Tuesday 30 December 2008

O'Hanlon's Thomas Hardy's Ale 2007/2008

I tried and compared the 2007 and 2008 editions of Thomas Hardy's Ale with MG, and put the tasting notes in the original posting.

Not sure the 2007 edition handled the 1-year storage too well. The beer had basically no head and was a bit too vinous and flat.

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek

  • Name: 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek, 5%, Belgium
  • Appearance: Dark red, very cloudy. Basically no head. Some sediments. Bottled 14/12-2007.
  • Aroma: Lots of cherry, sweet. Fermented.
  • Taste: Very sour, lots of cherry. Long unpleasant aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 375 ml, £4.29
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 30/12-2008, 199/300

Monday 29 December 2008

Super Bock

  • Name: Super Bock, 5.6%, Portugal
  • Appearance: Orange golden. OK amount of white head.
  • Aroma: Hops and some malt. Not much.
  • Taste: Flat, some hops and malt. Watery. Not much aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.19
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 29/12-2008

Friday 26 December 2008

Guinness: Nigeria vs Ireland

Since I got hold of the Nigerian version, I thought I'd try to compare it with the Irish version (which I also changed the rating of from 2/6 to 4/6):
  • Appearance: The Nigerian version has darker and less head, and the head doesn't last as long.
  • Aroma: The Nigerian version is sweeter, almost artificial. More malt?
  • Taste: The Nigerian version is more fruity and sweeter. The Irish version is more bitter.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (Nigerian)

Another one shared with MG, and actually my 60th country:
  • Name: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (Nigerian), 7.5%, Nigeria
  • Appearance: Very dark brown, basically black. OK amount of tan head, short-lived.
  • Aroma: Dark malt, sweet. Prunes, dark fruit.
  • Taste: Dark malt, burnt. Quite sweet, too sweet? Some coffee.
  • Bought: Tesco, 325 ml, £1.54
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 26/12-2008

Thursday 25 December 2008

Meantime India Pale Ale

Also shared with MG:
  • Name: Meantime India Pale Ale, 7.5%, England
  • Appearance: Orange brown. Slightly hazy. Lots of white head.
  • Aroma: Hops, some yeast. Lemony.
  • Taste: Fruit, lemons. Quite hoppy. Bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 750 ml, £4.79
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 25/12-2008

N'Ice Chouffe

Shared with MG.
  • Name: N'Ice Chouffe, 10%, Belgium
  • Appearance: Dark brownish red. OK amount of shortlived white head.
  • Aroma: Prunes, dark malt. Some alcohol.
  • Taste: Dark fruit and malt. Vinous. Slight alcohol, warming.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 750 ml, £5.99
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 25/12-2008

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Brugge Tripel

Finally got hold of a beer I had in Bruges in January :-).
  • Name: Brugge Tripel, 8.7%, Belgium
  • Appearance: Golden orange brown. Good amount of white longlasting head.
  • Aroma: Quite yeasty. Good amount of fruit.
  • Taste: Nice fruit and malt. Warming. Good aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £2.29
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 23/12-2008

Sunday 21 December 2008

Heineken Oud Bruin

  • Name: Heineken Oud Bruin, 2.5%, Netherlands
  • Appearance: Very dark brown. Small amount of off-white head.
  • Aroma: Very sweet, malt, honey-like.
  • Taste: Too sweet, malt. Dark fruit. Sweet aftertaste. Beer?
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 300 ml, £1.19
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 21/12-2008, 209/500

Heineken

  • Name: Heineken, 5%, Netherlands
  • Appearance: Yellow golden, very clear. Little bit of white head.
  • Aroma: Hops and malt, some fruit. Bit of alcohol.
  • Taste: Bland. Some fruit, hops and malt. Easy-drinking but boring.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.09
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 21/12-2008

Friday 19 December 2008

Joseph Holt Maplemoon

  • Name: Joseph Holt Maplemoon, 4.8%, England
  • Appearance: Chestnut brown, very clear. Smallish white head.
  • Aroma: Malt and some maple.
  • Taste: Nice malt and bitterness. Little bit of maple, slightly sweet.
  • Bought: Sainsbury's, 500 ml, £1.69
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 19/12-2008

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Morland Old Speckled Hen

I realised when trying their Old Crafty Hen that I had actually not tried the "normal" Old Speckled Hen:
  • Name: Morland Old Speckled Hen, 5.2%, England
  • Appearance: Clear chestnut brown. Very little head.
  • Aroma: Malt, caramel. Some sweetness.
  • Taste: Good amount of malt, slight sweetness and bitterness.
  • Bought: Tesco, 355 ml, £1.04
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 16/12-2008

Saturday 13 December 2008

Purity Farmers Harvest Centenary Ale

  • Name: Purity Farmers Harvest Centenary Ale, 4.8%, England
  • Appearance: Dark clear brown. Lots of white head.
  • Aroma: Malt and caramel. Slight sweetness.
  • Taste: Nice malt and hops. Bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Tesco, 500 ml, £1.41
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 13/12-2008

Friday 12 December 2008

Okocim Mocne

  • Name: Okocim Mocne, 7.0%, Poland
  • Appearance: Dark golden. Good amount of fizzy white head.
  • Aroma: Sweet. Some malt. Yeast?
  • Taste: Sweet and malt, bit of alcohol. Unpleasant aftertaste.
  • Bought: Waitrose, 500 ml, £1.69
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 12/12-2008

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Westerham William Wilberforce Freedom Ale

  • Name: Westerham William Wilberforce Freedom Ale, 4.8%, England
  • Appearance: Orange brown. Cloudy. Little head.
  • Aroma: Malt and hops. Slightly lemony.
  • Taste: Malt and hops, slightly bitter aftertaste. A bit boring, but not bad.
  • Bought: Waitrose, 500 ml, £1.89
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 10/12-2008, 27/300M

Saturday 6 December 2008

Wychwood Goliath Ale

  • Name: Wychwood Goliath Ale, 4.2%, England
  • Appearance: Chestnut brown. OK amount of white head.
  • Aroma: Some malt and hops. Not much.
  • Taste: Bit watery. Nice malt, some hops and fruit.
  • Bought: Tesco, 660 ml, £1.69
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 6/12-2008

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Bernard CernĂ© Pivo 13°

  • Name: Bernard CernĂ© Pivo 13°, 5.1%, Czech Republic
  • Appearance: Very dark brown. Lots of nice tan head. Swing-top bottle.
  • Aroma: Roasted, dark malt. Dark fruit. Slight caramel.
  • Taste: A bit watery. Coffee, roasted. Dark malt. Quite good.
  • Bought: Tesco, 500 ml, £1.99
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 2/12-2008