6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 5
Overall 6
[Cask at the Hope Tap (JDW), Reading.] A chestnut brown pour with a ring of translucent head; malty aroma with some purple fruit; watery in the mouth with a fruity taste; and a dry finish. Unexciting.
Tried
from Cask
at
Hope Tap
on 07 Mar 2025
at 14:35
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask at Montgomery’s Tower, Shrewsbury. Pours a dark ruby with a small off-white head and good lacing. There’s hops and dark fruits in the aroma. In the mouth it is sweet and fruity with a mix of hops, dark fruits and a hint of cherries. Some traces of raisins and autumn fruits later as well leading to a fruity finish. This is decent.
Tried
from Cask
at
Montgomery's Tower
on 07 Mar 2025
at 00:00
6.2/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5
Bottled. Pours brown colour with long lasting off-white head. Roasted malts, dried fruits and strong chocolate notes in aroma. In taste it’s pleasant chocolate first but then some strange acerbic notes appear that ruin the finish. Softly carbonated, light bodied.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Mar 2025
at 06:01
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Bottled. Dark mahogany colour with quickly disappearing head. I dont get much out of the aroma, only the ginger. In taste first comes the sweet ginger, followed by some bitterish notes. Sweet finish, light body and soft carbonation. It’s like ginger was added to a bad ale to hide its flaws, but the original version is not a bad ale, so I dont really see the point.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Mar 2025
at 06:00
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottled. I only took numerical notes while having this one, therefore: ----
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Mar 2025
at 06:00
6/10
I guess a re-badge of Fear of the Dark.
Tried
on 28 Feb 2025
at 21:44
6.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 5.5
500ml bottle received as a gift - clear auburn body, thin white head. Malty caramel sweetness, toffee notes, little sharp finish. Shag all to do with Christmas, but a nice inoffensive bitter.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Feb 2025
at 20:11
6.6/10
—
Appearance 5
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Singapore holiday - day 12/13, a big bottle from Colbar near Buona Vista MRT, drunk at the hotel [the ABV on the label states 4.7%, as in the illustration, above.] Aroma: Christmas cake, very inviting. Appearance: clear copper, off-white lacing. Palate: light-bodied and slick, softish carbonation. Rather malty finish, long and lingering. Taste: lightly bitter with sweet notes, well-balanced; maltloaf, some almonds, lemon. Extremely flavoursome and satisfying.
Tried
on 28 Feb 2025
at 09:18
4.9/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
Light roast, light Hops, low bitterness, watery, and extremely light. Run of the mill.... Meh.
Tried
on 28 Feb 2025
at 06:47
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle from the lcbo. Clear Copper/brown pour, with a small white head. Aroma is very faint, lightly bready, light sugars, some hints if grassy UK hops. Mouth feel is standard along with the same for the carb finish is lightly bitter, nice noble hop finish. I'm not getting much in the way of Belgian ale flavours at all. Tastes like a slightly maltier bitter really.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Feb 2025
at 06:29