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Guinness just launched a brand new ale in Ireland – here’s our verdict

The not so black stuff.

guinness_3239444b Guinness Guinness

OF COURSE, GUINNESS will be forever known for its stout – but now they have launched their own ale on to the thirsty Irish people to add to their growing collection of new beers.

Guinness Golden Ale is said to have “subtle biscuit flavours” that compliments the crisp bitterness, leaving a “clean finish”.

But what is it like in real life? Well, the name Golden Ale certainly matches the colour – as this brew from Guinness is a lot lighter than your standard ale:

2015-09-16 14.02.00 DailyEdge.ie DailyEdge.ie

To find out what it tasted like, DailyEdge.ie gathered an eager round table of taste testers together to put Golden Ale through its paces.

First impressions?

It’s a lot more fizzy than I thought it would be.
Hmm, yeah. I do enjoy it. It’s like the same good job that they did with Hop House 13 [the lager Guinness released earlier this year], but in ale form.
I think it’s kind of like a pale ale mixed with a sparkling ale. It’s fine.
I find it kind of bland. But it’s OK.

Guinness-Golden-Ale-min Dz2kgivhhny1y Dz2kgivhhny1y

After a few more tastes, most people had reached their conclusions:

With a lot of those craft ales, they are a bit too intense. This is a bit more palatable.
It’s the kind of drink I’d serve to my Mam because she doesn’t drink craft beer. It doesn’t have that pungent after taste that hits the back of your throat – it’s like a beginner craft beer.

The ale clocks in at a middleweight 4.5% alcohol content, so that’s seen as a bonus for one taster:

Well, you could definitely have a good few of them without feeling the effects, unlike other ales I’ve had.

Final conclusions?

Yeah, it’s a pretty drinkable ale. Would probably drink again if I wanted something a little lighter than, say, Smithwick’s.
I don’t really see why you would drink it over another beer. I’d probably just go with a good craft.
People are put off by dark ale, and given this has a bit of a lighter colour it might bring more people to it. I’d definitely have more.

guintwit Twitter Twitter

The Golden Ale has actually been available in the UK since March of this year. A Guinness spokesperson told DailyEdge.ie that in Ireland they were focusing more on the Hop House 13 lager released earlier this year, and that’s why there has been a slight delay.  

Golden Ale is actually the fourth new beer released by Guinness in the past year as part of their Brewers Project. Others released in the series include Dublin Porter, Guinness West Indies Porter and Hop House 13.

You’ll find Golden Ale in off licences in Ireland from this week on – but it might very well make its way into pubs in the future.

We’ll keep an eye on it.

Written by David Elkin and originally published on DailyEdge.ie

DE Syndication (22)

More So what does Guinness’s new lager actually taste like? Here’s our verdict…>

More Heineken has launched its first cider and here is our verdict>

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27 Comments
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    Mute CedarFallsPhoto
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:32 PM
    108
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    Mute family guy
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:46 PM

    Budweiser is only for youngsters. When I see an older person drink it I really do despair.

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    Mute Brendan
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:37 PM

    It can’t be as bad as that hop house piss, are can it?

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    Mute family guy
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:46 PM

    The hop house 13 has one weird aftertaste.

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    Mute alwaysrightokay
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:03 PM

    Jasis hop house is rotten

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Sep 17th 2015, 9:03 AM

    I know you know that the taste you refer to comes from the Hops and it is the key ingredient in beer that gives flavour and acidity.

    It is an ingredient that they never featured much previously because they always dumbed down the taste to the lowest common denominator

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    Mute Ryan Hardy
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    Sep 17th 2015, 9:07 AM

    No Larry, drink a Punk IPA to see how hops are meant to taste, Hop House 13 is a gimmick

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    Mute Rothar Man
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:04 PM

    It’s not a craft beer in the same way a mcmor is not artisan. Cause it’s made on a giant scale by a global brewer.
    Marketing hype to kill off the little guys.
    The ads will feature “cool” people with beards

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    Mute Integra-Ted
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    Sep 17th 2015, 2:29 PM

    Another cynical attempt by Diageo to muscle in on the Irish craft beer market, sales of Guinness are dropping along with its “Old man” image…So, cue craft style beer, hipster beards, cool young people in trendy boozers…

    How is this offering any different to Smithwicks “Pale Ale?” which barely has a taste at all, apart from a very mild hoppy after taste!

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    Mute The Dublin Cynic
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:31 PM

    Imagination Level = Zero with the name

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    Mute alwaysrightokay
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:04 PM

    if you like ale try mccardles. lovely drink

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    Mute Jimmy Riddle
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    Sep 17th 2015, 3:29 PM

    Best Ale on the market

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:28 PM

    Looks like Smithwicks lol.

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    Mute Aidan Crowley
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    Sep 16th 2015, 10:06 PM

    That hop house 13 would put you hopping alrite it’s woefull tac altogether!

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Sep 16th 2015, 10:47 PM

    is that Orchard thieves cider nice I’m a bulmers man but I heard it’s nice

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    Mute Stephen Nix
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:16 PM

    its brilliant. not something i would drink all night but always good for a few early on

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:39 PM

    thanks Stephen I will have a few

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Sep 17th 2015, 4:43 AM

    If you’re a Bulmers man then I doubt you’d like Orchard Thieves. It’s much sweeter. Almost as sweet as Kopparberg.

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Sep 17th 2015, 9:04 AM

    If you are a Bulmers man you should try cider some night.

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    Mute LFCPaddy
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    Sep 17th 2015, 10:28 AM

    It’s horrible! Stonewell is much nicer!

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    Mute f m
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:41 PM

    The best Guinness is foreign extra; it’s pretty damn tasty.
    Guinness stout is far too inconsistent and there are many better, American in particular stouts.

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    Mute Malvolio32
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    Sep 16th 2015, 9:49 PM

    Tried some of those brew house stouts, pretty meh, and I’m a fan of craft beers generally.

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    Mute ed w
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    Sep 16th 2015, 10:10 PM

    Just a rebranded Smith wicks golden ale surely. which as bit sweet compared to a decent golden ale. boy diageo are running screw of craft beer.

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    Mute Donie Keyes
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    Sep 17th 2015, 4:35 AM

    Hop house 13. Harp with a new name! Great for paint stripping!

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    Mute Stephen Nix
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    Sep 16th 2015, 11:15 PM

    hope its better than hop house.

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    Mute Tom the Bomb
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    Sep 17th 2015, 7:45 AM

    It’ll be nicer than that god-awful attempt at Weissbier they had a few years ago. (Anybody remember Breó?)

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Sep 17th 2015, 4:45 AM

    I dare them to out “craft beer” on the bottle. The chancers probably will too.

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