Subsidiaries
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 8
This is more reserved than an American IPA. Some may say it is more traditional, yet the English IPA's are not all that they were (British tastes have changed). A good beer nonetheless. Copper with a rich head, more malt than hops. Hops are English all the way. Nice beer.
Tried
from Can
on 08 Jan 2004
at 13:46
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Relatively flat looking ale with a strong and caramel aroma, and a fairly basic hopped flavour. Overall a very basic strong ale.
Tried
on 01 Jan 2004
at 15:57
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pourred a light brown brew with a nice head with short retention span. Floral aroma coming out of my glass is wonderful. Taste is bit sour with great hops balance. Body is medium. Overall, this is an above average english pale ale.
Tried
on 29 Dec 2003
at 08:48
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Orange-amber beer; small yellowish, irregular head. Nose yields chalk, very flowery, restrained hops & caramel, cypress. Taste bitterish at first, full malt underbuild. Rather sweet, biscuity, but not cloying. Hayish flavour. Reasonnably full-bodied, but nowhere syrupy as most winter ales. Still quite refreshing, in fact. Winter? Somehow I can't see this as a winter beer. And being Flemish - this would make a good Belgian... summer beer. Weird.
Tried
from Can
on 24 Dec 2003
at 14:35
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Light amber; thick yellowish head, lacey. Nose of crystal malts and rosewater at first. After a short time, fresh hops come to the fore. Good hoppy flavour, with an underbuild of dry, crisp biscuits. Good-typical English in the right way. Rather light mouthfeel. Long hop-bitter aftertaste. Though certainly not a historically correct IPA, this is what a British top-brewery makes from the style today, as opposed to the American hopbombs. It is undeniably more drinkable. The reverse of the coin is that is also far from unforgettable. Good point as well for the dark bottle - as opposed to the lunacy of clear glass bottles, Sam Smiths usually fancies.
Tried
from Can
on 23 Dec 2003
at 14:28
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Jet black; dark accajou head, reducing itself to a few mm. Chocolate nose, sweeter as expected. Hint of pine. Taste is more as expected from an I.S. Bitter, dark chocolate, quite some hops - British ones, please, nothing so exotic as American sorts. A bit of sweeter malt just peeps trough in the finish. Seriously carbonated. Full bodied. Aftertaste is coffee or "hopjes" - coffee bonbons. Somehow, I'd expected more fireworks. Dull is certainly isn't. It's a stout from the British empire, rather than the Russian: very reserved.
Tried
from Can
on 20 Dec 2003
at 14:14
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pale amber-orange, ever so slight haze; 1 cm yellowish head, dissipating. Alcoholic nose, cognac-like; bit of liquorice, raisins. Severe alcoholic taste; again sweet raisins/sultanas flavour. Bitterish-herbal palate. Somehow, I think higher alcohols too. Mouthfeel warming-burning alcoholic. This is a serious strong ale. A severe, brandy-like beer, not fruity in the least. The nips are a strong hint how to treat it. But, not very exciting neither, hence the low overall rating.
Tried
on 20 Dec 2003
at 13:29
6.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 5
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
The aroma is fruity and malty with notes of nuts. The color is orange and it has a fantastic head. The flavor is nice; sweet malty with slightly roasted notes combined with caramel, oranges, peaches, and wood. It ends on a good bitterness. A really lovely ale - very complex.
Tried
on 30 Nov 2003
at 11:19
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Dark color, large frothy head. Aroma is roasted malts, bit coffee and licorice. Bitter taste of roasted barley, little coffee and cherry. Quite creamy texture, with a sharp roasted hint. Bitter smooth palate.
Tried
on 27 Nov 2003
at 14:01
8.5/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Dark heart, brown head. Peculiar aroma: liquorice, curaçao, brandy, phenol, Porto, apples. God body, smooth and harmonious, but less interesting than the aroma lets hope. Perfectly balanced, leading to a correct final. Similar to, but poorer, than my favorite Henry's London Porter.
Tried
on 25 Nov 2003
at 11:00