About
Donnington still produces its beers by much the same recipe that has always been used. Spring water (or in brewing terms 'liquor') is drawn from the spring beside the mill pond and used as the main ingredient along with barley, malt and hops.
Until the mid 1960s, the barley was grown on the local estate but today it's brought as malt from Norfolk. The hops are from Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The original mill is still used in the brewing process and the mill wheel drives some of the machinery used by the brewery.
Until the mid 1960s, the barley was grown on the local estate but today it's brought as malt from Norfolk. The hops are from Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The original mill is still used in the brewing process and the mill wheel drives some of the machinery used by the brewery.
Tried at Taphouse Warminster, Wiltshire
Tried
on 15 Aug 2026
at 13:05
6.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Half pint on cask at the Leopard
Medium creamy off white head. Clear amber pour. Light bitterness. Not great.
Medium creamy off white head. Clear amber pour. Light bitterness. Not great.
Tried
from Cask
at
The Leopard
on 26 Apr 2026
at 19:53
7/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
440 ml can. Pours black with short lasting nitro head. Aromas of cola, dark chocolate and roasted malts. Flavors of watery vanilla and roasted malts. Clean but a bit thin.
Tried
from Can
at
Off The Square
on 29 Oct 2025
at 20:08
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5.5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Handpull cask at the White Lion, Upton upon Severn. Light gold and clear with a ring of white head Grainy aroma, some grassy character. Sweet with a fry English hop hitternesa in the finish. Hint of clotted cream. Medicinal finish. OK.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 Aug 2025
at 18:30
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Handpull cask at the White Lion Hotel, Upton upon Severn. Dark amber, clear, no head. Earthy dark caramel in the aroma. Cherry syrup, bonfire toffee. Very sweet taste, more toffee, bitter finish. Thin body, little carbonation. A bit weird and not particularly satisfying.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 Aug 2025
at 17:45
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
500ml bottle. Clear dark copper colour with a beige head. Aroma of toffee, sweet malts. Taste is sweet, toffee, caramel, mildly nutty, light bitterness. Light-medium body.
Tried
from Bottle
from Natural Grocery Store
on 25 May 2025
at 16:56
6.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6
500ml bottle. Pours brown with a white head. Aromas & tastes of toffee, caramel & malt. Medium body. Chewy finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 May 2025
at 07:29
6.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 5.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
500ml bottle bought at a gift shop in Burton-on-the Water, and shared with Gary. Good looking with its lacing rings from a decent off-white head over a clear mahogany coloured body. Inviting smell of caramel malts, mid-dry. Flavoured with caramel, bread, and dusty hops. Soft caramel-toffee like finish. Easy to drink. Pretty good. (Hotel room, Sheffield 28.04.2025).
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Apr 2025
at 15:10
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle from Melbicks Garden Centre, Coleshill. Light misted dark gold with small white top. Aroma has notes of citrus, hay and floral notes. Taste has a citrus and dough, with some hop spice and a good floral bitter finish. More interesting then your average golden ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jan 2025
at 03:09
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
Cask at the Queens Head, Stow On The Wold, 23/11/24. Golden copper with a lasting just off white head. Nose is biscuit, stewed fruits, grains, hedgerow. Taste comprises biscuit, straw, herb, fruit loaf, earthy notes. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, light drying close. Okay cask bitter.
Tried
from Cask
on 25 Nov 2024
at 11:57