5.5/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
50cl bottle of Santa’s Reserve. from Westholme Stores, Goring. Poured a murky reddish brown with a thin cream head; Christmasy aroma; lots of peppery ginger flavours at first, then supplemented by the cinnamon, but lasking any support from the malts - in fact it’s quite a thin beer; the finish is dry, warming, and retains the spices, again the ginger is to the fore, and rather overpowering. Not the best Christmas Ale I’ve tried.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Nov 2009
at 15:14
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
17th April 2008 Lightly toasted malt. Quite a silky palate but dry. Finishes on a sweet toffee note. No real bitterness. 3.
21st January 2011
On tap at the Magpie, New Street. Opaque dark brown beer. Little tan brown head. Smooth palate, fairly neutral. Mild creamy coffee with some milk chocolate (the cheapest kids type). Segues seamlessly in to a mild fruit and tangy hop. The coffee gets more espresso like in the semi dry finish. Joins up pretty well. Much better than the bottled version!
21st January 2011
On tap at the Magpie, New Street. Opaque dark brown beer. Little tan brown head. Smooth palate, fairly neutral. Mild creamy coffee with some milk chocolate (the cheapest kids type). Segues seamlessly in to a mild fruit and tangy hop. The coffee gets more espresso like in the semi dry finish. Joins up pretty well. Much better than the bottled version!
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Oct 2009
at 14:11
7.6/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
30 Mar 2008 Sharp ale - like a sharper Oakham JHM. Bitter grapefruit and orange.
Tried
on 19 Oct 2009
at 14:21
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Cask, gravity at Oxford Beer Festival 15-10-09 Pours pretty much to all intents and purposes black with a small beige head.Some wet coal and roasted malt, coffee and dark fruit on the nose. Taste is coffee, dark fruits, bitter chocolate very nice stuff. A7 A3 F7 P4 Ov15 3.6
Tried
from Cask
on 16 Oct 2009
at 22:09
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle at home ... hazy copper ... lemon sweey toffee malts ... bitter toffee ... odd cider tones... czant make it if its turning or not but if it is it not in the normal way ... bitter resiny linger ... sticky dried fruits ... some burnt raisins ... all in all i think i quite like this... and on balance i dont think its turning
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Oct 2009
at 10:16
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
(Cask at GBBF, London Earl’s Court, 5 Aug 2009) Black colour with frothy, beige head. Malty, roasted nose with notes of black coffee and dark chocolate. Malty, roasted taste with black coffee, cocoa, dark bread and a generous coffee bitterness in the finish. Slightly more than medium body, smooth mouthfeel. Mainly dry. Excellent stout in very nice balance.
Tried
from Cask
on 03 Sep 2009
at 15:50
7.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 4
Overall 7
[Cask at the Nag’s Head, Reading] Thought this was a one-off special that I’d somehow managed to miss at the Reading Beer Festival, so was quite astonished to see it rocking up in a Reading pub. Pitch black with a loose brown head and no carbonation. Smooth, thick, oily texture. Aroma and initial flavour of coffee and sweet treacle, with some dry smoke, plums and earth developing. Sweet with a very sticky finish. It’s OK, but for this ABV I’d expect more intense flavours, and it definitely needs something to cut through the syrupiness.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Aug 2009
at 14:47
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
Bottled at RBESG 2008. An unclear golden beer with a white head. The aroma is sweet and rather hoppy lending it notes of grass and elderberries. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, and elder berries. The body is light.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jul 2009
at 17:59
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 7.5
Bottled at RBESG 2008. An unclear golden beer with a thin beige head. The aroma is very hoppy combined with medium notes of caramel and fruit. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt and fruit, leading to a bitter finish. The body is light.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jul 2009
at 16:34
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottled at RBESG 2008. A red-brown beer with a thin tan head. The aroma is sweet with notes of roasted malt. The flavor is sweet malty with notes of herbs, hard roasted malt, leading to a dry and roasted finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jul 2009
at 16:27