Beer: Cumberland Ale

Jennings Lakeland Ales:  Cumberland Ale

“Pure Lake District.”  4.7%ABV

Yes, this is a recommended one.  Once you open the bottle the aroma will let you know that it is going to taste good.  Still, I am a little annoyed by the way the brewery pushes this one.  The back of the label reads:

Take a sip and savour the taste of this superbly refreshing golden ale, brewed using the finest ingredients.  Renowned for its stunning scenery, the Lake District with its imposing fells and tranquil lakes offers a unique sense of space and freedom.  Close your eyes and enjoy your ‘peace’ of the Lake District.

I give them points for using the word “fells.”  Still, a good beer is a good beer without the heavy rural country time sales pitch.  It is a tasty beer, I cannot, in good conscience, argue otherwise at this time (the time being approximately a few beers past the last).  Perhaps the makers already know that their chemically precise concoction will appeal to those who would rather be living in a serene lakeside cottage or picturesque hillside village where all the trees haven’t yet been cut down to make way for concrete anti-landscapes.  Since I write as someone who currently resides in a run down bed-sit in London, I can assure everyone the rural purity sales pitch is unnecessary.  However, it does occur to me, Jennings, that you may be pooling your beer venture with land sales and seasonal rental opportunities in the “Pure Lake District.”  If this is the case, then well done Jennings brewers.  I am so impressed that I offer you this one time chance to take me on as an investor with an offering of 1.61GBP (naturally, I assume a 16% rate of return on this, but, naturally, you realize I have no idea what I am actually talking about, so let’s just say if business goes well you mail me a free beer. Does that sound good to you?  Excellent.  I shall check the mail with enthusiasm). 

Whenever I decide to return to the states I already know I will miss the taste of British Ales.  Fortunately, great breweries will be awaiting me when I return.  Most notably my beloved Brooklyn Brewery.  But there are also other great breweries and beers such as Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, Anchor, Saranac, (most) Sam Adams, (some) Magic Hat, Captain Lawrence, and fortunately etcetera, etc.