity this is intended as an English India Pale Ale with rather more character than other common session beers bearing that designation, thus the name.
It’s a slightly hazy warm amber beer with an off-white head and a glyceriney, nettly and very fragrant aroma, with almost an elderflower perfume. The flowery theme continues on the sweetish palate which also has notes of ginger and grapefruit marmalade, artichokes and peach, meaty tones and a fresh hopsack bitterness. The sacky bittersweet finish has developing pepper over apricot nectar. So lots of hops character, but not overwhelming or overbalanced, resulting in a superbly drinkable beer.
Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/concertina-bengal-tiger/39295/
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