Fortunately,although being busy at work makes it difficult to find the time to write about beer,I can usually find time to drink the stuff,so I’ve got a backlog (of writing,not beer) to catch up on. I was horrified to see that my last post was on December 30th,so I missed the whole of January! Never mind –happy new year anyway!
I’ve been drinking quite a lot of Wychwood beer recently. Over Christmas we got one of their “selection boxes”–Beers Of Character I believe they call it –3 bottles each of Wychcraft,Goliath,Scarecrow and Hobgoblin. I enjoyed it so much,I got another box –at least the Procurement Department (Sarah) did.
Wychcraft Blonde Beer (4.5%) –“thrice hopped”–3 infusions of Styrian Goldings hops –but it doesn’t taste particularly hoppy to me. It’s actually a bit dark for a blonde beer –golden maybe. It has a light and fruity smell –not overly bitter,but a bitter-sweet,slightly syrupy aftertaste. I thought it was a bit disappointing compared to the other beers in the selection,but drinkable all the same.
Goliath (4.2%) –I hadn’t tried this one before –the bottle claims “a collossal taste”,and it is a satisfyingly bitter,refreshing drink. The weakest of the four beers in the selection,and definitely the most quaffable. Dark amber/ruby colour and strong malty smell. Styrian Goldings hops again.
Scarecrow organic pale ale (4.7%). This is fast becoming one of my favourite beers. I think it must have been re-branded,as it seems to be described on the Wychwood website under the name Circle Master - I’ve drunk Circle Master before,and suspect it is indeed the same beer. Golden and light,with a sweet malty smell,but a sharp,bitter taste. Made with organically grown English barley malt,and whole-leaf Target hops,which “combine to evoke lazy,hazy days of summer in this serenely satisfying golden harvest brew”.
Hobgoblin (5.2%). A long-standing favourite,though a little strong for regular drinking. A dark ruby beer with a slightly toasty smell. Full-bodied taste,fruity,not an overly bitter taste,but a lasting bitter finish. A regular in the beer cupboard.
I’ve also recently had some Fiddler’s Elbow (4.5%). Made with a blend of wheat and barley malt,it is quite dark for a wheat beer,so clearly a bit of a mixture. It has a strong malty smell and taste,a sharp immediate bitterness,and a lasting bitter finish. A very nice beer.
I’ve got a voucher for a brewery visit –Christmas present from Sarah –so I’m really looking forward to sampling some of these wonderful beers at the source!