From Mercury Brewing – Named one of the World’s Ten Best Beers by Wine Spectator Magazine, Ipswich Ale has satisfied discerning craft beer drinkers since 1991. A North Shore classic, Ipswich Ale is a medium-bodied, unfiltered English style pale ale with subtle hoppiness and a smooth malty flavor.

Mercury Brewing Ipswich Original Ale – Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a room temperature oval pilsner glass.5.4% abv

Appearance
Hazy ice-tea color with some bright hints of yellow and pink. On top of the glass, sat white lace that was as wide as a baby’s finger at best.

Aroma
A mix of strong crusty french bread and fresh buttery biscuits. Not much of a hop profile found in this beer.

Taste
A smooth, malty pale ale that showcases the malt instead of the hops for a change. There are some grassy and citrus notes from the hops but they have to be searched for. A sweet honey flavor shines through but does not over-sweeten.

Mouthfeel
Very easy on the palate. Smooth, wet and refreshing with just the right amount of carbonation. You could drink this beer all night if you wanted to.

Overall
I have no clue how this beer ended up in my beer fridge but I am glad that it did. No wonder this beer has been a staple at Ipswich for nearly 20 years. I went to grab something that is a little lighter and easy to drink and there it was. I am assuming that a friend of mine brought some over for a tasting but we never got around to it. This smooth ale was the perfect beer to enjoy while home brewing my recent batch of 70 Minute IPA (my spin on the Dogfish 60 Minute) the other night. It’s no wonder it was named one of the “World’s Ten Best Beers” by Wine Spectator Magazine.

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