Holdens Golden Glow

Brewed by Holdens
Style: Bitter
Dudley, England

Serve in English pint

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Cask conditioned at Charlie’s Pub, Copenhagen
Hazy golden color; small persistent head. It has a very refreshing aroma, a bit citrusy, with some malt and light manure, some hop. Good malty flavor, with a quite round mouthfeel, light and very pleasant residual sweetness; all this is very nice; if possible, the bitterness becomes a bit too harsh at the end. Very good Golden Ale.

On tap in wallsall. Decent white head. Clear golden pour. Nice enough beer.

The Holden’s Brewery owns two of my favourite pubs. Their beers in cask form are superb but I rarely review in bars, this is being done at home and is in bottle form. Brown 500ml, best before end of Feb 2010, drank and reviewed early Dec 2009. Poured into an ’Old Speckled Hen’ vase shaped pint glass. Almost lager like in appearance, pale gold and clear, with a pure white head. The aroma tells you straight away it isn’t a lager though, great wafts of hops and yeast fill your nose. This is a proper English Pale Ale. The hops from the aroma also add their bitterness, or maybe they have hops for each sense as many brewers do? The beer is refreshing and imparts a sweet bitterness in the first instance, before becoming more harsh and dry in the aftertaste. The 4.4% ABV is evident and sits well within this very balanced beer. Holden’s do seasonal beers and I am sure most start off as this brew in the Mash Tun and they then play with it to produce the changing occasional beers. Very drinkable session beer and even better in cask form (if well looked after). Got round to reviewing a cask one at last (Oct 2011): I have this so often when out it seemed a shame not to review it, in fact I’ve started to review more cask ales while out now (when the wife isn’t with me). This is a great brew and although the bottle version is fine a well looked after cask one is superb and a joy to drink: just add superlatives where you wish.

Cask by handpump at Bon Accord, Glasgow (10 Mar 12) - grassy hop aroma, pale clear golden ale with a good off-white head, grassy flavour, no aftertaste at all

cask at GBBF 2011 ... Golden yellow ... soft light eggg lemon nose ... soft dull fruit hop front ... ok

UPDATED: MAR 6, 2012 Handpull at GBBF 2011. Golden colour with a white head. Flower hoppy aroma. Fruity and hoppy flavour, but a very low carbonation spoiled it.

Bottle from Tesco. Pours golden with lasting white head. More of a best bitter taste with a balance of malt and hops. Quite sweet, perfectly drinkable but nothing out of the ordinary.

Cask guest beer at the King’s Head W2. Light golden colour with an appetising but not overly strong flowery hop aroma. Taste a good balance of sweetness and citrusy hop flavour, although a little bit lacking in mouthfeel and finish for a 4.4% beer. A pleasant summery golden bitter.

Bottle @ home. Thanks for bringing this Robson! Clear golden color, small slightly lacing white head. Smells light hoppy and fruity. Taste just bitter, lightly fruity. Low to medium carbo and body.

Cask @ 3rd Larbert Beer Fest. Clear golden colour, white head. Aroma is light malted, bit of hops. Flavour is malted, hoppy, little fruityness. Fairly bitter and dry.

500ml bottle. Pours light golden with a medium head. Mostly caramel malt with a hint of grapefruit hops. Some sweet malt to start and a light bitter finish. Sweet aftertaste. Low carbonation. Would probably be good at a bbq.