Strangford Lough St. Patrick's Best and Legbiter

Sometime in mid-May I was contacted by some marketing reps of Stranford Lough Brewing Company asking if I'd be interested in reviewing their products. SLBC is a young Irish brewery located in Killyleagh, County Down, that recently decided to expand operations to the United States. They are looking for some exposure here in the states, and I suppose they deemed 52Brews an appropriate platform.

Technically this was only the second company to reach out to me for a review (Buckbean Brewing had contacted me some time ago, unfortunately I never received their shipment); and I did some quick preliminary research to make sure they were legit. Everything passed the sniff test, so I happily agreed to do the review. Something I didn't do - and I should have done - was warn them that my review would be entirely honest, and I would offer full disclosure to you all that the product was sent to me for review.

While any company should recognize this risk, and make the connection without being forewarned, I feel it was in poor journalistic practice on my part that I neglected to provide that disclaimer to the SLBC reps. The misleading factor about this site is that all of my reviews are positive. This is because I only review products that I recommend. While reviewing products that are shipped to me is a welcome change, it does introduce an awkward opportunity for disappointment - both on my end and on theirs.

This is the awkward story of disappointment - both on my end... and presumably on theirs.

More About SLBC

From the SLBC website:

Founded in 2004, Strangford Lough is the brainchild of "two marketing and business development professionals whose vision was to be 'the second most recognisable Irish beer brand in the world'."

The beers are named after characters with historical significance around SLBC's local region in Ireland. More from the brewer:

In addition to having Irish names our beers are also based on traditional Irish recipes. The contents are typical for this part of the world, though we have added a very special local ingredient - Shamrock. This further honours our local tradition. Our aim is to make beers that give enjoyment in appearance, bouquet and taste and by so doing giving you a little of what is best about County Down, a largely undiscovered part of Ireland.

SLBC brought on George Thompson as their master brewer and Operations Director in 2007, with aim to improve their brew and increase brand awareness. Thompson developed a "technical strategy for exporting immigrant beers – starting in Ireland and finishing in North America. To achieve a product with these attributes George has developed the vision of using locally grown barley which is then malted and brewed into a concentrate in County Down before it is exported and reconstituted close to the consumer."

Strangford Lough Brewing has a business plan for expanding into North America through the use of contract brewers. From the sound of it, this Irish-made beer concentrate can be shipped to US brewing facilities where contractees will essentially "just add water", bottle it, and get it into our hands. As I understand it, that's where this beer came from - hence the "Product of USA" stamp on the bottle.

My Experience

A six-pack of SLBC brews arrived at my doorstep containing three each of their Legbiter Ale and St. Patrick's Best Ale. The first up for review is the St. Patrick's Best.

Appearance: Pours a clear reddish-copper with a foamy off-white head.

Aroma:  Not much to pick out here, mildly sweet and malty.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth, and moderately carbonated.

Taste/finish: Mildly malty with a bittersweet and very slightly alcoholic aftertaste. The bitterness sticks around a little while, deterring me from labeling this a Scottish ale- otherwise many of the characteristics suggest the style. Instead they call it an English Bitter - admittedly a style I'm not entirely wild about, but consequently not a brew with a whole lot going for it. This beer is full of subtlety, and unfortunately they've left us without much to talk about here.

Overall: OK for the style, not sure I would return to this one. Although I prefer bigger brews, I can appreciate a worthy session beer. Unfortunately this weighs in a little too heavy for me, and is not as drinkable as I'd like if I were to throw down several of these. Although only 4.2% ABV, the balance isn't quite there.

And of course the brewer's notes:

Light and refreshing on the palate, our session best bitter has a classic Irish malt & traditional hop aroma.  Light amber in colour, this smooth beer has hints of caramel with a woody bitterness.

Now onto Legbiter Ale...

Appearance: Similar reddish-coppery tones of the St. Patrick's Best. Slightly darker, pillowy tan head.

Aroma: Not much, maybe a *touch* of smokiness? I struggle to find any hops.

Mouthfeel: Light, clean, bubbly, crisp

Taste/finish: Another subtle beer - gentle malts, maybe a touch of smokiness along with a slightly sweet, smooth ending. I wish there was more going on in here, but definitely better drinkability than the above. The beer is clean and somewhat refreshing- maybe a choice alternative to a lager. There's a little bit of hop presence on the finish, but it fades very quickly.

Overall: Not a ton of flavor, but they've managed to make this smooth and approachable, even with the slightly higher 4.8% ABV. Drinks a lot like a lager. A big name for such a small beer.

From the brewer:

Brilliant golden ale with an inviting citrus fragrance of late added Cascade and Glacier hops. The fine hop and light malt aromas carry through to the palate to give an ale that is full but refreshing, with a clean caramel malt bitter finish.

Final Thoughts

First and foremost I'd like to thank Strangford Lough Brewing for considering me to review their products. I wish I could offer a more favorable review, but unfortunately I was looking for a bit more from this young brewery. I tend to think that it is more difficult to pull off an exceptional session brew than it is a big beer or imperial, as the connoisseur is searching meticulously for something to 'wow' the palate. Big beers deliver the punch up front, and sessions need to deliver within much tighter margins.

The problem is, I don't think SLBC is trying to 'wow' anyone - they've taken the relatively safe route of producing neutral, approachable beers that can better aid their business plan of expansion. This may be an unfortunate case where monetization has taken precedence over individuality. I might as well pick up a lager if I'm looking for this level of simplicity. In fact, the Legbiter reminds me quite a bit of Yuengling - and while I'm OK with that - I was hoping for something special.

Next, I'm conflicted over endorsing reconstituted beer. The products I prefer are fresh, big beers made with interesting ingredients - or at least employing innovative techniques. I have a problem calling this "craft" even if the current production numbers define it as such.

I know there are plenty of positive reviews for these products - some can be found here. I feel it is my responsibility, however, to offer my readers my true take. At the end of the day it's up to you, give it a whirl.

Ireland/USA - 4.2% ABV (St. Patrick's Best) 4.8% ABV (Legbiter)

Strangford Lough Brewing Company [website]

English Bitter / English Pale Ale