Ballards Brewery Reviews

Erzengel	3.2 Ballards Wassail (-2018) Grainy beginning. Easy to drink with a grainy fruity back. Malts, caramel, hints of dry grainy bitterness. Ok. Friday, March 29, 2024
solidfunk	2.9 Ballards Wassail (-2018) Coffee and leather. Dark brown pour with ok head. Light tangy finish. Cloying aftertaste. Limey. Bottle from Stonehenge giftshop. May be a little old. Or I don't know if Ballards still makes this honestly. Friday, August 18, 2023
MrTipple	3.3 Ballards King's Table Real Ale 02Oct2020 Bitter floral notes, stinky hops, funky citrus fruits, wet oak. Hazy gold, medium, creamy, white head. Light bitter. Sour, funky citrus fruits, wet oak, wet straw, grass, soft carbonation, medium bodied. Infected, but that surely made it better. Bottle from Hampton Court Palace. Friday, January 14, 2022
SHIG	3.5 Ballards Thin Ice Panda thanks to Fergus: Poured a deep brown black with a off white color head. Aroma is rich roasted malts, boozy, sugary, candy. Taste is rich roasted malts, fruity, dark berries, chocolate, very drying finish. Saturday, December 11, 2021
Theydon_Bois	3.2 Ballards Thin Ice Bottle split at the Autumn Watford tasting, thanks to LKS, 24/09/21. Lightly hazed mahogany brown with a beige covering. Nose is dried fruits, nutty, oxidised aroma, biscuit, toffee. Taste comprises stewed fruits, dark malts, light oxidisation, soy sauce, raisins. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, light drying close. Not bad for the age. Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Theydon_Bois	3.2 Ballards Gone Fishing Bottle split at MM tasting, thanks to LKS, 11/08/21. Deep mahogany brown with a decent beige. Nose is woody, nutty, fruit cake, light oxidised tones. Taste comprises nutty, dried fruit rinds, lick of soy sauce, damp wood, oxidised nip. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Ok for the age. Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Leighton	3.2 Ballards Thin Ice Bottle shared in Watford - picked up from GBBF. Pours clear copper with no head. Light to medium sweet, pretty well oxidised, a smattering of berries, nips of caramel. Medium bodied, soft carbonation. Sweet finish, meaty hops, more caramel. So so. Friday, September 24, 2021
WingmanWillis	3 Ballards Thin Ice Friday, September 24, 2021
mR_fr0g	3.2 Ballards Thin Ice Bottle shared at Watford tasting. Many thanks to Leighton for this one. A cola brown coloured pour with a halo beige head. Aroma is nutty, cola cubes, brown sugars, aged,. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, sticky brown sugars, apple, cola cubes.. Ok. Aged. Friday, September 24, 2021
Leighton	3.2 Ballards Gone Fishing Bottle shared in HW - picked up from GBBF. BBE 1993. Pours clear cola brown with a few off-white bubbles on top. Medium sweet flavour, a bit meaty, some old berries, raisins, toffee, mellow oxidation. Medium bodied, oily, with soft carbonation. Brown bread in the finish, more meaty malts, vague berries. So so. Wednesday, August 11, 2021
mR_fr0g	3.1 Ballards Gone Fishing Bottle shared at Colin's place. Thanks. A cola brown coloured pour with a a halo of beige head. Aroma is nutty cola brown minty, stale malts. Flavour is composed of semi sweet nutty jammy fruits, mint cola cubes. Palate is semi sweet, stale, low carbonation. Ok. Wednesday, August 11, 2021
WingmanWillis	3.2 Ballards Gone Fishing Wednesday, August 11, 2021
madmitch76	3.2 Ballards Gone Fishing 11th August 2021 Tasting at Chez Cloin. Thanks to Leighton for this rarity. BBE Dec 1993. Clear amber brown beer, a few tan bubbles. Palate is smooth and light and carbonation free. Tangy dark toffee and dark fruits. Mild cardboard, not too annoying. Tangy fruity finish has a little treacle. Pleasant enough although clearly aged. Certainly drinkable. Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Theydon_Bois	3 Ballards Old Bounder Bottle split at the 'fuck me it's Kenny; tasting, thanks to Leighton - Watford, 25/06/21. Unclear dark mahogany brown with a beige cap that soon fades. Nose is dark malts, soy sauce, dried fruit esters, dusty bookshelf. Taste comprises light smoked notes, dusty, spice, dried fruits, oxidised tones, burnt sugar, toffee. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, light dryness in the close. Fine for the age. Thursday, July 8, 2021
Leighton	2.8 Ballards Old Bounder Bottle shared in Watford - picked up from GBBF. Vintage probably from the ‘90s. Pours unclear brown with a slight, foamy head. Lightly sweet, meaty, some peat, earth, leather. Light bodied, almost no carbonation. Bitter earthy finish, some ash, more leather. So so. Friday, June 25, 2021
mR_fr0g	3.2 Ballards Old Bounder Bottle at home shared at the friendly Friday tasting. 25/06/2021. A nutty brown coloured pour halo of tan head. Aroma is. Semi sweet, brown sugars, old age, mint, dusty brown coloured. Flavour is oily, brown sugars, fruit cake, nutty vanilla, oily. Palate is semi sweet z oily, mellow carbonation. Friday, June 25, 2021
madmitch76	3.4 Ballards Old Bounder 25th June 2021 Tasting at Fergus gaff. Thanks to Leighton. Almost clear amber brown beer, patchy bubbly pale tan head. Palate is light and fairly dry, unsurprisingly, modest carbonation. Wet wood and dusty toffee caramel malts. Dusty aged fruits. Light dry finish. Entertaining archaeology beer. As always. Friday, June 25, 2021
WingmanWillis	2.8 Ballards Old Bounder Friday, June 25, 2021
Theydon_Bois	2.9 Ballards King's Table Real Ale Bottle, thanks to Tipple, split at the Grand Reunion Tasting, Watford 02/10/20. Lightly hazed golden blonde with a decent lasting off white head. Nose is light funk, dungy notes, minerals, earthy. Taste comprises sharp fruit esters, bitterness, funk, light brett, white peppery spice. Medium bodied, spritzy carbonation, semi drying close. Clearly infected but probably makes for better drinking than the intended product! Sunday, March 21, 2021
Leighton	3 Ballards Divine Bottle shared at Chris and Ruth Pre-GBBF 2017 tasting - London. Cheers! BB 1996. Pours clear amber with a small, foamy head. THe nose holds leathery berries, carpet, earth. Medium sweet, meaty, some tangy and leathery berries. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation. Finishes with more notes of leather, tangy berries. So so. Sunday, January 3, 2021
Leighton	3.3 Ballards Off the Wall Bottle shared at Chris and Ruth Pre-GBBF 2017 tasting - London. Cheers! BB 1995. Pours clear, rich brown with a light, bubbly head. Meaty aroma, some salty beef, toffee, dried berries. Medium sweet with more charred meat, faintly tangy, some dried leathery berries, earth. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation. Softly warming finish, salty, earthy, more leather. Novel. Shows its age but not bad overall. Sunday, January 3, 2021
jarvo	3.2 Ballards Best Bitter (-2018) Retro review of a beer drunk in March 2004. Copper coloured bitter, hint of toffee in the aroma, supplemented by a nice bitterness in the taste. Tuesday, November 3, 2020
mR_fr0g	3.1 Ballards King's Table Real Ale Bottle shared at the 2nd Watford tasting. A dull golden yellow coloured pour with a halo of white head. Aroma is brett, earthy straw, grass, banana. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, earthy straw, bretty lemon, pineapple,. Palate is tart, crisp, highish spritzy carbonation. Friday, October 2, 2020
Leighton	3.4 Ballards King's Table Real Ale Bottle shared in Watford - many thanks to Tips. Pours lightly hazed gold with a tight, billowing, creamy white head. Light sweet flavour with soft funk, lemon peel, a little citric tang, bitter pine needles. Light bodied with lively carbonation. Dry finish, further funk, citrus peel, a hint of brett. Not bad overall. Friday, October 2, 2020
WingmanWillis	2.5 Ballards King's Table Real Ale Friday, October 2, 2020
Leighton	3.3 Ballards Alchemist Bottle shared in Canary Wharf - picked up from GBBF I think. Aged the better part of 20 years, I believe. Pours clear brown with a small, foamy off-white head. It's a bit like an oude bruin, emphasis on old, with notes of earth, leathery berries. Medium bodied with fine carbonation. Not bad overall. Has aged reasonably well. Monday, September 28, 2020
Leighton	3.5 Ballards Cunning Stunts Bottle shared in London in 2019; vintage 1993. Pours clear brown with a minimalistic head. Quite nice overall, actually, with rich toffee, stewed berries, dates. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Lightly oily. Sweet finish, some leather, more toffee. Has aged well. Thursday, August 27, 2020
kwik-lime	3 Ballards Wassail (-2018) Bottle as English Heritage Wassail, from Osborne House Gift Shop in East Cowes. Malty, some fruits, bit thin in palate for the ABV. Monday, August 17, 2020
Theydon_Bois	3 Ballards Poms' Delight Bottle split at L6, thanks to Leightons rot box, 16/01/20. Mahogany brown with no head. Nose is pissy knickers, vinous, stewed fruits, light brown sugar dusting, wooded notes, toffee. Taste comprises toffee, oak, fruit cake mix, dusty, dried fruit rinds, tannins. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Ok for the age. Wednesday, April 8, 2020
weirdbeered	4.3 Ballards Wassail (-2018) Dark hazy brown, no head. No noticeable aroma. Taste: biscuity, malt, honey sweetness, no bitterness. Not complex, but smooth and drinkable. Silver medal at the International Beer Challenge. Good old English name - waes hael - be whole. Saturday, February 22, 2020
Theydon_Bois	3.2 Ballards Alchemist Bottle split at the L6 Tasting Krismass Karnage Tasting, thanks to LKS, 19/12/19. Dark mahogany brown with a beige cap. Nose is sweet malts, dusty fruits, baking powder, brown sugar, tangy fruit rinds, hint of brett. Taste comprises fruit cake, vinous touch, sweat, leather, dusty fruits. Medium plus bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Hasn't aged too badly. Friday, February 14, 2020
mR_fr0g	3 Ballards Poms' Delight Bottle shared at the Columbus tasting 16/01/2020. Many thanks A clear cola brown coloured pour with no head. Aroma is semi sweet, meaty, bovrille, brown sugars, musty. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, tangy, cola cubes, jammy fruits, condense grape and raisin, culle. nice tang. Palate is semi sweet, tangy, mellow condition. Odd. Wednesday, February 12, 2020
mR_fr0g	3.2 Ballards Alchemist Bottle shared at the Columbus tasting 19/12/2019. Many thanks to LKS. A clear nut brown coloured pour with a halo beige head, Aroma is earthy brett, pineapple, lemon, citrus, bretty funk. Flavour is sour, semi sweet, woody, brown , . Good, tangy, green apple. Brown sugars. . Ok . Aged pretty well, if a bit infected. Monday, February 3, 2020
Theydon_Bois	2.8 Ballards Out to Lunch Bottle split at L6 at the Tipple's had tasting, from the Leighton Ballards vault, 17/04/19. Deep chestnut brown with a moderate beige covering. Nose is oxidised, earthy, vinous trace, toffee, dusty fruits. Taste comprises dried fruits, oxidisation evident, spice, fruit slice, dusty, toffee, damp wood tickle. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, drying close. Passable aged sipper but not as graceful as others from the vault. Monday, January 20, 2020
WingmanWillis	2.7 Ballards Poms' Delight Thursday, January 16, 2020
Leighton	2.8 Ballards Poms' Delight Bottle shared in London. Pours clear copper with no head. So so, certainly oxidised, some mellow tangy berries, earth, dry caramel. Light to medium bodied, soft. Touches of warmth in the finish, dry bready malts, little caramel, nips of cardboard. Eh. Thursday, January 16, 2020
Theydon_Bois	3.2 Ballards WMD Bottle split at L6, thanks to LKS, 21/03/19. Lightly hazed mahogany brown with a decent beige cap. Nose is toffee, dusty fruits, nutty twang, sweaty knickers, brown bread. Taste comprises brown bread, dusty fruits, wooded tones, light oxidization, light sugars, toffee trace. Medium plus bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a fading edge of alcohol. Not bad for the age. Monday, January 13, 2020
Theydon_Bois	3.5 Ballards Cunning Stunts Bottle split at L6 tasting, thanks to Leighton, 22/08/19. Bottle #253. Rich mahogany brown with a moderate beige covering. Nose is tangy fruit rinds, vinous aroma, fruit cake, toffee, raisins. Taste comprises dried fruits, light pissy twang, plums, tangy stewed fruits, toffee, dusty wood. Medium plus bodied, fine carbonation, drying close. Has aged really well. Sunday, January 12, 2020
WingmanWillis	3.3 Ballards Alchemist Thursday, December 19, 2019
MrTipple	3.1 Ballards Cunning Stunts 22Aug2019 Sweet, dark roast, oxidised, malts, candied fruits, oak, caramel. Hazy brown, no head. Light sweet. More dark roast malts, sherry, flat carbonation, medium bodied. Alright for the age. Bottle shared at L6 - thanks to Leighton! Saturday, October 12, 2019
MrTipple	2.7 Ballards Out to Lunch 17Apr2019 Sweet, dark chocolate, toasted malts, dark molasses. Clear, very dark brown, no head. Light bitter. Oxidised, dark roast malts, biscuit, flat-ish carbonation, medium bodied. Palate way over oxidised, nice aroma though. Bottle shared at L6 tasting - thanks to Leighton. Saturday, October 12, 2019
mR_fr0g	3.1 Ballards Cunning Stunts Bottle shared at the columbus tasting 22/08/2019. Many thanks! A clear nutty brown coloured pour with a a halo of mid tan head. Aroma is soy, liquporice, treacle, jammy fruits. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, dark malts, liquprice, treacle, oily, fruit cake, jammy fruit, fruit cake. Palate is oily, no condition, chewy. Monday, September 9, 2019
madmitch76	3.8 Ballards Cunning Stunts 22nd August 2019 Level 6 Bottleshare. Thanks to LKS. For this 1993 beer. Almost clear dark brown beer, a few tan bubbles. Smooth palate, not a lot of carbonation. Smooth dark malts. Soft dark chocolate. Soft sherry. Ripe fruits. Smooth finish. Marvellously aged. Could drink all night. Thursday, August 22, 2019
WingmanWillis	2.2 Ballards Cunning Stunts Thursday, August 22, 2019
SampleMaster33	4.6 Ballards Best Bitter (-2018) Thick, dark, chewy in the mouth. A Saturday lunchtime pint over a gentle lunch. Class beer. Never had it before. Thank you for introducing me to an oral tastebomb. Saturday, June 1, 2019
Leighton	2.8 Ballards Out to Lunch Bottle shared in London - purchased locally, recently. Pours clear brown with a bubbly head. Well oxidised, to be sure, with notes of dried caramel, brown bread, leathery fruits. Medium bodied, oily, with soft carbonation. More toasted malts in the finish, chewy fruits, brown sugar, apparent oxidation. Has aged fairly OK. Not too bad overall. Wednesday, May 8, 2019
mR_fr0g	2.1 Ballards Out to Lunch Can shared at the Columbus tasting 17/04/2019. Many thanks! A light caramel brown coloured pour with a halo of light tan head. Aroma is oxidised, cardboard, wax, dung, . Flavour is composed of dungy, waxy, oxidised, waxy, cakey malts, oxidised. Paalte is dusty, lowish carboantion. Meh. Fucked. Monday, May 6, 2019
madmitch76	3.4 Ballards Out to Lunch 17th February 2019 Level 6 bottleshare. Thanks to LKS. An old bottle! Clear dark brown - amber beer, no head. Tangy rich fruits. Madeira wine. Whisper of petrol. Little toffee. Light finish. Pretty tasty all these years on. Friday, April 19, 2019
WingmanWillis	3.2 Ballards Out to Lunch Wednesday, April 17, 2019
mR_fr0g	3 Ballards WMD Bottle shared at the Columbus Tasting 21/03/2019. Many thanks A clear cola brown coloured pour with a halo of dirty head. Aroma is umami, soy, brown malts, jammy fruits, cranberry. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, oily, malts, raisin, salty black malts, burnt apple, . Palate is oily, sticky, lowish carboantion. Sunday, March 31, 2019