North East Beer Review

This beer was desperately needed after the boiling hot weather on the May bank holiday Monday. Me and my girlfriend stopped at one of our favourite restaurants called Little Lobo for a drink to cool us down. She opted for a peach and honey frozen margarita and I went for this, Low Quay Brew Co Mexican Pale. I have previously had a half of this at the sister restaurant in the Fish Quay, North Shields. Now I had a can, I thought I would do a review on it. So what did I think? To find out I will cover the history of this beer and brewery, the pour, the flavour profile and finally my verdict. Cheers

A brew made for a Mexican restaurant

Low Quay Brew Co is small independent microbrewery based in the Fish Quay area of North Shields. This brewery operates out of an old car garage and is a brewery, taproom and community area. Low Quay is deep rooted in its sense of community and craft ethos. Mainly brewing small batch brews which contains its core range and seasonal one offs. Low Quay Brew Co takes pride in its use of quality ingredients and its local based approach. Its philosophy is centred around craftsmanship, flavour and social connection. I must say the tap room is extremely welcoming and it has a wide selection of brews. I have visited the taproom and got a can of Krushin’ to try. If you want to find out more click here.

Low Quay Brew Co Mexican Pale was brewed in collaboration with one of my favourite Newcastle-based Mexican restaurants called Lobo in which they run Little Lobo in Sandyford, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and South Gosforth, and also Lobo Rojo in the Fish Quay, a stones throw away from Low Quay itself. This is a citrus first pale ale which is perfect for complementing the spices of Mexican cuisine. The 4.5% North Shields brew is malted with extra pale, lager malts and carapils as well as corn, oats and wheat for smoothness. The hop profile of this pale ale is that of Amarillo, Citra and Cascade which is all complemented with the addition of citrus peel. All of this combined, adds sweet citrusy brew with notes of tropical fruits which is refreshing, light and easy going.

A lively and refreshing pour

Mexican Pale pours a pale yellow to golden colour which is hazy in appearance. A thick white head forms which retained throughout the drinking experience, leaving a nice ring of lacing. The head showed the level of carbonation as this was a very lively pour along with a steady stream of bubbles rising to the top of the glass. Overall, a refreshingly delicious looking pour.

A citrusy pour

Aroma

Low Quay Mexican Pale opened with an immediate flavour of citrus fruit such as grapefruit and lemon, this was shortly followed by a juicy tropical aroma reminiscent of pineapple and mango. This is followed by a gentle balancing sweetness from the malt base which rounds off the aroma. The herbal undertone helps add depth to the aromatics. Overall, a deeply flavoured and citrusy aromatic pour from this Mexican pale.

Taste

The North Shields based Mexican brew opens with a burst of citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemon zests and a touch of orange. This is shortly followed by a subtle tropical flavour such as pineapple, passionfruit and maybe a touch of peach. Beneath this zesty hoppy flavour was a slightly bitter herbal dankness which added an extra refreshing charm to this brew. The flavour is balanced by the malt bill which adds drinkability and a subtle bready sweetness. The finish was crisp and dry with a lingering citrus bitterness. The mouthfeel was smooth but quite light leaving you refreshed. Overall, this was a pleasant drinker in which in the heat of Monday, lasted about 5 minutes. This is a really light and refreshing drink to add to the moreish Mexican food from Little Lobo.

Time for my verdict

In terms for beer brewed for a restaurant, this one is great and you can tell effort has been put in to create a drink that complements the Mexican flavours. This is light and refreshing with a great citrus led flavour making this super drinkable. In the 30 degree heat, I could have smashed 6-7 of these. Realistically speaking, this was a really nice and sessionable beer but was it my favourite no. It is still definitely a solid choice and you can’t go wrong ordering a can whilst you are dining in at one of the Lobo restaurants. So, I still have to rate this a 4 out of 5 as it was still quite enjoyable. Cheers

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer from the Little Lobo restaurant in Sandyford, Newcastle. Highly recommend checking out any of the chain for food. Top notch.

Thanks for reading my review, If you enjoyed this review you will love my review of a beer located a couple units down from Low Quay called Flash House and the beer How long have you been here?