3.4 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On handpump at C&B, Ellerslie in Auckland. A medium strength, eponomously hopped ale, trying hard - and largely succeeding - to be a tradtional English bitter. My usual pint at this, my local when in Auckland.
Better than usual today, served warmer than normal which was welcome and exposed a more delicate malt flavour than I’ve noticed before.
Perhaps it was a fresh cask on a Sunday lunchtime.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Hand pump through sparkler.
Clear deep brown/red with very good head retnention and lacing.
Aroma of earthy,marmalade,flowery english hops with a slight fruity estery background.
Taste of flowery hop with marmalade and slight mineral earthy background. Crystal malt balance with a nice crisp hop bitterness.
Nice.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Unfortunately the last time i tried this it was in really bad form, metallic and green apple....I’m going to give this a rating that it deserves from all the great times i’ve had drinking it!
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Fresh cask on for the first of four pints. Nice light brown / dark amber color. Good off white head that dissipated quite quickly. Strangely the head on the second one lasted a lot longer. Bitterness balanced the caramel malt flavor nicely. Good hop flavor and gentle aroma too. Could only just pick up on the hint of nuttiness and there was a whisper of a fruit flavor I couldn’t quite distinguish. By the fourth pint it had grown on me nicely. Could have had a few more, but it’s a bit too heavy for an all nighter. First couple of mouth fulls may have been spoiled by the Fullers ESB I’d just polished off.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
(Cask) Clear, dark amber golden with a creamy, off-white head. Fat aroma of malt and nuts and classic British hops. Medium body with a very soft mouthfeel and a low carbonation. Plenty of caramel and nut accents and a distinct, dry bitterness. Excellent. 060208
2.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
UPDATED: SEP 14, 2008 On handpull, a slight haze to the golden colour with a thick white foamy head. A nice flowery hop aroma with juicy malt. A strong malty flavour, a bit grainy for me though, but with some peachy fruit notes. The finish is long and moderately bitter. Sometimes the hops come through very green.
2.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
on tap, brewtopia06. browny colour with a steady head. sherbet aroma, quite fresh and dry but a bit tinny
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
12 May 2006 (AIBA 2006-Rating 8) - Fruity hop sweet aroma. Brown-red colour, ordinary head and lacing. big steely hopped, light fruit and light roasted flavour. Hoppy and light roasted finish.
2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
Cask at Cock & Bull, Auckland. Dark amber, creamy head. Some hay aroma. The obvious crystal malt character brings some toffee and clean, lifeless mouthfeel. There are notes of spun sugar, but aromatic hops are present in the finish. Medium bitterness. Average.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
OK, roll out that barrel and get the beer on the bar. Huh? Where are all those hops? They should be leaping out at me. Looks pretty good with its amber hue and creamy head but there is not a lot of hop presence in the nose.. Ditto the flavour. Without this vital character it is a bit one-dimensional and therefore disappointing. I hope to try this again to see how it is progressing.
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