Blackberry Farm "Screaming Cock" Pale Ale

Another of my brewery firsts, this is a simple pale ale from Blackberry Farm Brewery (or BFB as they call themselves sometimes). I had someone recently make a derogatory comment about beer in cans, and I generally agree that beer is better out of glass bottles, but I've found quite a few beers that were only sold in cans, and many were pretty good, so I try not to judge anymore.

The yellow gold beer cascades like an upside down whitewater section of a river. Okay, maybe not quite that much, but a lot. The good head is sticky, which is surprising considering the large size of the bubbles, but I'll go with what works. The aroma is that of tropical fruits, lemongrass (which I can't say I'm fond of), and a lightly toasted malt.

First sip is a bit watery at first, but it builds with a lot more malt than I expected and the grapefruit kind of bobbles on top with a bit of pine and even a touch of honey. For something called Screaming Cock, it's actually pretty crisp and fairly mild overall. Don't let the name intimidate you. For that matter, don't let the possibility of a swig go by unheeded.

Tip-in is biscuit malt with an attack of carbonation burn almost like seltzer had been added. The hops are barely noticeable, but the honey is there. The middle is a continuation of the carbonation assault on the mouth to the point that my tongue is almost numbed from the tip backward, progressing slowly through the drink. Meanwhile, the resin and yeast seem to have found their way to the front, and I can't say this was the party I had an invitation to. The finish is a hollow cessation of carbonation and the void is filled with citrus, tropical hops and pine.

Bottom Line: I guess the screaming is the carbonation, because it overwhelms the rest of the beer.

1.75/5