6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Cask @ Pommeller’s Rest, JDW. Bermondsey SE1. Pours a slightly hazy dark golden color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty aroma with some hoppy hints. Fruity malty citrus hoppy flavor. Has a sweetish fruity malty hoppy finish with some hints of citrus in the aftertaste.
Tried
from Cask
on 12 May 2009
at 09:57
5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
The pump clip at The Flying Horse JDW, Gatwick Airport said 5% abv. Thin, beige head resting over a very dark brown body. Aroma of dark berries. Comprehensive taste of sweet berries, raisin added by spiced and smoked malts. Some excitements, but with the lack of bitterness it gets too sweet on the swallow (05.05.2009).
Tried
on 12 May 2009
at 07:49
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
cask-conditioned at the Knights Templar, Bristol 7/05/09. The pub was unloading its unsold festival beers at £1.29 a pint - this was the best of the bunch. Dark bronze with no head. Caramel and a hint of roasted malts with a long bitter finish. Very light all round for a 5.5% ABV beer. Ok.
Tried
from Cask
on 07 May 2009
at 18:15
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at Victoria station W’Spoons. Golden beer with thin head. Crisp, fruity, hoppy and definite grapefruit presence. I was expecting more of a hop punch as I have heard good things about the original from a Kiw work colleague. One of the better offerings from the Spoons festival.
Tried
from Cask
on 03 May 2009
at 17:30
5.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
Cask at W’Spoons Northwood Hills. Dark ale with virtually no head at all. Sweet/sour roasted taste. Quite dry. Not a good ale IMO, another bland offering from the latest festival at Wetherspoons.
Tried
from Cask
on 03 May 2009
at 15:47
5.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Cask at the Old Manor (JDW), Bracknell. Deep blackcurrant purple colour with a thin tan head; vaguely fruity aroma; thin bodied with some berry fruit flavour; sweet finish. Disappointing.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 May 2009
at 09:55
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
[Cask at Monk’s Retreat, Reading] Dark amber, loose white head. Creamy, vanilla & caramel up front. Some mild citric bitterness in finish. Overall easy to drink, but disappointingly bland. the festival guide implied that the brewer felt she had to tone down the bitterness for the British market. Shame she toned down the flavour too.
Tried
from Cask
on 30 Apr 2009
at 07:56
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Cask, JDW Hoylake Lights. Black with a small muddy tan head. Roasted caramel malt aroma. Coffee and dark chocolate notes in the flavour and some hop bitterness in the finish. Predictably not as good as spoons say it is on the label, but not without some charm.
Tried
from Cask
on 27 Apr 2009
at 17:28
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
(Cask at Penderel’s Oak JDW, Holborn, London, 19 Apr 2009) Pitch black colour with frothy, brown head. Roasted (or burnt), malty nose with notes of espresso, dark chocolate and ashes. Roasted, malty taste with black coffee, prunes, raisins, liquorice, ashes and a generous chocolatey bitterness in a heavily roasted finish. Full bodied, fairly sweet. Possibly not as powerful and well balanced as the original version of this beer, but still a lovely porter.
Tried
from Cask
on 25 Apr 2009
at 17:23
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
(Cask at Crosse Keys JDW, London City, 16 Apr 2009) Nut brown colour with frothy, off-white head. Fruity, malty nose with dried fruit and orange peel. Malty, fruity taste with notes of orange peel, dried fruit and a mild citrussy bitternes in the finish. Medium body with "a kiss of malt sweetness" (as stated above). Had expected something hoppier, but it’s a tasty and well balanced beer.
Tried
from Cask
on 25 Apr 2009
at 10:47