Cask (handpump) at The Knights Templar (JDW), Chancery Lane, London, May 2006. I’m not usually a great fan of W & D beers, but I thought this one was pretty good. Far better than the Banks’s Original light mild. Relatively strong for a mild. Very dark brown, almost opaque with a reddish tinge. Lasting beige head. Roasty malt aroma with the chocolate character coming through strongly on the palate. There’s a touch of light bitterness, so the chocolate is of the dark cooking variety. Held the interest to the bottom of the glass. I’d certainly drink this one again.

A Sim rate: Cask at the Gatehouse JDW. Full chocolate / coffee flavour. Creamy aroma. Tastes exactly like double cream. Like the coffees my dad used to make when the regular milk ran out.

(Cask) Hand pump into a pint, Wellington Arms, Southwark, London. Almost opaque murky reddish brown in the glass with 3/16” light taupe head of disparate bubble size of the medium to small variety. Full of flavor for such a lack of body. Sweet at first, chocolate is subtle in the middle, lacy and delicate throughout. This had a very interesting feel at first, both light and diffident at the same time, like a quasi-liquid Play Dough pushing back against a tasting tongue, but not “thick” at all. Hard to describe, not sure if I like it. The initial flavor is like weak pear/apple juice that’s been hopped lightly with earthy hops that add just enough bitter to keep this from being non-acidic cider. The finish is dry-ish with echoes of the dusty, earthy bitterness, and retaining some sweetness (like malted milk and chocolate, but faint). In the end, imagine a combo of 2 parts Alpha Klaus (if it were made with Kent-Goldings), 1 part Strongbow, and 5 parts water.

[cask from JDW] Aroma of roasted coffee, dark bitter chocolate and a little fruit. medium body, dry roasted finish.