Adnams Tally Ho

Gravity cask in a fair few places since I was a teenager in the late 70s. Nowdays seems far too sweet and cloying to me. Plenty of warming alcohol but nowhere near enough hops. My latest sample was at the Wenlock and despite lenghthy maturation it was still pretty sickly. Not the beer of yesteryear.

Bottled, 330ml, 1996 vintage. Dark brown, ruby with no head, clear. Huge port like notes, winey, grapey with plenty of nasal alcohol, this sample was 8.5% ABV. Caramel and toffee background, rich, heady and thick on the palate. Drank in celebration of Birmingham City’s promotion, decent stuff.

1998 bottle at Lucky Baldwin’s. Pours a mostly still muddy dark brown with a minimal head. Smells of oxidation, toffee and burnt brown sugar. Very English style in the malt profile here with lots of burnt caramel, toffee, molasses. Definitely some oxidation, but not too bad given the 11 years age and 7% abv. Dried fruits and and some more toffee in the flavor. All in all, a decent aged English style barleywine. Not all that complex though, and the oxidation is starting to come through. I’d love a cask pull of this though, that could be good.

(Half Pint from Gravity at the Fat Cat, Norwich) Very dark brown with a small off white head. Nut smell with some sweet fruit. Initial taste was a well balanced dark malt - sweet with lots of roastyness and a drying hop finish. Fruit and caramel - a heavy beer. Very nice, but best served in small doses I suspect.

Cask at the bree maree. Alround rating: Sweet honey malt, blackcurrent and creme brulee mix together interestingly to make for an interesting drink. Bitter sweet stuff, very nice, old school style english ale.

Cask at the Ribs of Beef, Norwich, "Post-Xmas Crawl Part 2", 28th Dec 08. Very dark ruby brown with a caramel, dark fruit & red wine aroma. Smooth, full palate and it feels strong. The correct weight for a winter warmer. Nice.

Cask (handpump) @ Wellington, Birmingham B2, UK. Clear medium to dark red brown color with a small, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, light beige head. Aroma is moderate malty, toasted, roasted, caramel, cold coffee, dark fruits ala, raisin / plum, light light licorice. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and bitter with a long to average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. (100108)

Cask @ The Florence, Herne Hill. Ruby colour with no head. Aroma is alcohol / plums / dark fruits / caramel. Taste is warming / alcohol / fruits / toffee. Nice complex Barley Wine, very enjoyable.