Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on July 8, 2008 at 4:55 pm

Any brewer worth his or her salt knows that packaging beer in clear glass bottles is a really, really bad idea. While they may look distinctive and help the beer stand out on the shelf next to the typical brown bottles and cans, the exposure to light can be disastrous, especially for paler beers, as it's bound to lead to riboflavin-sensitized photooxidation of isohumulones and derivatives - which is a fancy way of saying that light can make beer go skunky.

Unfortunately, this doesn't stop brewery marketing departments from overruling common sense in favour of a pretty package. And like the green bottles that are used for so many European lagers - and which are almost as bad as clear glass for letting in the light - clear bottles tend to indicate higher quality in the eyes of many casual beer drinkers. Ironic considering how much the quality of the beer can be lessened by this packaging choice.

One of the latest beers to be given this rather disrespectful treatment is Bombardier Burning Gold, a golden ale launched last year by English brewery Wells & Young's. Released in conjunction with Bombardier Satanic Mills porter, both beers are brand extensions of the brewery's popular Bombardier premium bitter, and both feature a name taken from "And did those feet in ancient time", a poem by WIlliam Blake that is more commonly known as "Jerusalem", a version set to music that is consider by many to be England's unofficial national anthem.

In keeping with that patriotic theme, Burning Gold is described by the brewery as "a tribute to all that is celebrated in English ale". This description particularly holds true for the hops, which are two of the most typical English varieties: Fuggles and Goldings. This classic pairing is found in many English ales, and imparts a distinctive aroma that ale lovers will recognize immediately.

First of all, though, they'll need to get past the mild skunkiness caused by the damn clear bottle. But once it airs out a bit, there are some pleasant floral notes to be found, along with honey and a slightly woody character. The body is light and crisp, and the flavour has the floral and honey notes promised by the aroma, along with a squeeze of citrus toward the finish.

The light body and crisp flavour make it an great choice for warm weather drinking, so it's fitting that the LCBO have brought it in as part of their Summer Beers promotion (LCBO 74484 - $3.45/500 ml). As with all products in the promotion, quantities are limited and only available at selected locations. Needless to say, finding one that stocks the beer on a lower shelf away from direct light is highly recommended.