Wychwood Hobgoblin (Pasteurised)

No: 737
Rated: 23.06.2009
Bottle brown, 500 ml
Appearance: Pours dark ruby, intensively reddish, perfectly clear body, body carbonation is rather visually mild, head is cappuccino like in hue, frothy, initially medium, quite firm and slowly decreasing to small, leaves gentle lacing, not very impressive head but as for Premium Bitter it is still nice and lasting.
Aroma: Very nice caramelly aroma, dark bread is pronounced, very nice nobel type hops, very earthy hops, dryness, burned sugar, caramelly malt, notes of chockolate malt, burned dark malt, some notes of spices like ginger, looks like my first that dark version of Premium Bitter, all in all the aroma sensation are inviting to try the beer. Ginger bread at the top.
Flavour: Very typical flavour of Premium Bitter, however, what is initially characteristic and important for this beer is its more roasty, toasty, burned crystalized malt character with additional spicy accents of ginger bread, ashyness, dark bread, burned malted barley grains, earthy - leavy hoppyness reminding me nobel English hops, very decent beer but in fact not so standing out of its style. Quite easy going ale presenting a high quality, however, nothing revolutionary here.
Palate: Body is medium, texture is watery, carbonation on palate is moderate, finish feel is moderately astringent.

Bottle from international mixer pack from steph’s sister. Real cloudy copper with ruby tint and small beige head, some lacing. Aroma is real fruity, real sulphury (which went away as it warmed), plum, sweet dried fruit, some alc. Flavor is red fruit, burnt brown sugar, raisin, slight yeast but basically the flavor is all malt. Medium body and active carbonation. Very nice and enjoyable.

Bottle. Ruby and very clear.Malt dominates with a pleasant malty aftertaste. Some bitterness and left some lacing. As this is a very common beer in supermarkets I thought it was better than expected.But nothing exceptional.

OK - It was Halloween 2007 and I was surviving inside a box - I was Awesome-o from South Park - search on Google then imagine yourself trashed and attempting reviews - drunk, obnoxious, oblivious to anyone else’s feelings, opinions, and knocking most things over in my path. Just a drunk with a cardboard box on his head, drinking beer and spilling just as much. The text that follows was from that night, reviewed out of my box, zero visual connection to the papers that I was attempting to scribble on., smelling and viewing through stretched black panty hose. It all ended up sprawled over both sides of four pieces of loose leaf paper and partially on the kitchen counters as I did not realize that I had written right off the paper (all info lost) and written in nearly incomprehendable scratch which one can only recognize as either a non-natural left handed attempt or of a child who just learned to print. What I can decipher without any editing (aside from spelling) says this: Mediocre cap, nice colour - brown with a hint of red, looks less than average, so-so cap is a little weak. Near brown cap, a bit bubbly. OK pour. I think some malt, I can’t tell because I’m trapped voluntarily inside a cardboard box. Bready, still find some caramel but it lacks any real interest. I’m drunk inside a box. Very malty, dry, touch sour (very little) and watery. The hops are mild. Roast malts are too weak.Decent carbonation, ok malty finish but could use more bitterness. What a disaster. Thanks go to Brad and Nat for letting me and Leah become the most drunk at the party (you fed her that entire bottle of wine and I got nothing out of it when we got home)... was there ever any doubt? I never disappoint. Too bad this beer does.

Beautiful brown-red ale, lightly carbonated with a frothy lively head. Hoppy, mouty smell with caramel, chocolate sweetness and cherries. Maybe even pears. Bitter sour - typical ale, but with the bitterness more watery and refreshing.

Small head & good lacing. Murky look, brown. Light hops & taste of molassas. Medium body, and thin texture. Decent

Can. Pours slightly hazy brown with a 1 finger creamy off white head. Aroma is caramel, buttered white toast, hints of toffee, sweet grain, apple and just a little butterscotch. Flavor is caramel, sweet butter, a hint of smoke, coffee with lots of creamer, sweet apple, a little roast, some earth, over ripe apple, a little citrus and underspiced banana bread. Finish is overripe fruit, apple butter, caramel, a little roast, some earthy hops and apple pie filling, way too sweet for an ESB to me. Palate is medium body, a little slick, a little oily and slightly sticky on the lips with a dry finish. This is a pretty good brew, but I find it to be far too sweet for it’s own good. To me it really doesn’t taste much like an ESB either.

50cl bottle into a pint glass. A clear ruby-brown ale with a small diminishing off-white head. Malty aromas dominate with hints of citrus fruits. The palate is velvety smooth with flavours of caramel roasted malts balanced by those bitter citrussy English hops in the finish. Nicely integrated flavour profile. Medium to full bodied for the style. Recommended.