Wells Bombardier (Pasteurised)

Deep ruby colour, fast dissipating head (probably due to improper glass handling courtesy of Stampen Pub in Stockholm). Both aroma and flavour here are really great, lots of hops and surprisingly thick layers of malt (dried fruits, raisin). Quite powerful though, one was enough.

Bottled, 568 mL (or something). Amber/brown coloured, medium head. Malts, rye, some caramel, pleasant bitterness. Not really my favourite style, but this one is quite ok. Thanks to my girlfriend for bringing it from London!

Bottle 50cl. Poured dark, rich red amber, with a decent white head. The aroma was raisiny, slightly spicy. Though the taste wasn’t that complex, it was a very pleasant soft bitter, with a malty finish with a hint of raisin. Good and easy drinking, though not my favourite bitter.

Bottle: Aroma is sweet malt somewhat nutty. Amber body when held to light with decent tan head that settles to a film on top of body. Sweet brandy up front for flavor. As beer warms a caramel and nut presence appeared. Not overly bitter and little sweet taste on palate. Good enjoyable beer.

I was extremely pleased to have this beer. I was working my way through a large group of English ales, mostly finding myself disappointed, but then I tried this one. The bottle is a massive object in itself, containing 568 mL (an "imperial pint" apparently) of ale. The label reads Bombardier English Premium Ale. Pours a ruby-caramel, like a cola, really. It’s fairly clear. The head is slightly tan. Frothy and sudsy, it falls back without ever opening up the slightest bit. Not really lace... more like a thin carpet of suds. Smells like a dark molasses bread, a slice of rye bread to be more specific, with a nice citrusy hop character. As it warms, a bit more of a grainy profile emerges. The carbonation is nicely medium, very much in keeping with the British preference. The taste is very molasses in the malt district, with mellow earthy bitterness on the exit. A spicy ’zing’ like a low-profile ginger is in the background. The aftertaste is pleasant and tangy, not bothersome in the least. I like this beer quite a bit. It’s really too bad it’s not very common where I live.

Aroma is is heavy with caramel, not too much hop presence. Taste is sweet with a hop background that is very light, and enjoyable.

From Bedford England, a city well know for … eh… well … for being one of London’s dormitory towns comes a beer that is about as unexciting as the city it is brewed in. Clear bronze body, medium tan head with good lacing and good retention. Aroma is earthy, nutty, caramel, raisins. Taste is a letdown. Light taste is cake malt, some raisins and a touch of caramel, a bit nutty. The problem is the body. Very light body but not in a watery way. Actually light in a airy way, like drinking air. He beer has no attack, just a finish of roasted raisin bread with mild bitterness. 568ml imperial pint bottle.

(19.25 oz bottle: $3.49 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA) Malty and lightly roasty British ale with a noticeably fruity character, some nuttiness, a bit of caramel, and a moderate bitterness that complements the beer nicely. Solid nutty finish is smooth and pleasant tasting and the medium body and gentle carbonation make this very easy to drink. The fruity and caramely nose is less aromatic, but still enjoyable. In an earlier tasting years ago, large chunky sediment poured out of the bottle, but now it appears that this beer is not bottle conditioned. Consequently, the beer is medium brown in color and fairly clear in appearance. The small but creamy and dense, beige head show average retention -- it gradually fades to a wide ring. A small amount of patchy and spotty lacing remains on the glass. A very good beer worth buying from time to time.