There are so many beers out there in the market these days.
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And there seems to be more being created every day, so it’s inevitable that some slip through the cracks.
Those are the beers you keep meaning to try but never quite get around to it because you’re always chasing the newest, shiniest offerings.
For me, Ghost Ship from UK brewer Adnams was one of those beers that fell through the cracks.
This 4.5 per cent pale ale is easy enough to find – Dan Murphy's is a key stockist.
That sometimes works against a beer because it can lead you to think “well, that beer will always be around, so there’s no rush to try it”.
Who knows how long I would have continued to do that had the brewers not sent me a four-pack of 440ml cans to try.
Turns out I’m very glad they did because this Ghost Ship is a tasty beer – and one that will be in my fridge when summer hits.
The hops throw a lovely light tropical fruit flavour, while some biscuity malt characters hide in the background. There’s even a hint of toffee going on.
The can says the beer is brewed with Citra and other hops. I assume the “other hops” bit is so they can switch hops depending on availability (hops are an agricultural product as subject to the vagaries of weather as grapes are).
Ghost Ship comes across as a combination of the malt-forward UK style of pale ales and the more fruity US versions.
It’s well worth coughing up the money for a four-pack of cans. And it’s a nice bonus that each can is 440ml, rather than 330ml or 375ml – means you can give your pint glass a workout.
Glen Humphries is the 2016 AIBA Australian Beer Writer of the Year.