Shepherd Neame Rudolph’s Reward (Bottle)

Brewed by Shepherd Neame
Style: Bitter
Faversham, England

Serve in English pint

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UPDATED: FEB 29, 2012 Bottle from Nisa (formerly Pedmore Wines), Grange Road, Stourbridge. Looks decent - clear, chestnut brown/reddish tint. Small head with nice lacing. Smells pleasant - a hint of flamingos and tablelegs but the overwhelming aroma is beer. Tastes well balanced, the right mix of bitter hops and sweetness; very drinkable. A stronger flavour than its 4% would suggest. A little fizzy on the tongue - some might rate it down for that but I think it’s just the right amount. Decent stuff.

Bottled (from K Citymarket Kivihaka, Vaasa). Amber colour, mediumsized beige creamy head, that leaves some lace. Aroma is bready malts, some crystal malty notes as well as mild caramel. Also some slight grassy and floral hoppyness. Flavour is wooden, a bit grassy, quite sweet malty along with some slight herbal notes. Mild toffee in underneath. Biting carbonation. Pleasant bitter!

I was pleasantly surprised by this, I’m usually wary of Christmas themed beer. Aroma of grapefruit bitterness and spice. Lovely bitter flavour, some spruce, fruity and spicy, a little caramel sweetness to balance and a bitter finish that is quite refreshing. A good solid bitter.

50cl bottle from Lidl. Golden amber with a dense off-white head; standard Shep hoppy aroma with a touch of treacle and spice; slightly sour malt flavour, refreshing and lively in the mouth, although appearing only lightly carbonated; dry biscuity hops to finish. Pleasant enough but not particularly Christmassy.

[500ml bottle from Maureen & Dave - cheers!] Light amber, fizzy, loose cream head. Creamy caramel mouthfeel, lots of herbs. Some grapefruit bitterness in the finish. Pleasant enough.

500ml bottle (Hilpea Haukki, Helsinki)
6 Shepherd Neame standard fingerprint - Sweetish, muted hops, a little dusty and earthy.
4 Reddy orange, small persistent head, settles to a ring.
6 Text book shep again. Tons of floral honey whic is a little detached from the other tastes, namely the almost-pungent aromatic hops which make this just a little nutty.
3 Simple palate, crisp carbonation. Finish saves it - plenty of honey and caramelly malt, and loads of bitter hops. Those hops are again somewhat muted, and don’t taste fresh.
12 A straight down-the-middle bitter which didn’t survive pasteurisation so well. Like many other SN beers.

red-gold clear colour with a white head. quite strong spicy taste. spicy and light hoppy aroma. drinkable. not so chrismassy

A mid amber orange coloured beer with a rocky white head. A distinct aroma, of dusty malt, wood and hay. Medium bodied and fizzy mouthfeel. Malt dominates the inital taste, smooth, nutty with a touch of caramel. This is then followed by a hoppy, citrus fruit bitterness, a little like lemon rind, only not a harsh. There is also a grassy element in the background. The finish is bitter and quite lengthy.

50 cl bottle @ home. Rated on 18.12.2010
Aroma has some english toffee and hints of goldings style hops. Flavour is somewhat sweet with toffee, somewhat harsh malt, some caramel, hops and hints of biscuits. Yet another bitter.

Bottle. Amber, small and fully diminishing head. Light to moderate malty sweetish aroma, toffee and some bread, faint roastiness. Body is light to medium, malty and sweetish flavor, toffee and wood also in the flavor.Finish is short to average, malty, toffee and some dry bitterness. Typical Shepherd Neame, nothing wrong but you can really tell them apart by front label.