Downton Chimera Nelson’s Delight

Brewed by Downton
Style: Bitter
Salisbury, England

Serve in English pint

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Cask conditioned at The Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage, Oxon. Sl cloudy gold with thinnish head. Despite its slightly clouded appearance this was a good fruity bitter with plenty of hops and a grassy sweetness. There is a biscuity note to the malt, a little toasty, apricot and a good bitter finish. Not bad at all.

Cask Conditioned handpump Old Fountain London. A golden beer with a white head. Some stingy hop in the nose but also some diacetyl. Spicy hops in the mouth with a bit of toffee. There is reasonable bitterness. Pretty tasty; it’s a shame about the bit of diacetyl.

(Cask at Bricklayer’s Arms) The aroma of the beer was quite malty which I wasn’t expecting based on the colour which was pale golden. One of the flavours was strawberry which I usually associate with Fuller’s brews. Quite interesting to find it in this one, too. The finish was sweet and bitter. Balanced and nice to drink.

Cask (gravity dispense) at Reading Beer Festival, 30 April 2009. Good-looking bright dark gold colour. According to the programme notes, this is made with rum but I can’t say I found much sign of it in the aroma. Slightly biscuity malt if anything. Perhaps some rum in the flavour but I’m not sure that rum plus golden ale is a perfect match so perhaps just as well it was fairly subtle. Unfortunately not a lot else stood out either. Perfectly respectable though.

Cask-conditioned at the Seven Stars, Bristol 24/03/10. Deep gold in colour with next to no head. Aroma of apricot and pineapple with some sweet malts. Sweet, fruity flavour with some citrus hops and dry finish. Good.

Cask@OConnells, Tampere. Slightly hazy yellowish golden colour with small fluffy head. Aroma is fruits, nectar, mild yeastyness as well as some grassy and herbal notes. Flavour is quite grassy, floral hops as well as some slight eggy notes. Quite dry mouthfeeel.

Cask 0.25L glass at Angleterre. Thin pale head. Slightly hazy pale golden colour. Sour slightly roasted taste. Some hints of lemon. At the end hoppiness. Waterly.

Cask gravity at Reading BF 09. Clear gold, very lasting bubbly white head. Slightly yeasty on aroma. Not sure rum is very present. It’s got a bit of sweetness form the rum, yes definite edge to it, over a perfectly fine golden ale. Rather good.

Cask at O’Briens, Brentford. Dark gold with a fine white head. Floral hoppy nose with hints of peach and tulip. A slight sweetness on the tip of the tongue is almost instantly overpowered by a sharp dryness that lasts into the aftertaste. The body has malt and a faint citrus note.

Cask at Priory Arms, Stockwell, London, 21 Nov 2008. Golden colour with frothy, white head. Fruity nose with citrus, peaches and grassy hops. Fruity taste with notes of citrus, peaches and fresh hops in a slightly grassy finish. Medium body, balanced sweetness. Nice golden ale with a fresh, grassy hop character.

Cask, Turf Tavern, Oxford. Pale gold, white head. Smells like lemon Fairy® washing up liquid, tastes artificial lemon sweet. Seriously dire. So bad I almost wonder if I got served a shandy by mistake. (Though I certainly didn’t get charged for a shandy...)