Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Bottle at home, 2nd January 26. Pours a dark yellow golden brown. Aroma is barrel, vinous, caramel and dark fruits. Taste is smooth, dark fruits, caramel, sweet, wood and liquor, slight vinous
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
From Bine and Vine bottle #41091.
Pours murky rust brown with ever so few foam islands. It still managed a wee bit of lacing.
The smell is oxidation with lots of non sweet caramel, toffee, leather, wood.
The taste is caramel malt, sweeter than what the smell suggested, toffee, leather, dark pitted fruit that didn't bring any vinous notes. Even the oxidation that I mentioned in the smell is muted. Yay.
The mouthfeel is full, no carbonation but I reckon that I don't miss or need it here.
Overall, I am very pleased.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 10 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle. Nose is outrageous, fruit cake, figs, port, almonds, brandy, brown sugar, cherry, hints of red wine, lightly nutty. Taste is boozy, brandy, almonds, fruity, hints of cherry, cough syrup, touch of pear drops, a little spice, stewed fruit Christmas cake. Its a sweet, brandy and fruit finish.
The barrel is very prominent, but it works so well. This is an outstanding beer.
Appearance - 5 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bought from Bine & Vine, bottle no.
08877.
Pours a still murky brown with no foam, no lacing.
Smell is sweet caramel malt, dark pitted fruit, leather, obvious oxidation with a Port like aroma.
The taste is caramel malt, dark fruits, leather, Port like flavour, oxidation is obvious but not being criminal. I get some toffee as well. Alcohol is definitely there. Noticeable presence of Whiskey.
Mouthfeel is good despite the lack of carbonation.
Interesting 7 year old Thomas Hardy from Meantime.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle @ Beer Temple, Chicago, IL. #43655, dated 2018. Pours murky reddish brown with a very small frothy beige ring for a head, woodsy caramel aroma, low carbonation, bitterish caramel malt taste, woodsy flavor, alcohol undertones, smooth body, long finish with alcohol aftertaste. Not as boozy as expected.
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5
Cask at The Rake, Borough Market, London. Clear brown colour with a tiny ring of beige atop it. Intense, boozy aroma and taste - fruity port is the main thing here with some wood. As you drink more (slowly does it now!) other flavours emerge - chocolate, leather, strawberries, blackcurrants and raisins. Port remains to the fore throughout though, although as I like port that's just fine by me! Just a touch of bitterness in the tail of what is otherwise a sweetish beer. A lovely, heady, indulgent brew that I thoroughly enjoyed, but it's maybe a tad young at the moment and could do with some time to mellow out that raw alcohol hit.
gave a cheers!
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle at home, picked up from HOTM online, 07/12/2025.
Lightly hazed mahogany brown with a fast collapsing beige head.
Nose is stewed fruits, dates, vinous, caramel, pipe tobacco, mellow barrel.
Taste comprises fruit cake mix, dates, sultanas, candied fruit rinds, vinous, booze tunes, toffee, residual sugars, mellow barrel.
Full bodied, fine carbonation, light drying close with a balanced rising boost.
Solid sipper.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8
Bottled from planet wine, - maroon amber pour no head becsause old obviously. Sticky sweet toffee, caramel, yeast, wood
Nisse666 (17733) reviewed Thomas Hardy's Ale (2015) from Interbrau 10 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle thx Ingo 2024-03-02 Göteborg
AR: sweet plums, dust, British fruit cake with loads of raisins
AP: dark amber, tiny cream brown lid
F: sweet plums, dust, British fruit cake with loads of raisins