2.8 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Bought at AJ’s, recommended by Jonpol. I like ESB’s but this is too mild for that style. I liked the beer, but didn’t wow me. It was very smooth and drinkable, a great session beer. I couldn’t detect any overwhelming aroma and taste, but the cascade hops won out a little bit, semi dry and medium length finish.
2.7 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Well this is certainly in no danger of being a US APA! Aroma is only slightly citrus and leans more towards sweet raro. I think this has suffered from the journey but has an understated charm.
2.7 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
[50cl bottle from Westholme Stores, Goring.] Hazy amber with a thin white head - grainy aroma - soft herbal flavour with some grapefruit citrus undertones - rather thin and watery, and with a medicinal finish. Disappointing.
2.7 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
I had the bottled version of ’XB’. Niether a bitter or an APA, I guess why it’s classified here as a Blond Ale. The color was golden, and had a "mossy" head. I think the label promised me too much stating it was an English Bitter with an American Pale Ale aroma.
2.7 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
Bottle.Medium, very fizzy off-white head that mostly diminished, patchy lacing, transparent, fast rising carbonation, and a gold hue. Nose was hoppy, citrus, musty, lightly malty, and grapefruit. The flavor was lightly hoppy, citrus, semi-sweet, lightly bitter, thin, and some grapefruit.Mildly tingly, thin mouthfeel and light in body. Easy to drink, easily forgettable, nothing special, and not a beer I will pursue again.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
Cask. This to me seemed more of a pale ale. Poured a copper color with little head. It was not distinct and definitly was not a golden ale. It actually was nothing special but nothing bad either.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 10/20
Tap at Ginger Man. pale goden beer with a thick sticky white head. Aroma is quite light. A touch of UK pale malt and not much else at all. Flavour is especially bland. Soft crackery malt, low carbonation and a reasonably creamy texture but it still come across as a bit watery. Crackery with a light earthy bitterness. Meh.
2.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 10/20
Opaque light amber with small milky head. Tart and musty aroma with apple, caramel malt, herbal hops. Very tart and quite watery. Little in the way of hop flavor. Not much in the way of malt flavor. Not so great.
2.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 9/20
While XB Bluebird Bitter isn’t a bad beer, it disappointed me in comparison to the normal Bluebird Bitter. The appearance is a light transparent amber with a head that dissipates a bit quickly. The aroma has some American and British hop notes, which is nice but nothing too spectacular. The flavor is a bit generic and yeasty for an English ale. Unlike the normal Bluebird, this is another English ale that makes me think that English ales don’t travel terribly well.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Bottle.
Head is initially small, frothy, off-white, mostly diminishing.
Body is medium amber.
Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), moderately hoppy (grapefruit, apricot).
Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter.
Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter.
Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation.
Not much to say.
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