18/10/2013. WETHERSPOONS, Victoria Station, LONDON, SW1, England (WETHERSPOONS)

6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Cask at the foot of the walk. Pours copper, thin, crisp, sweet toffee, light bitterness.

6.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Cask-conditioned at the Commercial Rooms (JDW), Bristol, October 2013. Sweet, biscuity malts, slightly floral hops, mercifully no trace of the house yeast character, and a decent, bitter finish. Good.

5

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

Cask at the Moon Under Water (JDW), Watford on 25 October. Poured an attractive clear copper with a dense white head and good lacing. Aroma was Fuggle hops, with mild sulphurous overtones and a slight metallic edge. Flavour was malty with some toffee and bitter pine needles. Finish was more toffee/ caramel with some straw and stale malt.

5.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

Cask at the Kings Highway, Inverness, 18/10/13. Dark amber with a good sized off white head that retains well. Nose is a little thin, biscuit malt, light fruit notes (of the dark variety). Taste comprises corn, cereal, earthy, dark fruit tang, light malt notes. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, nice feel and in good nick. Looks good, feels good but ultimately boring with little going off in the middle. Blandometer to dark amber ....

6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6

The aroma is quite stale and woody, not pleasant at all. The flavour is ok though. Some chocolatey malts and fresh hops.

7.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at the Old Manor (JDW), Bracknell. Pale straw with a ring of white head; leafy hoppy aroma; full Fuggles flavour with a dry biscuity body; and a touch of spicy bitterness and warmth to finish. A robust country-style bitter, far better than I was expecting.

3.5

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 3 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 3

Cask @ The Sheaf Island, Sheffield [161013]
Amber, clear, thin white head
Aroma - Mineraly, flinty, quite metallic, poor
Taste - Minerals, flinty, yeast, bitter twigy hops, sweet caramel, bit skunky, oh this is awful
Palate - Medium body, quite oily. Finish is dry, nasty minerals
Overall - WTF did they make this? - Rubbish

5.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

@ Bankers Draft (JDW), Bedford. Coppery golden with a thin but satisfyingly persistent head. Aroma of sulphur. Taste has that sweet bready quality of Fuggles, very little of the sulphurous nose carries through. Mildly bitter aftertaste. OK but I’m not overly keen.

5.2

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5

Deep golden with a small head. Has a firm texture and includes some malts and hops.