Earl Soham Albert Ale

Brewed by Earl Soham
Style: Bitter
Woodbridge, England

Serve in English pint

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This beer is invariably described by CAMRA and others as overwhelmingly hoppy. Indeed I remember having a pint at the Victoria at Earl Soham a few years ago (and before I started writing tasting notes) that was a strange beast indeed - fruit and astringency in equal measure. However, I think the hops must have been toned down a bit. Certainly starts fruity and has plenty of balancing hops, but nothing overwhelming. In fact, a rather well balanced best bitter. Handpump, Station Hotel, Framlingham, October 2003

Cask at The Craft Beer Co. Deep refractive ruby-amber, large frothy beige head. Classic ESB aroma - floral, sweet, mild alcohol but somewhat more herbal than standard. Taste follows, floral/sweet but nicely balanced. Light, slick mouthfeel, finishes sweet and quickly. Dare I say .... quaffable?

14th July 2011
Chelmsford Beer Festival. Opaque dark brown beer. Light suddy tan head. A very dark bitter! Light semi dry palate. Rich malt - nice! Has a little dark malt character as well. Trace of chocolate. Fresh mild hops underneath. Mild minerals. Smooth semi dry palate. Mild bitter aftertaste. Well joined up.

Cask, gravity, at the Pig ’n’ Falcon, St Neots, Cambridgeshire. Dark amber with a small white head. Faint sweet candy aroma. Authmn leaf taste with traces of sourness and glue. Some bitterness. Quite good.

On tap at Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico. Dark copper, nice creamy head. Fruity hop aroma. Caramel, biscuit, hints of fruit. Well-crafted.

Cask-conditioned at the Wheatsheaf, Southwark 27/01/10. Reddish-brown with a slight, off-white head. Sweet, malty aroma. Flavour was much the same with a moderately bitter finish. Ok.

Sweet malts with a tinge of metallic bitterness to begin with. Some almost undetectable whiffs of fruit. A dry finish which left me a little unsatisfied. Rough yet respectable.

Cask (handpump) @ Victoria, Earl Soham, England IP13.
Clear medium amber color with a average, frothy - creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, caramel, nutty, toffee. Flavor is moderate sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. (010808)

Cask at Paisley Beer Festival 2008 ... copper ... fruity nose ... decent malt character ... rounded ... little hop in linger

Cask at paisley as alberts bitter(4.3%). Alround rating: Swet malts, nutty, malty bitter. Been there done that, next!

Cask handpull at Victoria, Earl Soham. Chestnut, lasting beige head. Excellent condition. Strong hop and rich brown sugar malt aroma. Smooth in mouth, and then a big burst of hop on the finish. Really peppery. Decent best bitter, with a very heavy hop finish for an English beer. Malts are toffeeish.