The Dirt
This is one of Real Ale's seasonal releases, which I've had before, but it's been a while. Beautiful color in the glass, with almost an IPA look and feel at first. However, my friend pointed out that the overall taste profile is like that of a barleywine, with that bite of alcohol in the back, but lacking the fennel/black licorice tones that are often present. Overall solid, but I'd suggest trying to age one of these for like a year. I accidentally did this once for 6 months and noticed a nice, more mellow difference.
Worth it?
It's a little raw in my opinion, thus the aging suggestion. Not sure what this is going for in 6-packs these days, but I do recall it being a little pricey. I personally prefer the other Real Ale seasonals, but like any other beer they do, it's quality stuff.
The Final Word
