Ubu Ale - Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company

    Ubu Ale, supposedly named after a legendary dog in the Lake Placid area, is an English Strong Ale created by the Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company located in Lake Placid, New York. According to the legend (conveniently printed on the beer's label), Ubu was a gigantic chocolate lab who had a special ability of sniffing out great beer. I can see how a dog like that would be large, doggy beer belly and all.

    Ubu Ale pours ruby-tinted brown with a finger or two of white head on top.

    The ale smells very sweet, almost like a Barleywine. There is an almost acidic, sharp smell to the ale as well.

    Ubu is mid to full bodied with a medium level of carbonation. The beer has a pretty significant mouthfeel.



    Ubu Ale hits the mouth first with a bitterness that is somewhat citrusy. Strong malt flavors follow, bringing to mind dark chocolate and coffee. The sweet flavors end with more bitterness. The aftertaste is almost metallic, which is as unpleasant as it sounds. At 7% ABV, the alcohol presence is definitely noticeable, especially in the aftertaste. A slight warmth from the alcohol is present in both the mouth and stomach.

    Personally, I don't really want to meet the dog that inspired this ale. The beer is fine and all, but a dog with these qualities wouldn't exactly be man's best friend. The chocolatey malts definitely could be inspired by a chocolate lab, but the bitterness in the beer makes me think that the dog might be more likely to bite than play. Add to the bitter demeanor of the dog the fact that he likes to drink good beer, and you've got a big, beer stealing monster. Not to mention Ubu would likely be drunk all the time, peeing wherever he wanted.

    Overall, Ubu Ale lives up to its name as a Strong Ale. I find the early and after bitterness in the ale to be offputting, though the sweet malt flavors in the middle are quite nice. I wish that the malts would minimize the bitterness in the aftertaste more than they do though.

Amulets and Ale Rating: