3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cask (gravity dispense from stillage) at Battersea Beer Festival on 11 February 2009. Dark reddish brown colour. Plenty of sharp fruit (plums and dark berries) with a slightly tart, vinous edge. Light nutty character on the palate too, with touches of caramel. The malts are moderately deep but not too sweet or fat. Not convinced it’s that much like a Belgian Dubbel - mouthfeel seemed a touch light for that - and I’m not sure I would have spotted the intent without a prompt. Somewhere between a Dubbel and a British Winter Warmer I’d say. A satisfying, tasty tipple whatever it is.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cask stillage (Bitter Virtue, Southampton) - Brown with some amber tinges. Coffee and roasted malt in the aroma with a hint of chocolate. Roasted taste with carmael, coffee, roasted malt and hints of spice. The finish is roasted and warming.
1.9 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 1/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 8/20
Cask conditioned at York Beer Fest ’09. Soupy brown with no head. This was in a terrible state, but still on sale, unfortunately many of the beers were similar. Horrid tart fruitiness, very green, no condition. Went onto the grass.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
Cask in the white horse belgian beer festival. Alround rating: Nutty brown ale malts, thin body for the %, bit sugary. Perhaps a bit tierd and lacking condition.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask stillage at the White Horse, Parsons Green - Winter and Old Ale Festival.
Rich malty sweetness, a bit perfumed. Full grainy flavour. Toffee. Some warming alcohol, a little sour and vinous.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask handpull at White Horse, Parsons Green. Dark brown, thin beige head. Tastes as though it’s brewed with a Belgian yeast. Very much in the Belgian dubbel style. Again like the Twickenham/Struise porter, just a bit watery in mouth. It’s alright, quite tasty, decent malts. Does a decent impression.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Cask at the White Horse Belgian Beer Festival, 24th August 2008. Cloudy deep brown appearance that’s not very appealing. Chocolate and banana are present in the aroma (with a bit of the well concealed alcohol) and at the start of each sip, giving way to a chocolate caramel and toffee flavour. The palate is light and drinkable for the strength.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
A Mes rate: cask at the White Horse Belgian Beer Festival.
Opaque / hazy mid brown with a thin beige rim. I have no doubt this would have had a decent head if the idiot behind the bar knew how to serve it properly. A lovely aroma that is almost perfectly pitched between a Belgian Dubbel and an English Bitter. Loads of caramel and toffee, delicious burnt malt and some good fruit preserve notes. The flavour is more of the same but the burnt malt becomes a little plasticy. Still good but not quite as adorable as the aroma. Good fruit, chocolate and slight hops in the finish and if I burp it brings forth some marzipan. Decent stuff but Ascot can do better.
|
