Nov 16, 2012

Guinness Generous Ale

The folks behind the Guinness brand of beers (Diageo, in this case) have been trying their best in recent years to expand upon the popularity of their tasty stout. The first of these efforts that I received was the rather lack luster Black Lager. It was passable, but not memorable.

Next up is the newly announced winter warmer (or dark mild depending on where you look), Generous Ale, described in a recent press release as such:

Inspired by Arthur’s philanthropic legacy and devotion to generous, full-flavored beers, Guinness Generous Ale is special edition holiday beer that was developed in a traditional winter ale style, but with more body and the distinct roast for which Guinness Draught is known.

While it’s not quite as roasty as the Draught, Generous Ale is nonetheless the best off-shoot of this brand that I’ve had thus far. It’s got just the right profile for the colder months of Winter.

Appearance

Generous Ale pours a medium brown in color with a large, light tan head that fell slowly to a quarter-inch cap that proved resilient until the end.

Aroma

Rich malt, light roat, subtle caramel, nuttiness and distant grassy hop comprise the aroma of this brew. Smells appropriate for the style and season.

Taste

Earthy, roast malt arrives first along with a touch of coffee and a hint of nuttiness before shifting through light grassy hops and a low-to-moderate level of bitterness. The brew is medium bodied with a light sweetness and drying finish. At 5.6% ABV it’s not sessionable but still proves to be easy drinking.

Overall

I was pleased to find this one much tastier and with more character than the benign Black Lager that I had about this time last year. Generous Ale is worthy of the Guinness moniker and delivers a solid experience with its lightly roasted, earthy malt character and hint of hop bitterness. I can certainly see myself sitting down to a couple of these after a long cold Winter’s day.

Rating: 3.75/5

This is a review of a promotional sample.

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