B & T Shefford Old Dark (SOD)

Brewed by B & T
Style: Old Ale
Shefford, England

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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JDW, Rochester. Jacked in my job today after just being there two days. Went to the pub to celebrate.Discovered this interesting brew. I had it down in my notes as a strong Mild. But Mild and Old are very close. If we have it down as an Old Ale, and the brewery calls it an Old Ale, then I won’t quibble. It’s dark with a thin cappuccino head. Soft and light with raspberry notes late on, followed by roasty flavours in the finish. Vanilla, chocolate and coffee notes. A strong Mild, and very tasty.

On cask at the picture house, Colwyn bay. Pours black with a red hue and tan head. Dark fruits, coffee but slightly let down by a thin body. Enjoyable. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Cask (handpump) @ Cask and Barrel, 115 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 3RZ.

Clear dark brown colour with a average to large, creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, caramel, berry, light smoke - plastic. Flavour is moderate to heavy sweet and light to moderate bitter with a long duration, smoked, dark roasted, berry - sugar sweet. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is flat to soft. [20101031]

A good session old ale. Consumed on tap at the Goodman’s Field. I dispute the conditioning but it was quite drinkable. The caramel body was very warming, the slightly roased malts were complimentary to the caramel and the balance was good. I would prefer to consume at the MP so until then this is all I will rate. If I remember.

[Pint, J.D.W. Cuthbert Brodrick - Leeds, 07/01/10] Mild coffee maltiness on the nose. Dark fruit and coffee roasted malt flavour. Body could do with being a touch thicker. Bitter finish. I thought this was a porter when drinking it.

[Cask at the Nag’s Head, Reading] Deep ruby-black, small tan head. Autumn fruits and caramel in there, but flavours are a bit muted. Gets very sweet by the end. Very smooth and oily to the point of cloyingness, yet somehow overall feel was of a rather watery weak beer. OK.

Handpulled cask at several pubs including the Bricklayers Arms, Luton. Dark brown with a beige head. Sweet malts with some caramel and liquorice. Just enough hops to balance out.

UPDATED: MAR 4, 2010 (ORIGINAL RATE) Cask, The Crown, Nuneaton. Liquorice-hued pint with beige rim. Still without a tingle of fizz. Quite a heady black cherry and bramble aroma with background note of alcohol. Cherryish dark fruit, hints of roasty malt and choc. Thin mushy biscuit finish. Sprinkle of sourness. Bit of Old Ale, bit of strong mild, big dollop of boredom. Really average. 635212. (RERATE) Cask handpull, The Baron (JDW), Hinckley. The Baron. Pretty much pitch under a fine moon-coloured cream disc. Dark chocolate orange aroma sprinkled with roast and petals. Hugely downable melt of soapy orange, toasted nuts and cocoa. Wow. 748416+.

UPDATED: JAN 6, 2010 Cask conditioned - handpump - Malt Shovel, Northampton. A black beer with a nice beige head. The aroma is malty with dried fruits notes. The taste is he same and there are smoky and caramel notes. Pretty decent. Score 3.5
Subsequent rating also scored 3.5.

UPDATED: DEC 18, 2009 Cask-GBBF. Black with no head. Aroma of caramel, toffee and molasses. Dry and roast flavour with a hint of fruit.

Cask, GBBF 2007. Dark ruby, no head. Nose is malty with not much in the way of anything else, maybe some espresso. Mouth is malty and slightly sour. Watery and fresh.