6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Picked this up at Belingers Jet garage, Grove near Wantage, Oxon, consumed at home 23-09-08 Pours amber in colour, this was quite nice if a little light. Some oakiness and vanilla where I’m getting that from I don’t know. Its quite simple, left it for half an hour walked off doing something else and it had really opened up even better when I returned. I like this, its tasty but not an exciter.
Tried
on 28 Sep 2008
at 14:40
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottled@Fonefan. Amber colour, small beige head. Aroma is caramel, mild hops and sweet malts. Flavour is hops, fruits, mild notes of caramel and some grassyness. A quite pleasant sessionbitter.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Sep 2008
at 13:04
5.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Cask at The Queens Head in Stow-on-the-Wold. Very drinkable bitter. Balanced malt and sort of grassy/floral hop. (Note from 10/11/2008).
Tried
from Cask
on 21 Sep 2008
at 17:09
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Cask (hand pump / beer engine) at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 4.4%. Copper coloured beer, minimal head. Malty aroma with decent notes of fruity hops (dark fruits). Malty flavour, notes of caramel but not really sweet, moderate "dusty" hops in the finish.
Tried
from Cask
on 20 Aug 2008
at 17:13
5.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
Cask@GBBF2008. Amber colour, small white head. Aroma is wood and fruits with some mild earthyness. Flavour quite much the same. Not bad, but very boring.
Tried
from Cask
on 20 Aug 2008
at 00:16
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask@GBBF2008. Hazy amber colour, not much head. Aroma is wooden, malty and caramelly with some mild flowery hops. Flavour is quite much the same in a good balance. Also has som slight toasted and earhy notes.
Tried
from Cask
on 16 Aug 2008
at 05:57
4.1/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 4.5
Clear golden with tiny white head. Sweet fruity with aroma with grassy notes. Sweet flavor with grassy and grainy notes. Ends mild bitter.
Tried
on 07 Aug 2008
at 17:48
5.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 6
Cloudy amber with tiny off white head. Sweet aroma with caramel and grassy hops. Flavor likewise with a mild bitter finish.
Tried
on 07 Aug 2008
at 17:40
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Cask-conditioned at the Black Horse, Naunton, Gloucs 9/9/07. A vivid amber colour with a moderate off-white head that left a lot of lacing down the glass. Pronounced malty aroma without being cloying. Easy drinking with a hint of toffee followed by a decent bitter finish. This offered a huge amount for a 3.6% bitter - probably the best sub-4% ABV beer I have experienced [4.3]. Re-rate: The Royal Oak, Andoversford, Gloucestershire. I have read on many occasions that Donnington beers are highly variable, and this was the proof. The BB on this occasion was a standard bitter, inclining towards the malty and with a bitter finish. It still looked good but was nothing like as memorable as at Naunton. [3.1]
Tried
from Cask
on 10 Sep 2007
at 14:33
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cask-conditioned at the Black Horse, Naunton, Gloucs 9/9/07. Clear amber colour with a moderate off-white head that left plenty of lacing down the glass. Fruity malt aroma without being too sweet, with some accompanying hoppiness. Flavour was malty with a touch of red fruit and a decent bitter finish. An excellent well-balanced bitter. The landlord of the pub indicated that the Swindon Arkells inheriting the Donnington brewery has not led to any changes - long may this continue to be the case [4.0]. Re-rate at the Plough in Ford, Gloucestershire, October 2009. Still very enjoyable, although rather more sweet on this occasion [3.6]
Tried
from Cask
on 10 Sep 2007
at 14:27