Pint-Size Czech Mate

Cask handpull at Wetherspoon’s Folkestone. Like others I found this as 3.5% during their festival. Amber colour, slight haze with creamy head. I was expecting a lager or cask conditioned lager, but this is neither although is was stuck through a chiller of some kind. Aromatic hop aroma, which is attractive, malty (even some choc) but wet in mouth, with more aromatic hop bite on finish. Some pear drop fruit. I like it. Clean, refreshing and excellent use of hops

Wetherspooons Beer & Cider Festival May 2006 at The Falcon, High Wycombe and from the cask. A clear gold with plenty of debries floating in it (dry hopped?). Fresh, hoppy aroma. Clean and fresh hop flavour. Despite the floating muck this was quite nice in it’s freshness but lacks body and character.

Cask (handpump), Penderels Oak (JDW), Holborn. Nearly missed this as it was only on in the downstairs bar. I’m not sure whether Wadworth is tinkering with the recipe as its listed here (and there are references elsewhere) at 4.2% and made with Saaz hops, but on the Spoons festival list as 3.5% and made with Fuggles, Golding and Czech Sladek. There’s nothing on the brewery website to help clarify the position. I can see what they are trying to do here, and there is a slight grassy character, but its not exactly bursting out. If you’re going to mess around with styles and foreign hops, put plenty of them in, I say. This isn’t unpleasant, just rather understated and timid. Which would apply to most of the UK regional brewery attempts at a lager styled ale in my experience.

Cask conditioned @ Standing Order (JDW), Soton. Soft sweet malts with a little bit of a caramelly edge. A little grassy metallic hops.

Cask Conditioned at The Saye & sele Arms, Broughton, Oxon. Pale gold with bubbly head. Light sweetish effort at an ale lager, Wadsworths attempt at distracting the lagerboys. Thin body with a fruity finish. Easy going but nothing special.