Cask handpull at County Hotel, JDW, Ashford. Copper gold with lasting off white head. Some syrup on aroma, some esters, some raw alcohol to be honest. It’s a strong golden ale along the Summer Lightning role, some peach and apricot flavours in the mouth. Not much hop on finish. Nothing bad but just a more fruit than malt flavour or hops. Fine.

Cask@Pullman’s, Helsinki
Clear golden-amber color, small white head. Sweet honeyish-hoppy nose. Flavor has also honey, some flowery hops. Finish is a bit harsh with woody-resiny bitterness. Unbalanced. Not sure how well this has been kept, real ales at this place are not always in the best possible condition.

Bottle: Deep amber coloured with ruby sparks, presumably hazy, extremely firm and persistent tanned head, lively carbonation; roasted malt, honey and dried fruits in the nose; moderate bitter-sweet flavour, soft MF, light to medium bodied; some hidden sweetness and hoppiness in the mainly dry roasty and bitter-chocolatey finish. What a delicious stuff.........

Cask at the Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico, London on 7th October 2009. Amber with small white head that laces well initially. Grassy hop aromas; good hoppy bitter focus in main kick and a dry, hoppy finish. The mouthfeel is slightly textured and all in all this is a good, refreshing session ale.

16.9 ounce bottle from Once Upon a Vine in Richmond, VA. Pours a dark brown color appearing pitch black in the glass. Thin head with poor head retention and decent laicng. Aroma of roasted malts, light smoke and light fruity notes. Taste is bitter coffee, chocolate, molasses, dark roasted malts and faint fruity notes. A faint hint of plastic. Medium bodied and fairly smooth.

Bottle: almost clear, copper coloured, visible carbonation, medium-sized persistent white head spicy (X-mas) nose: cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; robust sweet-bitter flavour, medium bodied; warming spicy/orangey bitter-sweet finish with a following light tartness. A powerful winter brew.........

500 ml bottle purchased at Gomers in Lees Summit, Missouri. Pour is hazed yellow golden, with a billowing off white head (4 inches at least) that was quite lasting, eventually falling with thick lacing. The head falls with really interesting reverse cascading, almost like its building down to a full glass of beer - I was mesmerized. Aroma of caramel and honey malt, some spritzy lemon bitterness, some grass and hay, even some pickled ginger. There is also a hint of oxidation (there was no date on the bottle that I could locate). Taste is toasty malt, with some of the caramel and honey sweetness from the nose. This quickly turns to the grassy earthiness. The bitter, ginger taste from the nose is present, but mostly in the finish. As with the nose, the lingering finish has some cardboard oxidation. Really does not detract too much for me. Palate is medium, slightly chewy, almost entirely flat. Overall, interesting enough, I like the toasty chewiness to it. The hop bitterness is almost entirely gone, would be interesting to try this one in its true form.

Bottled. Reddish copper coloured, small creamy off-white head. Aroma is wood, some flowery hops as well as dark dry fruits and mild nectary notes. Flavour is quite much the same along with some caramel. Quite "thick" palate, with some mild alcoholic notes in the finish. Still a very pleasant brew, that works well from bottle as well.

Bottled. A bit hazy reddish amber colour with small creamy slightly off-white head. Aroma is mild alcohol, some spices, mild fruity and flowery notes as well as some plum(pudding) and sweetness. Flavour is sweet malts, some spices, mild hoppy notes. A bit plummy/raisiny sweetness as well. Pleasant. One of the more spicies English beers I have had.