Waggledance
Young's in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England 🏴
Golden / Blonde Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
5.67
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Unusual name, unusual beer. The Waggle Dance is a movement a bee performs to alert the hive of a source of nectar.
Waggle Dance is brewed with a touch of honey which gives it a taste of summer no matter when you raise a glass. This is balanced by a healthy does of hops to provide the bitterness that gives a wonderfully delictae flavour. The overall result is beautifully balanced and sneakily seductive.
Pale ale and crystal malt, Fuggle and Golding hops together with South American honey create this delicious golden ale with a superb honey aroma.
Note - originally a Vaux beer, acquired by Young’s in 1999. Rebranded from Young’s Waggledance to Wells Waggle Dance in 2008 (separately listed).
In late 2025, the brief, 24-pub anniversary comeback managed by the Young's pub estate, the head brewer at Bristol's King Street Brewhouse rebrewed the historic cask recipe. They infused it with raw Kennington honey, presenting it purely as a 4.0% ABV fresh golden session ale.
Waggle Dance is brewed with a touch of honey which gives it a taste of summer no matter when you raise a glass. This is balanced by a healthy does of hops to provide the bitterness that gives a wonderfully delictae flavour. The overall result is beautifully balanced and sneakily seductive.
Pale ale and crystal malt, Fuggle and Golding hops together with South American honey create this delicious golden ale with a superb honey aroma.
Note - originally a Vaux beer, acquired by Young’s in 1999. Rebranded from Young’s Waggledance to Wells Waggle Dance in 2008 (separately listed).
In late 2025, the brief, 24-pub anniversary comeback managed by the Young's pub estate, the head brewer at Bristol's King Street Brewhouse rebrewed the historic cask recipe. They infused it with raw Kennington honey, presenting it purely as a 4.0% ABV fresh golden session ale.
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5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
500ml bottle. Golden, thin off white head. Stale honey/malt aroma. Bit dead in mouth, but some more honey. Finish has some residual honey syrup. Over carbonated. Shame, I like honey beers, but this is dead.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Feb 2006
at 09:29
5.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
(Bottle 50 cl) Orangey golden with a thick, handsome, white head. The honey adds a soft, smooth edge to this beer but only little sweetness. Rather light in body with a subdued bitterness. I could use a bit more (bees?) balls here, but overall it’s a pleasant drink. 170500
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Nov 2005
at 02:35
4.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 4.5
October 2004 bottle shared with SuIIy on 7/1/2005. Clear, filtered, honey-amber appearance with plenty of large bubbles creating a fizzy whisp of head that rapidly recedes to bubbles on the edges. Little to no lacing. Aroma is not overly fragrant, though the honey is quite notable. Some light grassy notes, bit of floral, heathery notes and a touch of graham crackers. The flavor is of a good, pure, honey sweetness with light floral and earthy hops. Some bitterness on the end, though it is quite fleeting. Pale grains, some hints of white dough. Lightly watery consistency, with a medium-light body. Light acidity or astringency is rather peculiar. The carbonation is sharp and quite a nuisance. I can’t find any yeast influences in the flavor either. The recipe for this beer is top notch, IMHO. The crystal malt and honey should give enough sweetness, while the maris otter malt is always an interesting addition. Good hops choice, but in the end, there just isnt much more than a heavily filtered, pasteurised, watery concoction of honey and very light hops.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Jul 2005
at 09:21
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 6
Cask conditioned at The Pickerel, Cambridge. Deep golden colour. Very nice honey and flowery aroma. Flavour is moderately honey sweet, minimal bitterness. Some malts too. A bit thin mouthfeel, though. Not my favourite this one.
Tried
from Cask
on 29 May 2005
at 06:14
5.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 4
Huge yellowish head, collapsing over darker golden beer. Rather sweet nose, caramely, garden herbs finish, some honey. Chalky, carboard, lifeless. A typical brewery-conditioned dull British beer. Finishes indifferently caramel-y. Fizzy for a moment, then lifeless. Rather watery texture, faint burning sensation. Surely one of Young’s worst.
Tried
on 18 Jan 2005
at 13:44
5.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
Nice golden colour with orange highlights. A perfect dense white head tops the beer. A not-so-special aroma of barley and malt...no noticable hops in the aroma. The taste is very watery with the lack of complexity. A straight through taste that leaves a lot to be desired in the aftertaste. This was taken from a 550 mL bottle.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Jun 2003
at 20:37
4.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 2
Texture 4
Overall 4
An amber/orange beer with a small fine head. The aroma is only slight but fruity and with notes of honey. The flavor though is dominated by sournes - is it the type of honey used? The malt is totally dominated by the honey - and this honey kills the malt sweetness. I don''t like that. In the end there is a slight sweetness from the honey, and then it ends on a bitter note, but still dominated by the bad honey taste. Not a beer that I can recommend - if You want a honey beer try Carlsbergs Semper Ardens Honey Ale - that is a fantastic beer.
Tried
from Can
on 14 Jan 2003
at 15:19