berkshirejohn (10300) reviewed Lead Dog Ale from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Cask at the Old Manor (JDW), Bracknell. Tawny brown with a ring of tan head; chocolate malt aroma; silky in the mouth with blackcurrant and blackberry flavours, then a sudden burst of sweetness, followed by a short bitter chocolate edge and finishing with a dry earthy bitterness. Too sweet for me.
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
[Gravity cask at Back of Beyond, Reading] Pours black with a small, messy tan head. Strong black coffee dominates, with hints of chocolate. Harsh bitter finish which obliterates the flavours somewhat. There’s no hint of smoothness, complexity or subtlety here at all - the contrast with the Baron’s Bushberry Porter I’d just had couldn’t be greater. Despite being a little thinner than I’d expect, it still feels like a real spit-and-sawdust, kick-you-in-the-teeth, frontier beer - you can imagine this being knocked up in the backwoods somewhere. As such it has a certain rustic charm - but I’m still not sure I’d want to make its acquaintance again.
Fin (18516) reviewed Bush Berry Porter from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Cask at The Exchange, JDW, Banbury, Oxon, 20-04-09 Pours very dark brown with a light beige head. The nose was initially a little rubbery but then after a while I did get some dark sticky fruits but to be honest the aroma was the one weak point with this beer. Taste is laden with dark sticky fruits, I get the raisins, but also some really sticky dates plenty of dark brown sugar, there’s no denying this is sweet but its still very nice. Treacle, dundee cake marvellous its all there a most enjoyable beer and the best so far for me at this festival. A5 A4 F7 P4 Ov15 3.5
cagarvie (40235) reviewed Wild Blue Yonder from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
Cask at Counting house Dundee (JDW) in ’Spoons Real Ale Festival, April ’09 ... Crisp copper ... thin off white head ... sweet toffee nose... sweet malts ... little dry hop ... some toffee ... light dry linger.... bit blah.
berkshirejohn (10300) reviewed Wild Blue Yonder from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Cask a the Gig House (JDW), Wokingham. Chestnut brown with a scummy looking, cream coloured head; lacking any clear aroma; sweet and fruity to start with some caramel; some grapefruit bitterness to finish. OK, but unexciting.
Downender (11273) reviewed Wild Blue Yonder from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Cask-conditioned at the Berkeley JDW, Bristol 19/04/09. Deep amber with next to no head. Gentle fruity malt aroma. Flavour started sweet before some earthy hops and a dry finish. OK.
Harrisoni (26309) reviewed Wild Blue Yonder from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Cask handpull at Society Rooms, JDW, Maidstone. In the style of an amber ale, but lacks the PNW hop kick. Malts are alright, some nice red fruit, some hop dryness, but as I say so disappointing that the brewer hadn’t brought more hops with her. My big hope for this festival dampened by a lack of courage and ambition. Not all of us like bland boring beers.
Harrisoni (26309) reviewed Lead Dog Ale from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Cask handpull at The County Hotel, JDw. Ashford. Very dark brown with lasting beige head. It’s a bit like an ESB/Dark ale, some toasty roasty malts. Some decent fruits. Some ok hop. Nice coffee hints. I like the malts and fruit.
Harrisoni (26309) reviewed Pale Ale [Epic] from J D Wetherspoon 16 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Cask handpull at County Hotel, JDW, Ashford. Yes, nice hoppy aroma, but just a bit watery in mouth and the hops are just too cheesy. Its ok but the malt and hops let it down, too watery on malt and too much cheese on hops. Attractive copper colour lasting white head. Grapefruit leafy hop aroma, ok caramel malt in mouth. 3.3 RE rate at Samuel Peto. Better than first time I had it. Less cheesy, but ok. The cascades really came through more.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Cask handpull at Samuel Peto, Jdw, Folkestone. Black, virtually no head. Tar. It settles down into a choccy, dark Belgian choc bitter flavour. Takes a little bit of getting used to, but had far worse. Alcohol is well masked I thought. Quite interesting.