Grand Union One Hop: Galena

Formerly brewed at Grand Union
Style: Bitter
Hayes, England

Serve in English pint

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Cask (gravity dispense), St Albans Beer Festival 2005. These Grand Union single hop beers aren’t always successful. Partly because the methodology brings the particular hops strengths and weaknesses into sharp focus and, frankly, some of the hops just don’t work in isolation. Secondly, the hop levels sometimes seem a bit timid, presumably so as not to discourage the non-hopheads. No complaints about this one (although I would have preferred a bigger hop presence). Attractive bright gold colour. Clean and dry, with plenty of bitterness. Crisp mouthfeel. Not as aromatic as I would have expected but that could be down to the rather unimpressive condition of some of the beers at this festival rather than the beer itself.

Cask (St Albans 05): Gold with a white head. Mildly hoppy aroma, a little earthy. Flavour is similar, simple malts with a earthy, slightly citric finish. Alright, but a bit one dimensional.

Cask conditioned - gravity dispense - St Albans BF - A golden coloured beer with a good sticky marmalade hop aroma. The taste is again nice and hoppy. Good thick body with resiny hops and lots of flavour. Enjoyed this greatly.

Cask (gravity dispense), St Albans Beer Festival 2005. I would love to do a horizontal tasting of all of these One Hop beers as I think that they are a great idea. This one had a golden orange colour with bubbly white head. Really good hop nose with good citrus and green hop flavour. SilkTork was banging on about the brewery, but I don’t care, these are cracking beers.

Cask@The Wenlock Arms. An American hop i haven’t previously heard of. This was like a cross between soething like the cascade hop and the pride of ringwood from Australia. Aromatic, with touches of lyhcee and aroma from the cascade and some rusty, green kiwi fruit from Pride of Ringwood. Touches of grapefruit and pine, quite bitter in the finish.