Winter Lightning
Hop Back Brewery in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England 🏴
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular|
Score
6.15
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Our legendary winter warmer. Brewed with Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, Winter Lightning is very lightly spiced and deceptively drinkable.
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7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 8.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Cask at PACK, Wolverhampton (not yet listed on Brewver). Pours a solid gold with a small scummy almost white head and excellent lacing. Tge aroma has malts, biscuits and hedgerow fruits. In the mouth it is sweets and creamy but with a little underlying bitterness. Flavour is malts, corn, alcoholic strength and hints of citrus with some floral hops coming through later. Bitterness lasts into the dry finish. This is decent – plenty of depth to the flavour.
Tried
from Cask
on 21 Nov 2025
at 14:15
7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
9/3/2023. Bottle bought at the Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. Pours clear deep golden with a frothy white head. Aroma is fruity, hoppy, husky, herbal, grass, hint of ginger. Moderate sweetness, medium bitterness and body. Oily, average carbonation. Nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Mar 2023
at 18:25
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle from Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. Light hazy golden with a white head. Aroma is sweet, malty and fruity. Flavor is medium sweet and moderate bitter. Dry and moderate bitter finish. 090323
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Mar 2023
at 23:30
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle from Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. Nice head with good duration. Color is golden. Aroma and taste are malt, hops, fruits, flowers and has a sweet finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Mar 2023
at 23:29
22/03/2002. BELL, 103 Walcot Street, BATH, Bath & North East Somerset, England (FREE HOUSE)
Tried
on 14 Dec 2022
at 18:32
6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at Scarborough Hotel, Leeds. Pours clear amber with an off-white cap. Aroma: cereal, biscuit, sulphur, light floral. Taste: light sweet & light to moderate bitter, biscuit malts, light citrus, fruity, touch of caramel. Medium body with average carbonation.
Tried
from Cask
on 06 Feb 2021
at 00:06
4.5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4
Bottle from the Grumpy Goat, Reading. Hazy yellow with lumpy suspended sediment and a large white head. Metallic bitterness in a syrupy sweetness. Slightly harsh ginger powder and straw. Bit of a mess.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Oct 2018
at 07:21
5.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Cask. Frothy White good mostly lasting head. Yellow colour. Light malty and hoppy aroma. Light bitter herbal flavor. Average light bitter finish. Oily palate.
Tried
from Cask
on 18 Mar 2017
at 11:24
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Cask at Rose & Thistle, Frimley Green. Vague floral aroma. Medium Amber with a touch of gold. Frothy if thin white head. Initially umami before gaining sweetness. Canned fruit syrup. Medium bodied. Slightly oily. Some softness. Short finish. Feel like it should be more interesting but it never quite gets going.
Tried
from Cask
on 01 Feb 2017
at 12:49
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at the mitre. Pours golden amber, nose is floral, toffee, lemon, taste is sweet, chewy, fruity.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Jan 2017
at 10:04