Bass

Pale Ale

ABV 5.1% • Vol 330 ml • bottle • UK • Mid-price • Flavour 5.5
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Bass, one of the world's brewing giants, have in the past produced some fantastic beers. Indeed 'Our Finest Ale' is none too bad and has been around in some form or another for centuries. However, their more recent offerings seem to have failed to live up to this heritage. This export bottle (the label reads 'Imported From Britain') pours with a fairly short-lived fizzy head. On the nose it is fairly nondescript - mainly hoppy and vegetal, with some vague caramel malt. In the mouth it is again hoppy, as one might expect from a pale ale. The malt is honeycomb and light caramel in flavour, though this isn't as pronounced as the colour would suggest. It is also far too fizzy; like a light ale bought in a pub, the fizz pushes out all the hoppiness all at once, creating a metallic flavour and leaving very little else for the finish. Once the bubbles have had their hit, the aftertaste is light, slightly bitter, slightly malty. This sums it up well - a slight beer despite its strength.

OBBD reviewer: Sparks

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Review updated 14 October 2001

Comments

I'd agree with Sparks overall - looks interesting but very disappointing.
Des de Moor

The Bass ale we get in the States has changed quite a bit over the years. Years ago it had a very nice, full malt character with a nice hop balance. Samples I have had in the last few months seem off balance with a harsh finishing hop character. I heard that Interbrew bought Bass some time back. Is this true? If so it would explain the differences. I can't think of a single beer that stayed the same, or got better after being bought by Interbrew. [Interbrew did indeed buy Bass' brewing operations, but the deal was blocked by the UK government - the issue of what happens to Bass is still unresolved at the time of writing - Ed.]
St. Inebrius

The Interbrew-Bass competition issue was in fact resolved in mid-September: Interbrew get to hang onto Bass but have to sell the Carling brands, for which arch-rival Heineken is strongly rumoured as a buyer. That means they get to keep the ale brands, including Draught Bass, which, if you think about it, would be a more logical addition to a portfolio that also includes Hoegaarden and Leffe. Don't think there's much of a chance for an improvement in the character of the beers though. What I'm very interested in is what happens now to the Museum Brewery at Bass - it will be a great shame if they don't keep it going. For more on the settlement, see the corporate news section on www.interbrew.com
Des de Moor

A decent beer Americans get fooled by. Too sweet, too light in the end. Better than the alternatives though.
Coyle

Wish Bass Finest was available more readily in the US. Bass Pale Ale has too much caramel and is too carboanted but is still better than any mass market American lager. A good beer for the price.
coyle

A cracking beer, much better than 'our finest ale'. The head retention was constant throughout, and made drinking this product very enjoyable - almost like real draught ale. V impressed!
Jim

After a noticably lame bottle in a pub recently, I bought a 6 pack of the newly repackaged version and did a blind tasing compared to some of the older stuff I still had in stock. The darker label 'made in Britain' was a big disapointment compared to 'made in England' Bass I have had for years. Sic Transit Gloria...
JackT

I agree with Coyle - in and of itself, it's not impressive, but it's much better than typical US alternatives. I do remember that when I first tried it (early 90s) in the States, it was actually pretty good, but since it has gone downhill...
Matt Azzara

Another great English pale ale. I've been drinking this stuff for years and this is one of my regular stocking beers. Good color, great flavor and superb going down. No bitter aftertaste, just a smooth easy drinking pale ale that's perfect on a hot day.
Timothy Iaconis

Bottle recently sampled in Norway did not fully match the quality I remembered on tap in England years ago - still it was a pleasant drinking experience. A light but well balanced pale ale - of course a lot better than the bulk of Interbrew's portfolio.
Sigmund

Poor imitation of the great beer this used to be. Very little hops and too over fizzed by far.
imdownthepub

I first sampled this beer from tap in a bar in Japan. I fell in love that night. I'm glad I'm not a beer connoisseur that way I don't have to worry about it's coloring or how it was brewed. All I need to say is that this is a great ale and one I keep coming back to time and time again.
Mike

Yes, even those of us in the US have noticed the deterioration of what used to be a really good ale. Fizzy, bland, tasteless. Better than Miller, AB, etc. though.
stonecrusher

Bass is my favorite beer. Plain and simple as that.
Trevor

Brewed at Luton so its links with what most people would think off when you mention that name-Burton,are very tenuous to say the least.Bland and uninspiring its like a past it rock singer trading on glories of the past.
john doughty

i would have to say that bass pale ale has changed a little bit in the bottle, here in the u.s, especially here in new england found some at a local gas station for only $6.99 a 6-pack not bad normally runs for$7.99 or even$8.99 a 6-pack, but in general new castle brown ale tops over bass anyday except for its low-alcohol content but has more flavor. dont know why but 3 years ago bass ale had the same amount of flavor as new castle and guinness. Rating out of the three,New castle 1, Bass 2, and guinness 3 third.
agentale420

Better than a kick up the arse with a frozen boot - but only barely.
Highland Al

I used to drink this beer regularly (when I could afford it) about twelve years ago. It was really the first English bottled ale available in my neck of the woods, the only other alternatives to mainstream Australian lagers being Cooper's or German imports. It might not have been the best beer in the world, but it seemed like amber nectar back then. Recently, after not having seen the bottled version for some years, I tried a canned 'widget' version - nothing like the beer I remember.
Mark, Australia

A recent deterioration in quality, and a major paling out of both the beer and the packaging is very disappointing, and did not fool this American. The change happened last fall (fall 2006)
Scott Hadley

Bass...never my first choice...it has a unique taste...that's for sure...but while I lived in Ireland and England it was the cheapest for a reason...80 cents in Ireland and not worth the P in the U.K. Pure puke...amateurs come to your senses...this is vomit--try some full flavor British ales and Irish stouts... and actually read the reviews from those of us that have been around this globe...then we will all share a pint of goodness together.
Petey

On gravity, well kept, it's a world class beer. From a bottle it's just very ordinary. Now it's brewed by Marston's by the way.
Peter

not too bad if it is really cold.I think I will try somthing different next time.
Eric

"not too bad if it is really cold" Come to your senses man--good ale should not be so cold--try the many other varities available in the UK.
Petey

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