Spooks Ale - Shepherd Neame Ltd

bark

Sweden

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The liquid is clear, the colour red-amber (25 EBC). The finger thick off-white head is compact. It sinks slowly leaving very little lacing.

The strong smell got malty notes of caramel, biscuits, hay, sweet malt, dried apples and apricots. Some toffee and cream candy.

The taste is dry and malty with some red berries. Clan bitter flavours. Lightly roasted flavours, nuts and mild spices. Biscuits and hints of müsli. Medium body. The aftertaste is malty with a slowly growing flowery and somewhat chemical bitterness. More nuts and a mild sweetness. The finish is quite bitter with dry caramel flavours.

The carbonation is strong, the many fresh bubbles mid-sized. The liquid is dry.

A very malty brew with lots of caramel malt. Some off-flavours in the bitterness lowers the rating a bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 18:20:27 | More by bark

rarbring

Sweden

3.33/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A clear dark brown amber, a warm off-white head, good lacing. Some curtains.

Smelling mostly butter, a metallic hint.

Butter, butter scotch, dark bread, orange marmalade peel.

Little carbonation, soft with a medium body, a dry finish.

Not spooky, no trick, no real treat.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 19:05:59 | More by rarbring

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.95/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Immediate rip raw red nose in the bottle this effortlessly gives a dense smooth half inch very light magnolia head. Dark hazy loudy reddish brown colour with lines of orangy sparkle.

Lips to liquid you're initiallly hit by the scenty of light smoke followed by a firm dry earthy light but sweet citric juice. INteresting array of flavours though they don't quite merge as effortlessly as they could. Ends with a nice lightly malty smoothness.

A litte bit haunty and about as frightening as an episode of Scooby Doo.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 13:53:42 | More by Zimbo

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Aug 2012. Brewed for Halloween - better late than never! Label mentions a blend of three malts and citrus hops.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A clear coppery-amber hue with medium carbonation. Yields a small head of frothy off-white foam that subsides after a minute or so. Aroma of roasted malt; plenty of burnt grain and hints of coffee, with bready undertones. No hops to speak of.

Tastes of roasted malt with a bitter finish. Notes of coffee accompanied by faint cocoa and caramel. A whisper of citrus. Stewed hops upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is rather thin with prickly carbonation. Quite astringent. Aftertaste of bitter roasted malt.

Actually, the flavour is pretty good for one of Shepherd Neame's seasonals. Plenty of roasted malt with a nice bitter finish. The citrus notes are exceptionally faint though, and the mouthfeel is watery - could be thicker and creamier for a winter ale. Still, not a bad effort.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 00:48:46 | More by jazzyjeff13

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.93/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

500ml Brown bottle, best before Aug 2012, poured into an Abbot Ale glass tankard in Oct 2011.

Looks really good, lovely red hue to its chestnut brown body a full, deep slighlty off-white head sat on top.

Hops in the aroma, was expecting a maltier smell because of the colour: the rear label does mention 'a particularly fruity hop' being added at four different stages of the brewing process. That'll be the reason I could smell a citrusy hop presence then!

The taste however is maltier than the hops, with a roasted biscuity, toasted brown bread feel to it. There is a sharper, bitter finish after the initial malt taste, those hop obviously finding their feet towards the end of the gulps I was taking.

I was hoping for a more creamy, richer body to be honest, but it wasn't a bad beer in any way, just not as smooth as I'd hoped for.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 15:27:01 | More by BlackHaddock