Beer review: Lia Fail

Hmm .. I see that it's been a while since I've done a beer review. Well okay then, here we go:

The bottle tells me that Lia Fail means "Stone of Destiny" in Gaelic. The Irish Republic Party Fianna Fáil is translated as "Soldiers of Destiny". Therefore, with my super intelligent Mensa-eating ultra-brain I have deduced the following:

Fail = Destiny

Lia = Stone

Fianna = Soldiers

Thus I have learned three new words today, and so have you! I also presume that Lia Fianna, though it may sound really gay, actually means "Stone Soldiers". Someone out there should name their son that. I dare you.

The bottle also tells me that Lia Fail is "distinctively rich", and that it's "from the heart of Scotland", and there is also a Celtic Cross on the label further adding to the mystique. This here brew has a lot to live up to.

The bottle also tells me that Lia Fail is a "Scottish Dark Beer", although Beer Advocate tells me that it's more precisely an Ale. She comes in a 500 ml bottle and weighs in at a welterweight 4.7% alcohol. The ale pours a cloudy copper colour with a nice foamy off-white head. My nose picks up toffey and citrus, and a little bit of foam if I stick it in too far. The beer feels a little flat in the mouth when you drink it, and I can't say that there is an explosion of flavour exactly. I can taste hops, and maybe ... rye bread? There is a finish of orange peel and stomach acid. It's not as bad as that sounds.

So: is it a pass or a ... *ahem* ... Fáil ? I'll give it a marginal pass. I was a little disappointed after reading the label, but it turned out to be a run-of-the-mill British ale, which is still better than most of the factory beer you get in the vendors. Give it a try. It is your destiny.