The name for this amber ale was chosen from taxes charged per barrel on beer in the 19th Century, where the strongest brews were taxed 90 shillings. Now the alcohol by volume for the 90 Shilling is 5.3%, which is comparable to most American brews out there, and it's not the strongest. What's that say about beer in the UK back then? But we're not here to judge what your grandparents' grandparents were drinking.
On first pour, into my typical American pint glass, it has a deep copper red appearance, cloudy like you'd see in a hefeweizen. But there isn't any citrus banana notes to my nose, but rather a caramel-y scent, with walnut and chestnut undertones, even a woodsy element. The head is thin but solid, and fades fast. And it leaves a lacy foam along the sides of the glass that stays long after you've finished your pint.
The taste is full and rich-bodied but oddly dry and refreshing at the finish, that was unexpected but welcome. It has a nutty, oaken flavor overall with some slight cocoa undertones and a smoothness that I attribute to the taste of yeast, but also has a little harshness to the palette; it's a bitterness like you'd get from an overroasted nut, likely from the Northern Brewer and Cascade hops in the ingredients. There's a diverse mix of malt in this brew - barley malt, Vienna malt, Crystal malt, and Chocolate malt.
According to "Beers of the World" this was originally a seasonal winter brew, but as it grew in popularity it became a year-round production. I agree, this is a terrific brew to drink anytime. It's flavorful, with an interesting bouquet, a real treat to the senses for a typical beer-drinker.
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