Nigredo
J D Wetherspoon in Watford, Hertfordshire, England 🏴
Collab with: Birrificio ItalianoBrewed at/by: Batemans
Lager - Schwarzbier / Black Lager Special
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Score
6.96
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This black lager has herbal and red fruit aromas, leading to roast malt, chocolate and coffee flavours, balanced by a lingering bitterness in the finish.
Brewed by Agostino Arioli at Batemans Brewery, Lincolnshire.
Hops: Admiral, Challenger, Citra, East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Wolf
Brewed by Agostino Arioli at Batemans Brewery, Lincolnshire.
Hops: Admiral, Challenger, Citra, East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Wolf
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7.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cask at the Barrel Vault, St Pancras on 20th March 2026. Deep sepia with yellowy white foam and scant lacing. Fresh coffee roastiness in aroma. Bitter chocolate and coffee in-mouth and a finish reflective of both. Full body and smooth mouthfeel.
Tried
from Cask
at
The Barrel Vault
on 20 Mar 2026
at 23:05
6.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Tried
from Cask
at
Admiral Of The Humber (JDW)
on 13 Mar 2026
at 21:39
6.8/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Dark brown with a frothy / creamy light tan head and roasted malt and a touch of grass on the nose. Medium bodied, creamy smooth, big roasted malt notes, coffee, treacle and brown sugar with grassy / citrus hop bitterness and a dry finish.
Tried
from Cask
at
Shrewsbury Hotel
on 13 Mar 2026
at 16:35
6.5/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6
Interesting, if a touch unrefined. Some tarry bitterness, ashy cocoa, burnt sugars. Earth. Lingering ashy roast and baking cocoa. Not bad.
Tried
from Cask
at
Sir John Hawkshaw (JDW)
on 12 Mar 2026
at 18:02
6.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
12/3/2026. Cask at wetherspoon’s beer festival. At the Crosse Keys, Gracechurch Street, London.
Tried
from Cask
at
Crosse Keys (JDW)
on 12 Mar 2026
at 16:45
7/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Cask at the Crown Rivers, Heathrow T5. It pours darkest brown to black with fluffy khaki head. The aroma is dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, earthy, umami, liquorice, coffee grounds and charred notes. The taste is firmly dry, some bitterness, dark roasted malt, rich coffee character, toasty spice, umami, liquorice, chewy, toothy, burnt toast and a nip of alcohol with a dry and dark roasty finish. Medium body, soft carbonation and slightly sticky mouth feel. Interesting and quaffable. Good spoons fest offering.
Tried
from Cask
at
Crown Rivers (JDW) (Heathrow Terminal 5)
on 11 Mar 2026
at 15:50
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Metropolitan Bar (Wetherspoons), Baker Street, London. A very dark brown/mahogany coloured pour with a medium off white/beige head on top. Roasty, malty, dark fruit, slight chocolate. Slightly bitter, it's OK.
Tried
from Cask
on 10 Mar 2026
at 14:51
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 8
On cask up the White Lady.
Appearance - deep brown with red chinks. Creamy tan head.
Nose - toffee, prunes and light roast.
Taste - raisins, prunes, strawberries and sweet chocolate sauce.
Palate - rich in texture, body and sweetness. Light roast at the back.
Overall - so rich for a fairly low ABV.
Appearance - deep brown with red chinks. Creamy tan head.
Nose - toffee, prunes and light roast.
Taste - raisins, prunes, strawberries and sweet chocolate sauce.
Palate - rich in texture, body and sweetness. Light roast at the back.
Overall - so rich for a fairly low ABV.
Tried
from Cask
at
White Lady (JDW)
on 09 Mar 2026
at 16:55
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Cask at the moon under water Watford Jdw. A clear dark mahogany brown coloured pour with a a speckled head. Aroma is nice cinnamon swirl, brown sugars, brown malts, nutty. Flavour is composed of semi sweet brown sugars, singed sugar, cinnamon, rounded, light creamy oily, decent cask condition. Not bad at all.
Tried
from Cask
on 08 Mar 2026
at 18:23
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
Half a pint in my local Spoons on Sunday 8th March 2026. Dark brown with a red hue, beige crown. Interesting brew with a fruity hop feel alongside a herbal twist, getting more bitter with each sip. This had a lot more depth than a regular 'Black Lager' and certainly more hops. 11th beer I've tried from this years Wetherspoon Festival and most likely the best so far.
Tried
from Cask
at
William Withering
on 08 Mar 2026
at 16:45