Bottle picked up from Hereford Beer House, had this at home watching a film called Sirat, we had Sausage Stuffed Giant Pasta Shells for tea, Friday 13th March 2026, after an hour out in the garden removing the stones off the grass that the tractors had inadvertently put there in snow piles. This beer pours a deep golden actually it's more amber-brown colour looks lovely. Nice aroma but as expected quite complex, with clear barrel notes and vinous notes also caramel and dark dried fruit such as raisins and figs and a little leather. On the palate it is smooth and rounded, the aforementioned dark fruits and soft caramel come to the fore. Nice sweetness but this is balanced by a woody twang and a warmth, those vinous fruity touches come through again, and there's a lingering wine-like note. Lovely stuff, everything that I expected and more. Score 8.3

keg at cloisters ...deep red brown ...thin tan lacing ...soft sweet woody earthy ..Light funk berries nose ...soft sweet caramel toffee fruit ..juicy berries ..Light funk ..light tsrt berries

Keg at Koelschip Yard, Glasgow. Pours clear amber with a thin beige head. Aromas of toffee, marmalade, spice, brandy. Taste adds leather, oak, mixed peel, raisins. Warming finish.

Bottle. Nose is outrageous, fruit cake, figs, port, almonds, brandy, brown sugar, cherry, hints of red wine, lightly nutty. Taste is boozy, brandy, almonds, fruity, hints of cherry, cough syrup, touch of pear drops, a little spice, stewed fruit Christmas cake. Its a sweet, brandy and fruit finish.

The barrel is very prominent, but it works so well. This is an outstanding beer.

Cask at The Rake, Borough Market, London. Clear brown colour with a tiny ring of beige atop it. Intense, boozy aroma and taste - fruity port is the main thing here with some wood. As you drink more (slowly does it now!) other flavours emerge - chocolate, leather, strawberries, blackcurrants and raisins. Port remains to the fore throughout though, although as I like port that's just fine by me! Just a touch of bitterness in the tail of what is otherwise a sweetish beer. A lovely, heady, indulgent brew that I thoroughly enjoyed, but it's maybe a tad young at the moment and could do with some time to mellow out that raw alcohol hit.