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James Ready 5.5

Moosehead
Canada·Pale Lager
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A value-priced pale lager at 5.5 percent, carrying the name of a Saint John brewer whose plant the Oland family took over. The brewery calls it dry and mildly spicy. Retail tasting notes describe sweet corn and malt, a light herbal hop note and a clean finish. Bitterness is low, and the slightly higher strength gives the beer a little more weight than a standard lager without making it heavy. It is the best known of the three beers in the line.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Mild11 IBU
Herbal, floral bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
cleanmaltyherbal
clean
malty
herbal
spicy
bready
Aroma
Subtle and understated on the nose, with pleasant notes of sweet corn and soft Malz character leading the way.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for James Ready 5.5

◎ Appearance

Pale straw yellow with excellent clarity and bright, lively carbonation. The head forms thin but persistent white foam with delicate lacing that clings to the glass walls as you drink. The beer presents a clean, inviting visual profile typical of the pale lager category.

pale straw yellowbright, clearfine carbonationdelicate lacing

◌ Aroma

Subtle and understated on the nose, with pleasant notes of sweet corn and soft Malz character leading the way. A light herbal hop note emerges in the background, contributing gentle spice and restrained noble-hop character without dominating. The overall impression is clean and straightforward, with no off-aromas.

sweet cornsoft Malzlight herbal hopsmildly spicy

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a lightly sweet malt foundation and lingering corn notes that provide accessible entry. Mid-palate remains balanced and lean, with the elevated 5.5% ABV providing subtle body and weight without heaviness. Bitterness is restrained at just 11 IBU, allowing the malt character to remain prominent while herbal hop spice adds refinement and prevents sweetness from overwhelming.

malt sweetnesscorn adjunctbalanced, leanlow bitternessclean

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and dry, with the modest bitterness and herbal spice fading cleanly without lingering astringency. Aftertaste remains brief and pleasant, leaving the palate refreshed and ready for the next sip.

crisp, dryrefreshing
76
hopIQ score
Aroma
74
Taste
76
Appearance
78
Finish
77
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of James Ready 5.5

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with James Ready 5.5

About Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Pale Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, dry, malty character as James Ready 5.5 will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Lagers in hopIQ

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