Wychwood Fiddlers Elbow (Pasteurised)

Brewed by Wychwood (Refresh UK - Marstons plc)
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Witney, England

Bottle: Pours a golden body with a thick and frothy off white head. Strong hop aroma along witha spicy sweet cinnamon smell. Has a bitter hoppy taste, aswell as bready and yeasty. Smooth mouth feel with a biter aftertaste along with a slight tingle in the throat. Not my favorite beer!

500ml brown bottle. Orange colour, white head is compact, composed of tiny bubbles. Thins out to a light swirl of surface bubbles.. In the aroma - light caramel notes, light orange notes. Wheat is definately detectable adding a bit of dry character, mid level malt sweetness. Hops noticable in the finish, giving light bitterness. First rating 2.9 from clear 500ml bottle.

From a bottle in an english pint glass; the ale poured a big, fat cream-white head. It has a nice light gold colour. The hop aroma was noticeable and pleasant. A rather indistinct palate...it was rather static throughout the swallow. Not unpleasant, however. Flavour had some complexity but an overall citrus bite came through. There was a considerable "hop-hang" at the back of the swallow. The skunky smell witnessed by others was, unfortunately, in evidence here as well. If this were fresh from the cask, I imagine it would be, and rate, a lot better.

Pours a clear amber with little to no head at all. Aroma is malty with a touch of alcohol. Taste is of caramel malt, light hops and a little fruitiness. Pretty sweet and not bitter at all. Tastes like a boring amber ale, not a bitter. Mouthfeel is a little watery on the palate but the taste is full. Overall, drinkable but completey forgettable.

Clear bottle from LCBO...poured a red-orange hue...nice color. Aromas of pine/citrus hops very pungent over the less stated sweet caramel malts....1 finger rocky white head that stays a while then laces nicely (this is the best smelling/looking wychwood ale I’ve sampled yet...perhaps I got a fresh one unskunked from clear bottles and poor handling). Mild start where the caramel malt kind of prevails then the tongue goes creamy and dry with wheat malts as a long finishing starts where the drying is replaced by bittering...which is is gradual and prolonged...several hop tastes are departed...bitter spruce, to lime peel to grassy to resin to metallic......this is actually not a bad bitter....expensive but not bad

Pale amber, medium head, outstanding fruity palate and fragile hoppy aroma. Nice label as usual...

500ml Bottle. This was poor. Typical Wychwood smell when the bottle was opened. A citrus aroma and taste, fairly dry. Some hops, overall dissapointing.

Clear Bottle,LCBO. Typical skunky Wychwood smell (from the bottles we get anyway). Very light brown body, decent sized white head that way away quickly. Some fruit notes in the aroma as well. Mouthfeel is on the thin side and smooth. More fruit and malt flavours, with slight hops in the end. Pretty bland though. I’d hate to think people judge English Ale on this.