Duke IPA / The Duke

July 2013. Cask at Guildford Arms. Clear golden body with a thin white head that holds well. No visible carbonation. Excellent lacing. Peachy and slightly peppery. Soft fruit with a bitter citrus edge - not a sharp bitterness you can get with American IPAs, though, this is well rounded and very smooth. Medium to full body with a very oily texture. Light carbonation prickle. Very enjoyable - one of the best Highland beers I’ve tried. I’d like to try this on keg or bottled. Rating - 3.6 (6, 4, 7, 5, 14).

December 2013. Bottle from Cornelius. Clear golden body with a thick off-white head. Very light carbonation. Excellent lacing. Aroma of lemon meringue, pineapple and chalky pale malt. Well balanced flavour of grapefruit, pale malt and minerals (is there Amarillo in this?) Medium body with an oily mouthfeel. Soft carbonation. A fantastic, hoppy IPA - Citra is very much evident in this. I’m looking forward to their Double IPA - Iron Duke. Rating - 3.7 (7, 4, 7, 4, 15).

Cask-conditioned at the Barley Mow, Bristol 4/5/2013. Amber with a slight white head. Floral hop, tangerine, apricot and sweetish malt aroma. Flavour had plenty more fruit, biscuity malts and a dryish finish with a hint of pine. Excellent.

From cask at Guildford arms. Pours clear and golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is fruity, citrusy and grapefruity. Smooth fruity, light sweet and crisp hoppy, peachy to grapefruity. Smooth fruity and lingering hoppy finish.

Cask (handpump) @ The Caley Sample Room, 42 - 58 Angle Park Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland EH11 2JR.Clear medium orange colour with a small to average, frothy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, moderate to light heavy hoppy, flowers, citrus, hop oil, orange - citrus. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a average to long duration, hop oli, hoppy, dark citrus, flowery. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. [20120423]

Cask @ Red Squirrel, Edinburgh 300412
Dark golden amber, frothy white head, reasonable lacing
Aroma - soft citrus hops, some soft resin, sweet pale malts, mellow fruits, hint of gooseberry
Taste - as main flavour, sweet juicy caramel golden malts, soft citrus hops, sweet barley sugars
Palate - soft carb, medium body, smooth texture, sweet fruit malt palate, good mouthfeel. Finish as main flavour, bitter barley sugar lingering tail, perhaps over sweet
Overall - I liked this but could do with being less sweet than it is now

On cask @ Cloisters Highland tap takeover. Pours golden hazy with a well proportioned cream head. The nose has grapefruit and pine with a little bit of malt on the end. The taste is less grapefruity but it’s still there, Perhaps more lime this time. The palate has a big creamy structure and texture with a severe bitter finish which is held quite well by just enough malt. Overall, bigger on taste that their usual beers but less drinkable over an evening - maybe another candidate for keg and definitely one for bottle.