Beer Reviews by SIGMUND

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# Beer Origin Style Score Date
4326 Caledonian Doc Kennedys Lipsmacker Lemon Ale United Kingdom Fruit Beer 3.4

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at The Old Yard Tapas Bar, Darlington. Golden colour, low but lasting creamy head. Very moderate aroma, a little fruity hops and pale malts. Soft mouthfeel. Tolerably hoppy flavour, very drinkable.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4327 Derwent Whitwell & Marks IPA United Kingdom Bitter 3.2

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Cask conditioned at The Market Tavern, Durham, as Derwent Whitwell & Marks Pale Ale, but I assume this is the same beer. ABV is the same, 4.4%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma, a whiff of fruit, a hint of sulphur. Smooth flavour, some bitterness in the finish, becomes sharp in the aftertaste.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4328 Maxim Boxing Hare United Kingdom Ale 4.1

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Cask conditioned at The Market Tavern, Durham. ABV is 4.1%. Mahogany coloured beer, nice and creamy beige head. Strong aroma of caramel and chocolate, also fruit liqueur chocolates. Smooth mouthfeel. Nice flavour of chocolate and caramel, some hops in the finish.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4329 Caledonian Over The Bar United Kingdom Bitter 3.6

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at The Shakespeare, Durham. Copper coloured beer, low head. Malty aroma, notes of toffee and nuts. The flavour is fairly well balanced between the malts and hops, nutty notes.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4330 St. Austell Tribute Ale United Kingdom Bitter 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at The Shakespeare, Durham. Deep golden colour, low head. Fruity and floral notes in the aroma. The flavour is slightly fruity and medium bitter.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4331 Carlow O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale Ireland American Pale Ale 3.4

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Dry hopped. Golden colour, big white head. Strong fruity / citrussy aroma of Cascade and Amarillo hops, some hints of stale / rotting citrus peel too. The flavour is also citrussy and zesty, with a proper bitterness in the finish. Quite good.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4332 Lervig Valberget Stavangerøl Norway Kellerbier 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml bottle, from MENY Stadionparken. Unfiltered Kellerbier / Märzen, ABV is 4.7%. Hazy deep golen colour, moderate white head. Fresh and crisp pilsener aroma and flavour, floral and herbal hops throughout, with sufficient malts. Very pleasant to drink. Another fine achievement by Lervig and head brewer Mike Murphy.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4333 Agrumbocq Belgium Fruit Beer 2.9

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

250 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 3.1%. Extremely pale greyish-yellow colour, huge white head. Strong aroma of mandarin juice and other citrus fruits, notes of orange candy. The flavour is sweet (too sweet) with mandarin notes, but still fairly refreshing. Would have been even more refreshing if it had been less sweet, and had a little more citrus acidity.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4334 Red Bocq Belgium Fruit Beer 3.0

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

250 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 3.1%. Clear red colour, like Norwegian "Eventyrbrus", huge pink head. Intense aroma of red fruits candy. Sweet flavour of artificial red fruits candy, lacks freshness and acidity, no bitterness. Still drinkable, but there is absolutely nothing here to remind you that this is a beer.

Apr 5, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4335 Village Brewer White Boar United Kingdom Bitter 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Called a premium bitter. Golden colour, moderate white head. Nice aroma of butterscotch and fudge. Refreshing flavour with a decent hoppy bitterness throughout.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4336 Village Brewer Bull Premium Bitter United Kingdom Bitter 3.2

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Copper colour, low white head. Moderate aroma of malts, toffee and caramel. Malty flavour with some nutty notes, moderate hops in the finish.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4337 Village Brewer Old Raby United Kingdom Old Ale 4.2

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Very dark brown colour, creamy beige head. Both aroma and flavour are excellent blends of malts and dark ripe fruits, also hints of caramel and nuts, nice bitter finish.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4338 Burton Bridge Burton Festival Ale United Kingdom Extra Special Bitter 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington, as Burton Bridge Burton Ale, but I assume this is the same beer. Copper colour, creamy off-white head. Malty aroma and flavour, nutty and biscuity notes. The aroma also has some fruity notes. Tolerably well hopped finish.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4339 Hopback GFB United Kingdom Bitter 3.4

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate flowery aroma. Elderflowers? Floral and hoppy flavour.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4340 Adnams Oyster Stout United Kingdom Oyster Stout 4.1

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Black colour, ruby in the highlights, creamy beige head. Nice aroma of mildly roasted malts, mild coffee and chocolate. Smooth mouthfeel. Roasty flavour, medium sweet (or medium dry, if you like), notes of coffee.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4341 Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat United States American Wheat 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.4%. Pale golden colour, hazy when the yeast is poured in, moderate white head. Spicy aroma, notes of cloves and coriander, hints of ripe bananas. Plenty of carbonation in the mouth.. Refreshing flavour, spicy notes again, a touch of banana, but the beer is quite dry.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4342 Almond 22 Farrotta Italy Spiced Beer 3.7

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

750 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.6%. Cloudy golden colour, large to moderate white head. High level of carbonation in the mouth. Strong aroma and flavour of spelt, honey and chamomile, also notes of white kandi sugar and "Belgian" ale yeast. Noticeable hops in the finish. Quite good.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4343 Mikkeller Black Whisky Edition (White Wax) Denmark Imperial Stout 3.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

375 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Very malty and sweetish aroma, roasty, strong notes of whisky, vanilla and oak. Intense roasty and very sweet flavour, notes of strong coffee, whisky and vanilla. Alcohol burn throughout. Too much of the good stuff.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4344 Mikkeller Black Cognac Edition (Black Foil) Denmark Imperial Stout 3.5

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

375 ml green bottle (black foil top), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Intense aroma of fusel alcohols, roasted barley, sweetish malts, molasses and oak. Extremely sweet and roasty flavour, notes of oak / cognac barrels. Far out on the weird side, but GOOD - in a perverted way.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4345 Mikkeller Black (Islay Edition) Denmark Imperial Stout 3.0

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

375 ml green bottle (no blue wax, but clearly labeled Islay Edition), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, minimal brown head. Strong aroma of smoke, tar, salt water, iodine and roasted barley. Extremely sweet and roasty flavour with notes of peat smoke and molasses. Too extreme for me.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4346 Mikkeller Barrel-Aged Black Hole, Wine Denmark Imperial Stout 4.1

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

375 ml green bottle (corked and wired), red foil top / partly red label, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13.1%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Lovely roasty, oaky and vinous aroma, also hints of leather and cigarbox. Very roasty flavour (a distinct roasty and hoppy bitterness throughout), medium sweet with distinct oaky notes.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4347 Durham Apollo United Kingdom Blonde Ale 3.4

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival. ABV is 4.0%. Pale golden colour, low head. Nice citrussy aroma. Distinctly bitter hoppy flavour, but has too weak body to support the bitterness. Still props to Durham for daring to brew hoppy ales, while so many other English breweries are "playing safe" with boring beers.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4348 Dancing Duck Ay Up / Ey Up United Kingdom Blonde Ale 2.5

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival. ABV is 3.9%. Pale golden colour, low head. The aroma is moderate with some citrus. "Dusty" and unpleasant flavour, a little citrussy hop is not enough to save this beer. Fail.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4349 Swannay (Highland) Egilsay United Kingdom American Pale Ale 3.4

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival. ABV is 6.0%. Brown to copper colour, low head. Malty aroma, some caramel, nuts and dust. Dry flavour, tolerably hopped, but not as much as expected. Some fruit in the finish.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM
4350 Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout United States Imperial Stout 4.4

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Lovely aroma of oak, roasted malts, dark chocolate and coffee, hints of leather. Roasty flavour, dark malts, coffee, oak, hints of chocolate and liquorice. Nice bitterness in the finish.

Apr 4, 2011
12:00:00 PM