Dragon's Breath Pale Ale

[old faithful]

Dragon's Breath was and clearly still is excellent in the draught form at the brewpub in Kingston (KBC). (I wonder why the draught at that location would be exempt from the court order, maybe its production and sale there predate the time Dragon was registered as a trade mark in Canada). The bottled Dragon's Breath was good when fresh, it had a complex earthy taste, with a marmelade-like estery quality.

Speaking of freshness or rather its absence, the other day I bought at Beer Store a micro Pale Ale which clearly was well-brewed but had tell-tale oxidative effects, that damp paper smell I so dislike. It can't (in this case) come from adjunct because I'm sure this beer is an all-malt product. This is the main challenge remaining in my view for some micro producers. Everyone pretty much knows the styles now, knows what to make (putting their own stamp on it to be sure), but getting it in optimum conditon at Beer Store is not something we can always take for granted. I would rather drink a commercial beer that is fresh than a micro beer in poor condition. Even a whisper of oxidation taste can ruin the experience for me.

Gary