Banana Bread Beer - Wells and Young Brewing Compay

http://www.wellsandyoungs.co.uk/

An exciting idea from Wells and Young, a brewing company in the United Kingdoms, Banana Bread Beer tries to make a beer that plays on the classic joke as ale being 'liquid bread.'  I got excited myself seeing this in the United States, as I have only seen this in Europe.  It  is still rather hard to find, though, even for special beer shops.  I found this at the World Market in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Let's begin the review.

Sight - Wells and Young have perfected a beer that looks like bread.    An alluring amber color and an even more inviting, strong, and plentiful head brings the drinker closer to the beer.  Getting closer reveals a highly carbonated beer and a head that is bubbling with flavor.

Smell - When opening the beer, a fresh smell of banana bread is released, even before the beer is poured.  Pouring the beer into the glass allows for the beer to start 'breathing' releasing a more heavy aroma that will fill a room with the smell of baked goods.  Giving a sniff of the beer a minute after pouring, however, reveals a sudden lack of banana bread.  A quick stir allowed the smell of the beer to be released again, but not as prominent as before.  This continues on during the drinking process, with less and less of the smell being released with every stir, mix, or even re-pouring.

Taste - One small gulp in the beginning of the beer shows an outstanding blend between banana and beer.   The head of the beer is more important than most other beers, as the flavor is released in the bubbles. The second gulp gives off less of  the pleasant taste, and the third even more so. By the fifth or sixth sip, the taste of banana bread is gone, which is a huge disappointment.  A quick stir fixes this, recreating a head, but disappears quickly again.  I had to work hard to constantly recreate the head to get the banana flavor again, but frustrated when it vanished as soon as it arrived.  This constant strain on the beer lowers its overall taste.

Overall -  Do not get me wrong, at the beginning of the drink, Banana Bread Beer is amazing, but only for a short time.  The price tag of four dollars for a pint is a bit steep for such a small window of taste.   It would be an outstanding beer if the taste continued through the entire experience.  A great idea on paper, but not executed well.
3 out of 5 Cheers!