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Craft Beer: I won't hear a cross word said about Cruciversbalist

The result was Cruciversbalist, an oatmeal American pale ale, had been produced to celebrate the relaunch of The American Bar in Belfast
The result was Cruciversbalist, an oatmeal American pale ale, had been produced to celebrate the relaunch of The American Bar in Belfast The result was Cruciversbalist, an oatmeal American pale ale, had been produced to celebrate the relaunch of The American Bar in Belfast

ONCE a post-work watering hole for dockers and riveters, dating back to the mid 19th century, The American Bar in Belfast's Sailortown is aiming to tempt a new generation of clientele with cracking beer.

The latest incarnation of the American Bar threw its doors open in October 2016 and is now in the hands of the good folk behind the The Sunflower Bar. Earlier this year, to mark this relaunch, the American got together with Belfast brewer Boundary to produce a beer to commemorate the occasion.

The result was Cruciversbalist, an oatmeal American pale ale coming in at 6 per cent abv and Richard at The American was kind enough to chuck a bottle of it my way. It pours a golden colour and is cloudy, bordering on opaque with a slight white head.

There are some cracking aromas – mango, grapefruit and lemon peel – leaping out at you. The nose hints at some juicy flavours and a dive in doesn't disappoint. There's a light bready malt and the mouthfeel is slightly creamy, probably down to the oats which contribute to that hazy look.

There's a hint of pear in there too – in fact it reminded me of sucking at a sugar-coated pear drop, the kind you would get a quarter of in paper bag around the time those dockers were streaming into The American for refreshment.

There are those citrus flavours in there too of lemon and grapefruit and a refreshing bitterness which the carbonation fires around your mouth with tingling feel of popping candy.

It's a nicely complex beer, but not really sessionable given the strength and weight the oats lend to it, but still an ideal way to toast the opening of a new haven for craft beer in Belfast.

The word cruciversbalist means a person who enjoys or is skilled at doing crosswords and you could definitely sip away at this will cracking some cryptic clues.

The American are also stocking bottled beers from Anchor, Boundary, Kentucky, Yardsman, Knockout, Lacada and Clearwater while they have a rotating tap which, due to popular demand, features a fair bit of Kinnegar.