Magna Carta (7.2% ABV)

Bottle from St Albans Beer Shop. Dark brown with a rapidly disappearing cream head and a light fizz. Chocolate, raisins and liquorice followed by a boozy burn and a lot of spice- ginger maybe. Although there are sweet malts throughout, a herbal absinthe-like bitterness grows and becomes a little harsh and acrid in the aftertaste. It’s a very interesting and strong-flavoured beer that I think would be better on a cold winter’s night than to celebrate the anniversary of the magna carta in the middle of summer. The flavours are pretty unique, but by the end I wasn’t convinced that I liked them; nevertheless I’m glad I got the opportunity to try this unusual brew and well done to W&E for releasing something so different.

(Cask at Gallows Bird Magna Carta Real Ale Festival 2015) The beer poured dark brown and clear. Its head was small and almost white. Aroma had malts, ginger, caramel and sweetness. Palate was medium bodied with low carbonation. Flavours were malts, ginger, sweetness, caramel and bitterness. Aftertaste was malty and bitter. An interestingly spicy brew.

18th February 2015
Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival in KEGS. Cask. Light haze on this deep amber beer, untidy bubbly pale tan head. Smooth and slightly viscous palate, modest fine carbonation. Smooth malts, a very light creamy sweetness runs throughout. Dried fruits and a little spice in good balance with a mellow herby - medicinal thing and crystallised fruits. Smooth semi dry finish. Tangy linger. Interesting.

Bottle from Ales by Mail. It pours deep red-brown with a tiny bubbly head. The nose is rich, earthy, damp leaf, herbal, spice, caramel, toast, liquorice and brown bread. The taste is bitter-sweet, caramelised sugar, earth, herbal, wet grass, liquorice, umami, spice and leather with a drying finish. Medium body and low carbonation. A touch more carbonation wouldn’t go a miss. Pretty interesting gear. Hides abv rather well.

Bottle from Ales by Mail. Mahogany pour with no head. Aromas of toffee, caramel, apple pie and black bread. Spicy old nose. Sweet malt flavours with plenty of sweet spice making its presence known with a raisin and toffee ending. Not bad.

Bottle from London Brewers Market, Spitalfields Market, London. A deep ruby/brown coloured pour with a medium off white head on top. Malty, caramel, dark fruit aroma. Tastes malty, dark fruit, caramel, slightly sweet, some spice. Nice one.

Cask at the brewery, 19/11/14. Dark mahogany brown with a good sized beige covering that retains well. Nose is spice, liqourice, herbal, fruit rinds, nutty tones, malt. Taste comprises aniseed, toffee, spice rack, menthol notes, caraway seed, dark fruit notes, liqourice stick, pumpkin pie. Medium + body, soft carbonation, smooth on the palate, light booze in the close. Decent for style, well balanced, little bit too spicy for me to take on too much of this, half pint ideal as a winter warmer.

Cask gravity at the St Albans beer fest 2014. Aroma is earthy berry, hay, cranberry. Flavour is sweet toffee, unrefined sugars, liquorice and tangy fruit in the finish. Red crimson coloured pour with small halo of head. Palate is semi sweet, decent condition. Some lingering spices and liquorice.