Robinsons Brewery 'Trooper' Premium British Ale

Robinsons Brewery 'Trooper' Premium British Ale. 4.7% abv. Copper color. Excellent retention, nice lacing. Finger of tan bubbly head that gradually recedes to a thick sustaining collar. Nose of sweet malt, treacle, toffee, notes of citrus.

Front taste of toffee, herbal hops, light honey. Aftertaste is light brown sugar, light malt, candy sugar. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is carby, tangy, light syrupy, sweet finish.

This is an excellent beer, meant for those who love sweet malty brew, not a flavor profile one would expect from the world of heavy metal. However, please take note of the rest of this review.

I hesitate to recommend it solely due to inconsistency. I've had this beer three times before the date of this review, and each time offered a different experience.

The first session proved thin, almost watery, with nary a malt presence and minimal carb. The second session provided the bulk of my above review, with rich malt, sweet toffee, a slightly fuller body, and a sustaining head. The third session had head and body, but lacked aroma or aftertaste. 

Clearly, there are issues at the brewery, but I chose to give them the benefit of the doubt and base my review on the best of the three sessions. It should be noted that the three different bottles were not from the same pack, which would denote a packaging problem. The bottles were purchased from three different shops, several months apart.

If you are a fan of rich malty beer, and you are a fan of Iron Maiden, one of the original British metal bands still rocking today, you might elect to roll the dice and grab a bottle (or several bottles, to increase your chance of success). If you are a fan of consistent quality and taste, and couldn't care less about beer endorsed by musicians, I wouldn't blame you for leaving this on the shelf. 

Ultimately, if you are like me, a fan of the band, but moreover curious and adventurous and willing to try your luck, what I can tell you is that you may discover a wonderful brew. Take all that as you will.

From the brewery:

"TROOPER takes its name from the Iron Maiden song which is inspired by the famous Charge of the Light Brigade. Being a real ale enthusiast, vocalist Bruce Dickinson has developed a beer which has true depth of character. TROOPER is a Premium British Beer inspired by Iron Maiden and handcrafted at Robinsons brewery. Malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon."

[source: ironmaidenbeer.com]