6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

On cask at 8 Sail Brewery Tap in Heckington - Hazy amber with no head. Floral hop, grassy, drying fruitiness.

6.1

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Cask at 8 Sail Brewery Tap - Clear yellow body, thin white top. Sweet grassy hop profile, slightly buttery, sweet sugary citrus.

7.2

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

330ml bottle from Beers of Europe. Poured into a La Chouffe stemmed goblet at home on 23rd December 2024. Dark mahogany body, fast fading beige cap. Boozy, earthy and malty, turns a little more hop bitter mid sip. Dried fruit traces (like figs/prunes). Slight alcohol burn towards the finish.

7.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Panda at home, thanks to Kenneth, 20/12/24. Deep mahogany brown topped with a beige cap that thins to a swirl. Nose is dates, stewed fruits, vinous, cake mix, toffee, brown sugar dusting. Taste comprises fruit cake, earthy fruits, lick of alcohol, vinous, herb, dates, prunes, toffee. Medium bodied with bite, fine carbonation, drying close with a balanced kiss of alcohol. Tidy old skool sipper and easy going for the hefty 14% ... would have guessed 8 or 9?

6.8

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Large white foamy head on an unclear amber coloured body. Bitter, yeast & spiced aroma. Medium bodied, foamy & dry on the back. Bitter orange, yeast, biscuit & zesty citrus tastes with a tangy finish. Nice drinker.

5.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Handpull cask at the Whostle Stop Micro Pub, Grantham train station. Light to mid-gold, clear with a reasonably sized off-white head. Slightly spicy aroma, grainy hop. Tastes bittersweet, a little acrid. Slightly vegetal flavour sits on the middle of the tongue. Soft carbonation. It isn't terrible but had some odd flavours. Not doing it for me sadly.

6.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

Handpull cask at the Chequers, Grantham. Light, almost golden brown, clear with a decent off-white head. Very low aroma, some light malts but not much here at all. Tastes sweet, a little corny, some ices tea. Some bitterness in the aftertaste. I mean, there isn't anything bad about it, it's just pretty dull if passable.

7.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

12th December 2024
Just a light haze on this amber beer, small and short lived bubbly pale tan head. Smooth palate, a little airy, mildly dry, reasonable fine carbonation -about right for a weighty barleywine like this. Esters very prominent from the get go, fruity esters, lesser bubblegum, both intertwining with some alcohol spice. Caramel and cream malts with some ripe fruits and dried fruits on the back end. Finishes relatively light mouthfeel wise but the alcohol does nip a little. Not sure how much this would improve with time. Definitely a bit but I don't see massive potential aging this one but I haven't guessed the right lottery numbers yet so, what do I know? Decent muscular English barleywine.

7

On cask at 8 Sail Heckington - jet black body with a short tan head. Real pungent roasted taste, notes of coffee, nuts and liquorice.

6.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

EB - Cask (gravity) @ 40th Pigs Ear Beer and Cider Festival 2024 - Day 1 at 🇬🇧 The Round Chapel in Hackney, London, England. [ As 8 Sail Black Widow ]. ABV:5.5%. [20241203]. 7-3-7-3-15