Wellington County Dark Ale

Brewed by Wellington County Brewery
Style: English Pale Ale
Guelph, Canada

I had it on tap at the Black Tomato in Ottawa. The color is a dark amber. The taste is of sweet malt. The aroma is of hops, chocolat and nuts.

341ml bottle acquired in trade with blankboy (thanks!). Poured a deeper reddish / brown with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of toasted nuts, caramel and light chocolate. Tastes of toasted nuts, caramel, cocoa, and toffee. Thinner body.

341 ml bottle - pours pretty dark brown, darker than most EPAs I’ve had. Smells a bit nuttier and maltier than a typical EPA too, and there is a surprising amount of alcohol in the aroma. In fact everything about this beer points to "hoppy brown ale". Names and designations aside, the fact remains that this is one solid beer. Sweet malt notes in the nose, with some pleasant nuttiness in there too. Taste is big malt, followed by a very nice hoppiness - not huge, but definitely there. One of the better offerings from Wellington, full-bodied, smooth and eminently drinkable - something I will get again, preferably on tap or in cask form.

Bottle thanks to HogTownHarry! Poured a clear, orange-tinted iced tea brown with a short-lived cap of off-white head. Nose was quite nutty with an English herbal hop presence too. Smooth nutty, chocolate, and earth across the middle with a mild herbal bitterness surrounding. Felt OK on the palate... very sessionable... came to be pretty thick on the swallow somehow. Decent brew. Thanks Harry!

Bouteille de 341 achetée à la LCBO (Ottawa, ONT). Arôme: Odeur de caramel avec une pointe chocolatée. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée foncée avec une très faible densité de bulle. Saveur: Goût de noix et de caramel brûlé. Longue durée de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement crémeuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence d’amertume en arrière goût. (Rating #640)

Cask @ The Woolwich Arms, Guelph, ON: Had a chance to try this on a proper hand pump - I’ll keep the old review as it’s most proper to what the average person can expect. Oddly, on cask it seemed to lose a lot of the subtle niceties I enjoyed on draught previously. It’s interesting to have it in this form, but it became a very muted version of the draught version. Try it to say you did.<P> Original 060818 Draught @ Cheek’s, Bolton, ON: An exceptionally well done pale ale, this one caught me by surprise. Came with a thick off-white head, dark brown body with a red hue near the top and burnt orange around the bottom of the glass. Aroma of roasted malts and chocolate, hints of hops and caramel. Flavour is a clean hit of hops on the tongue to start, makes way to a rich cover of chocolate on the tongue, trailing to roasted nuts after the swallow. I’m highly impressed with this one.

341ml bottle, singles bin at LCBO. Pours brown with a very small head and little retention - glass was tipped though so I’ll give this beer the benefit of the doubt. Some lacing. Aroma was nice and roasty with a little coffee and chocolate and a hint of fruitiness. Taste was roasted malty with a some chocolate and coffee. Finished with a pretty good hop presence that balances out well. A nice dark ale; good find in the singles bin.

Bu au Black Tomato (Ottawa) (20 oz). Ambrée foncé, pas pire collet. Bon arome d’houblon peu amère. Bon goût d’houblon un peu malté. Très plaisant.