Crouch Vale Brewers Gold Extra

On draught at the Swan in the Rushes, Loughborough. Extremely aromatic, hoppy aroma. Lots of different fruit flavours. Great looking pale golden beer. Great mouthfeel. This is a fantastic beer.

Cask Conditioned at the Bedford Beer Festival 2004 (Wednesday Session). Wonderfully fruity & bitter beer. Superbly hoppy.

Cask Conditioned at The Cuckoo’s Nest Gawcott, Bucks.
Beer tasting can be so subjective, many factors can supplement the way you ‘feel’ about a beer, mood, company, place, time and even the weather. So on a fine sunny Saturday afternoon we approached a highly recommended pub by a slightly eccentric friend with great hopes. As we opened the door and the light flooded into the dark interior, instinct told us that this could be a rare moment of perfection, that and the pump clip pronouncing that Crouch Vale had produced an extra version of one of the Beers of Banbury Festival. This was June and the beer is a seasonal for dark and rainy February, we didn’t ask! As I ordered (I held the kitty, a British thing I think) the radio from a far room started playing the seventies smoocheroo Barry White. [we got it together did’nt we nobody but you and me we got it together baby] Four Pints of the Crouch Vale please Landlord, I pronounced. [my first, my last, my everything and the answer to all my dreams you’re my sun, my moon, my guiding star my kind of wonderful, that’s what you are] With a touch of anticipation the first of the light brown beers filled the straight pint glass. The head cleared to a pale white smoothie, this looked good anyway. [i know there’s only, only one like you theres no way they could have made two you’re you’re all i’m living for your love i’ll keep for evermore, you’re the first my last my everything] The cool liquid was raised to my lips and a burst of fragrant hops splashed across my tongue, a crisp grapefruit tangy dry flavour filling the mouth. [in you i’ve found so many things a love so new only you could bring can’t you see if you, you’ll make me feel this way you’re like a first morning dew on a brand new day] In charges the balancing malt sweetness, but still the vital crispness holds on allowing the alcohol to add nose to the beer. This is Elysium and Paradise together and we are sharing it with Bazza. [i see so many ways that i can love you till the day i die........ you’re my reality yet i’m lost in a dream you’re the first my last my everything] Back to reality, beer tasting is subjective, I will hold off giving perfect marks but by heck it got close.

Ah! Now we’re talking. Had this cask conditioned as we say, in the Fat Cat. Wow! Hops galore! All the colours of the rainbow, and then some. Fruit upon fruit upon delicious fruit that makes your mouth water and dribble run down your beard (if you had one). Blows your socks off its so wonderful.

Cask Conditioned to Perfection. Modern bitter with that influence from our comrades across the pond. Sparks and apples and juice all over the place like a good orgy.