“Wakey, wakey, sleepy head! It’s time to Break Yo’ Fast with this smoky sweet amber ale and a side of sticky maple bacon pancakes. We don’t always have beer for brekkie but this is a special occasion. It’s our 5th Birthday Limited Edition brew so go on, treat yo’ self!”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Pours an attractive deep amber with a thumb of off white head. It gradually peels off and settles at the rim. Reasonable lace as we go.

Aroma: Holy moly it actually smells like it’s been barrel aged so you could imagine our surprise to find out it hasn’t. We’re getting a dank and musty sauna room quality but as we keep taking it in we realise it’s the smoky bacon that’s providing it. The maple and buttery caramel sweetness is a master stroke…not only for balance but also for outright decadence. Yummo!

Flavour: The smoky bacon is a tad more restrained here. Definitely getting more of the traditional Amber characters like honeysuckle, burnt toffee, nutty malts and floral hops. They marry up beautifully with the subtle maple as well. There’s also a slight dryness to it which provides a good balance. Nice and sweet nutty and slightly smoky finish with good length.

Mouthfeel: Balance is the key here…there’s a nice chewy density but the light fizz and hop bitterness counteracts well. Only 5% too so it’s all about that equilibrium.

Overall: Solid stuff. We’ve been super impressed with what Bad Shepherd have been putting out lately. What are we saying we’ve been super impressed with this brewery for a long time now!! Keep em coming!