As if I haven’t travelled enough this year, now I find myself in Hong Kong with my partner’s family to celebrate her birthday. And what a welcome I received: as soon as I set foot in the house, they called me a white devil.
More specifically, they called me a gwei lo, a Cantonese term for white people that roughly translates as “ghost chap”. It also happens to be the name of a Hong Kong brewery, whose beers I’ve been lucky enough to sample.
Gwei lo Pale Ale is dark straw yellow in colour with a light, frothy head. The aroma is bright and fruity; an Um Bongo of passion fruit, grapefruit, and caramelised pineapple sweetness. It’s not absurdly hot and humid today, but even so the smell is intensely inviting.
On the palate, this Pale Ale starts with a grapefruit mix of sweetness and crisp bitterness. The flavours mellow out on the tongue, creating a sherbet texture and a dry, lip smacking finish.
Gwei Lo Pale Ale is a good, light ale for cooling off after a hot day (or even after a cold, rainy one like today). It’s not so spectacular that it’s worth a trip to Hong Kong specifically to try it, but if you’re here anyway it’s worth seeking out. 4/5
