Last issue, I ended up writing a review for a beer from BC. I figured I had to throw all you Vancouverinos (Vancouverites? Vancouverians? Whatever.) a bone or two. However, today I’m bringing it back home and reviewing a beer from our beautiful have-not province, Nova Scotia. The beer for today is Boxing Rock’s Crafty Jack English Ale, which is brewed in Shelburne, a place that I assume has plenty of nice old people and good seafood. Boxing Rock just started selling its product in liquor stores a couple years ago and it’s already killing the local beer game. Their pale ale is one of my favorite beers of all time, but I figured I’d give one of their more unique ales a shot.
The beer pours with a one and a half finger light brown head and has a dark brown/amber colour to it. The scent has a strong malt component, with a hint of coffee and chocolate. Anything that smells like chocolate gets an A-grade in my books, and that includes people. The mouthfeel is pleasant, with little offensive alcohol taste and a lot of roasty-toasty malts giving the beer a smokey feeling. The body on the beer is medium-heavy, but it goes down smooth like a stout. Crafty Jack doesn’t have the bitterness that might be found in other English ales, making it a much easier drink. The aftertaste is deliciously complex, a phrase I sometimes wish people would use to describe me. It combines sweetness with chocolate/coffee flavours and a small hint of roasted nuts. It’s like a beer trail mix.
Boxing Rock’s Crafty Jack English Ale is a solid drink. It’s a tad expensive, sitting at about five bucks a bottle, but it’s worth it to pair with a meal or to start off a night of getting crunk. Warning to those trying to get crunk: Crafty Jack is only 4.2% alcohol so it’s a bit of a lighter fare, but I’d still gladly drink three or four of them. I’d also recommend checking out the rest of Boxing Rock’s repertoire if you can – at the risk of sounding like a granola, local stuff is pretty alright. Stay fresh, folks.
Summary: roasty-toasty with the mosty.
