You better believe I was psyched when this cask showed up at Redbones on 6/12/07. This was the only English beer I missed at this year’s cask festival.
Just an ever-so-slight haziness to it, with a soft lemon-lime tinted golden body and a cascading, white/off-white head that is impeccably well retained and completely douses the glass in lace. While the haziness is slight, I just cant bring myself to give it a 4
Even out of a shaker, this stuff just pours on the fresh, aromatic, juicy dry-hopping and wonderfully attenuated malts that are dripping with light honey and fresh woodiness. Incredibly high strength of aroma. The hops just continue on endlessly and there’s a bit of crunchy/crackery-like maltiness to give it a little oomph. Definitely a strong house yeast character, kind of reminds me of moldy bread, or damp basements, but in a good way, if that’s possible. Flawless, as well.
Succulent, in a word, is the flavor, with no overdone bitterness, yet certainly a boatload of hoppiness. Orange peel, lemons, limes, white grapefruit and light melon, it unfolds upon a backbone of angelfood cake-like sweetness, yet with the same delicate, aerated mouthfeel. Some dustiness, woodiness and hints of quasi-funky house yeast all complete the picture, giving it that extra jab of character that makes well-done English beers that much more enjoyable and unique. Simply stunning and flawless of course. I could see giving this a perfect score, but perhaps the hoppiness could be toned down a little and the malt balance/complexity improved somewhat. As well, I’d like to see it just a touch more dry and with less dextrine comfort on the palate. Minor complaints though, this stuff is marvelous.

Cask handpull at Market Porter, Southwark. Gold colour with lasting off whtie head. Trademark Oakham’s hoppiness, citric. Very good malt in mouth and then sherberty grapefruit hoppy finish. Utterly drinkable, bit of cat pee at worst. Clean, smooth fullish in mouth. It’s Oakham’s and I love it.

Cask gravity at White Cliffs BF 2007. As it seems to be always with me, I have an Oakham beer as the first beer of a festival and almost always ends up being beer of the festival for me. Does this one? Not sure yet. Deep chestnut colour with lasting bubbly beige head. Trademark grapefruit. Unbelievably hoppy for a British beer. Good toffeeish malt. Nice mixed finish. Grapefruit leafyness is lovely. Great resiny pine throughout.

Cask gravity at Pig’s Ear. Amber colour with thin off white head. Nice American hop aroma, grapefruit. Bit of Turkish Delight fruit. I love it, but then again, I would as I love this brewery. Great tangy grapefruit hop finish. Best cask beer of the day for me and it was my first.