Wychwood Hobgoblin (Pasteurised)

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

Date: 2/12/08 Beer info: Bottled in brown 500ml bottle 5.2%abv BB 09 JUL 09. Sampling Notes: Served chilled in glass. Reasonably clean cola body. Small beige head leaving creamy lace. Muted malt aroma, some roasted chocolate malt cuts through, as well as burnt toffee and a sweet dark berry fruitiness. Carbonation is reasonably low, body is full, bit of grain astrigency but quite smooth overall. Body starts with roasted malts, chocolate and burnt toastiness, some nutty toffee crystal, somehow sweetened by a plummy fruit character. Finish is moderately dry, good bitter note, with a slightly lingering grassy citrus hop note that becomes more prominant with warmth. Quite a nice drop. Reminds me of a dark English Mild with a bit more oompf.

Bottle 50cl. Very drinkable red colour English pale ale. Hops aroma are pleasant, floral and no too bitter. The caramel and malt taste are enjoyable.

Its a deep and heavy beer, especially considering its only 4.5%. I can stomach the odd one, but really have this in a session and its hard to finish. Something unpleasant about this beer. Not much beer in a bottle, but slightly better.

A dark red bitter with thin head a moderate residue. The nose is roasty and clean. Taste is so-so, one can definitly taste the roast and it has a bitter finish, the fruit used in brewing is almost non-existant. Not too interested in this beer, probably will not repeat.

Light aroma; pours a dark, red color; very little head. Caramel, toffee, a little sweet to taste; not bad-will drink again.

Bottle in Japan. Decent dark caramel malt aroma and flavor, well balanced. Much blander than the ones I had in England, where both bottle and cask were much better.

Pours a chestnut brow with reddish tinge. Small tan head runs away quickly. The smell will pull you in with coffee, sweet malts, and christmas spices. Tastes of sweet roasted nuts with a well balanced bitter finish. Coffee and cinnamon hang on after the taste. Palate is bubbily and quick to finish. Very nice beer - as if the label wasnt enough to entice me!

500 mL Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a small head that quickly disappears. Aroma is sweet crystal malt. Taste is sweet, unbalanced, and heavily taken over by caramel and toffee. Low carbonation.