4.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Cask conditioned at Merton Winter Beer Fest ’11. Gold with white head. The aroma is of lemon and grapefruit showing exactly what is to come, the body malt is as described, clean and crisp, showcasing the hop perfectly and centennial is one of my favourites. There is a spiciness initially, drying and quite herbal, then a good palate bashing of sharp fleshy grapefruit and lemon tang, I could have drunk this all afternoon but tempus fugit. Absolutely smashing, well done Art Brew and well done Merton Beer Festival.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Cask handpull, Derby Summer BF 2011. Clean gold with a white halo. Slightly stemmy green hop aroma without any of that fancy citrus stuff. Still condition, watery orange squash notes dominated by dunked custard creams. Clean and malty. Expected much more.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Cask, gravity at Merton Winter Beer Festival 05.02.11 This was a lovely beer that whilst appreciated never quite got the plaudits or recognition that it deserved and yet when some tried it they stuck on it so taken were they with this. Pours golden with a nest of bubbles atop. Sweet pink grapefruit grabs you initially but this subsides and a little sweetness floods in before you get the crisp bitterness gently numbing the tongue, its not brutally bitter not harsh but really well balanced I rather enjoyed this and after a while looked to see that it had all disappeared, lovely stuff. A7 A4 T8 P4 Ov15 3.8
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Gravity cask at the Merton (Oxon) Winter BF. Gold with a lively white head in the peak of condition. Stunning American style IPA with lashings of citrus bitterness balancing out sweet pale malts. Excellent offering from an improving brewery.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask, gravity, at Merton Winter Beer Festival ’11. Gold with a small white head. Aroma of semolina or rice pudding with some grassy hints. Grassy, slightly sour taste of summer meadows, a world away from a windy February in rural Oxfordshire. Mid bitter finish. Excellent.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
21st January 2011
On tap at the Rake. Clear gold beer. Tiny white head. Light crisp palate. Decent orange marmalade hops that are also a little spicy and with an apple like acidity. Finishes dry and crisp. Bitter aftertaste. Liked it but young Nate2G almost spat this out! Oh well - can’t please everyone!
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