The dregs of ale, essentially (4)

I believe the answer is:

lees

'the dregs' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'of ale essentially' is the wordplay.
'of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'LEES' is hidden in the letters of 'ale essentially'.

(Other definitions for lees that I've seen before include "Dregs of drink" , "Sediment from wine or beer production" , "Sediment that settles at the bottom of wine" , "Deposit" , "Dregs left by eels" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.