Water-softened English-styled IPA lacks expected rich malt assertion. Septic blandness (instead of lusty blood-like or wood burnt tenor) extinguishes mild prune, nut, and orange notes. Bitter hop moderation lost amongst charcoal-burnt wood tone. Only when warmed does any chocolate show through.
(MCAUSLAN) ST. AMBROISE PALE ALE
Modest coppery pale body with floral nose and lively carbonation allows toasted honey malts to embrace hop-embittered citric-berry nuances. Green raisin, apricot, and plum accents hide beneath slight oxidation.
(MCAUSLAN) ST. AMBROISE OATMEAL STOUT
Lavish oatmeal cookie palate receives rich barley-roasted chocolate malting, dry coffee-burnt bitterness, and mild maple nuttiness. As bottle empties, rounded stout gains fudge-y creaminess. Uncommonly robust Canadian thirst quencher compares favorably to almighty Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout and Ipswich Oatmeal Stout.
(MCAUSLAN) ST. AMBROISE APRICOT WHEAT ALE
Flickered syrupy apricot dab affects lively carbonated bubbly-headed butterscotch-hued fruit ale. Cereal-grained cream-corned apricot sweetness lacquers floral-dried perfume hops. Subsidiary cranberry-puckered cherry, banana, peach and tangerine tartness aids candied apricot-pureed sugaring to honeyed wheat bed.
MASH HOUSE RAVISHING RED ALE
Dry Irish-styled ale misnomer discounts peculiar sour cherry-peach pucker and orange blossom-grapefruit tartness. Overt fizz knocks back any sweet ‘red ale’ semblance as acridity builds, negatively affecting overall zest.
MARTHA’S VINEYARD PUB DRAUGHT ALE
Dry barleywine essence enhanced by sweet mocha-spiced Scotch malts. Reminiscent of neighboring Ipswich Brewery (but with less yeast prominence). Multi-dimensional candy-like pleasantry fades quickly, but barley roasted spine provides wonderful assist.
MARTHA’S VINEYARD OFFSHORE AMBER ALE
Tedious orange-soured honey nut-backed moderate body becomes acidic and lacks decent finish. Spiced nuttiness and herbal earthiness fail to overcome vegetal spell. Watery, ineffective, and insufficient.
MARTENS LOW CARBOHYDRATE PILSNER
Fluffy white head and pale gold body prove as dull as soured malt liquor nature. Barest bruised orange bittering cannot overcome phenol carbonated fizz; becomes cabbage-like when warmed.
MARSTON’S PEDIGREE BITTER
Nebulous amber-hued yeast-thickened bitter comes bottled in burly wide-bodied pint glass. Unfortunately, it’s not as rich or flavorful as better English bitters and could use a more complete resinous-hopped nuttiness and deeper caramel malt finish.
MARSTON’S OYSTER STOUT
Nowhere near as strong or complex as Guinness Stout, yet well-integrated, silky, ‘dark, rich and smooth.’ Copious hop-roasted coffee bitterness and friendly black licorice dab linger to milky mocha finish. Light watery texture perfect as fine crossover fodder for softer palates.
MARSTON’S ALBION PORTER
Unassuming pint-size porter finally gains intensity at its lightly malted caramel finish. Lacking distinct mocha and chocolate malt character most heavy porters boast, but OK as crossover for lighter drinkers.
MARITIME PACIFIC NIGHTWATCH DARK ALE
Dry oaken white grape waft fills out front end of turbid prune-hued amber ale. Perfumed fig-plum tartness, green raisin prop, and faint barleywine-bourbon remnant found in recessive smoked peat backdrop. Peppery hop fizz burdens chocolate-coated pecan-almond scamper.