Over the past few weeks I’ve accumulated a wide range of ales and lagers, and thought the best way possible to feature them would be to have them within one review. So below, I give to you my tasting notes –
Asahi – 5%
Developed in 1987 in Japan, it has a minimum four week maturation period and the traditional addition of a small amount of rice. Fresh on the nose, but a little dry near the end with some sweetness. A sweet malt taste on the palate, with a smooth, dry finish.
Coors Light – 4.5%
Produced in 1978 in the USA. Slightly sweet on the nose with hints of barley and corn. Heavy carbonation and a little thin.
Tuborg Green – 4.6%
A Danish pilsner. Light grain on the nose with a slight hop flavour on the palate. A little sweetness comes through.
Hercules – 5%
A slow brewed small-batch lager from England. Light malt on the nose with a slight pepper finish. Crisp start on the palate, developing into a mild bitterness. Lingers slightly on the finish.
Estrella Galicia – 4.7%
Introduced in 1906 in Spain, and not to be confused with Estrella Damm. Light corn on the nose with hints of grassy malt. A slight sweetness at the start of the palate, with the grassy malt and corn coming through more dominant. Light bitterness with soft carbonation.
Budwesier 66 – 4%
Faint malt on the nose, and the same on the palate, although a slight sweetness comes through. Rather thin and a little dry.
Holsten Pils – 5%
Brewed in Germany. Citrus on the nose with fresh hops coming through. Lots of easy citrus on the palate, slight hops with a well-balanced carbonation.
Blue Moon – 5.4%
A belgian-style witbier from Colorado. Soft and fruity on the nose, with hints of orange. Orange peel flavours dominate the palate, with a fresh, smooth carbonation lingering the aromas. Recommended to be served with a slice of orange.
Old Golden Hen – 4.1%
Uses a special hop from Tasmania. Brewed by Greene King in England. Lots of honey, lime zest and biscuit aromas on the nose. Light and fresh with patches of dryness on the palate. Rather short.
Marston’s Burton Bitter – 3.8%
Brewed since 1834 and using Burton well water discovered almost 1000 years ago by the monks of Burton Abbey. A blend of light malt and biscuit aromas on the nose. Sharp on the palate with the biscuit aromas developing slightly. Short.
Goliath – 4.2%
A ruby bitter from the Wychwood Brewery in England. Fruit and malt aromas on the nose, with a deep, juicy flavour on the palate, with a slight roasted grain at the end.
Marston’s Double Drop – 4%
Uses the ‘double dropping’ fermentation technique and a late application of hops. Slight malt, hop and caramel on the nose, with a light body and toffee notes coming through. Short and a little dry.
Everards Tiger Bitter – 4.5%
Slight spice on the nose with toffee aromas coming through. Rich toffee comes through on the palate with a well-rounded flavour of malts and sweetness too.
Banks’s Bitter – 3.8%
Earthy aromas with slight caramel notes on the nose. Fresh, but develops a strong, earthy feel on the palate. Low carbonation and dry finish.
Brakspear Bitter – 3.4%
Toasted toffee and earth aromas on the nose, with caramel added to the palate. Soft, low carbonation with a clean finish.
Manns – 2.8%
Brown ale from Mann’s Whitechapel brewery. Sweet malt and dried fruit notes on the nose, with a heavy malt on the palate. Slight nutty flavours with a mild finish.
The majority of the ales above have been purchased from Booth’s, with the lagers acquired from various sources. All seem to be widely available. If you want a hint of what to stump for though, my highlights were the Everards Tiger Bitter, Blue Moon, Old Golden Hen, Estrella Galicia and Brakspear Bitter.
If you happen to purchase any from the list above, feel free to share your photos and tasting notes with me by either commenting below, or posting via Facebook or Twitter.
© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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