17/04/2006. ROYAL OAK, Lower Bristol Road, BATH, Bath & North East Somerset, England (FOUR COUNTY INNS)

6.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

(Bottled, and I missed the instruction about not disturbing the sediment.) Dark, red beer with a a thin, brownish head. The aroma is of strong but not overpowering malt and a hint of fruit. The flavour is slightly fruity and the backtaste is where the malt seems to kick in. Not anything particularly special but quite pleasant none the less.

6

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

Cask, handpump at The Royal Blenheim, Oxford 02.09.10 Pours chestnut in colour with a light beige head. The alcohol shows a little with its warmth, bit nutty & chewy, quite malty. It’s fine enough but on a par with many of the others that I’ve had from this brewery. A6 A3 T6 P3 Ov12 3.0

6.5

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

Cask at the Nags Head, Reading. Chestnut in colour with a thin cream head; aroma of sour plums and woodsmoke; rather austere in the mouth, lacking the expected depth of body for an Old Ale - clean flavours of chestnut and purple fruit, lacking sweetness; the finish is dry and smoky, leaving an unmistakable metallic taint of overboiled sprouts. Good in parts (as the curate said to the vicar).

4.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4.5

Bottled. A hazy red-brown beer with a medium brown head. The aroma is sweet and acidic with notes of caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt and caramel, as well as a light acidic edge and a grapefruit, leading to a dry and tart finish.

6.3

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

Bottle 50cl. @ TFODRBSG 2008, Ulfborg, DenmarkUnclear dark amber color with a small to average, fizzy, good lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, caramel, sour malt, fruit notes, light to moderate hoppy, grapefruit, lemon shell, light to moderate yeasty. Flavor is moderate sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is watery to oily, carbonation is soft. (230808)

6.6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

(Bottle 50 cl) Courtesy of Ungstrup. Pours a hazy and opaque orangey brown with a dense, off-white head. Aroma of wood, dried fruit and a whiff of Brett. Medium body with dried fruit and again pleasant Brett notes. Quite lovely really although I’m not sure that those Brett accents were intended. 230808

Cask. Clear reddish brown with no head. Aroma of nuts, roasted malt and coffee. Medium body, completely flat, again accents of nuts and coffee. Lightly tart dried fruit. No bitterness. 7/3/6/3/13=3.2 170110

5.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5

Bottle, shared by fonefan. It pours an orange-copper unclear body under a small off-white head. Dusty aroma with caramel and some citrus. Brett-like flavor with caramel. The brett was hardly intended, but worked in a way. Dry, with a sourish finish. Failed to impress, but was at least drinkable, even though it had clear signs of having gone bad. (080823)

6

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

50cl bottle. Pours amber with a small head. Sweet nose & taste with notes of sour dark fruits & rum. Medium bodied! Drinkable!

6.8

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

Cask handpull at Fat Cat, Norwich. It was advertised the first night as Headbanger, but it changed on the second day to Homewrecker and that is what is on Beermad.org.uk so it is good enough for me. Ruby colour, thin beige head. Good dark malts, like a strong dark mild, quite lively in mouth. Surprisingly good. Very choccy, a little one dimensional, doesn’t drink 4.9%