Hobgoblin - Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd

scvance

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a growler into a pint glass.

Pours a deep amber reddish color. Very small and quickly disappearing tan head. The aroma is very subtle, malty sweet and caramel smelling with a hint of English hops. Taste follows suit, I really did not get much of a bitter flavor at all out of it which was slightly disappointing. Taste is sweet, with caramel and biscuit flavors, very clean with a slight bitter bite at the end. Full bodied with a rather thick mouthfeel. Low carbonation, possibly as a result of the growler as I remember it being higher when I sampled it from the store. Overall, this is a good dark English ale, however I would say it lacks the bitterness to be considered an ESB. Pleased nonetheless with this beer and will probably have again.

Serving type: growler

09-17-2012 21:31:08 | More by scvance

rangerred

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured out of a growler into an imperial pint glass.

Pours a clear medium brown with a slight white head that leaves a small film on top of the beer.

Smell nutty along with a slightly fruity smell that I get from a lot of English beers.

The taste is definitely that of an English brown ale. A lot of nuttiness up front with a light fruitiness, presumably from the yeast coming in. There is a very soft bitterness to finish it out. Mouthfeel is just a tad bit on the this side but still pretty good.

Overall, this is a good brown ale and definitely blows away newcastle. Glad the Libation Station had it on their growler wall.

Serving type: growler

12-09-2011 22:41:03 | More by rangerred

Clockwork420

Missouri

2.17/5  rDev -42.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Hole in the wall shop - $7.00 OR $8.00 4pk cans (Wychwood.com)

I poured The can into a glass in a perfect swoop. There was zero head, But a little lacing. Just the smallest amount on the edge of my glass. There was no bubbles. Completely still.

The smell was fairly sweet. Didnt really notice anything special really.

The color was a dark Red in the light. And almost as dark as a Draught from Guiness without the bright light present. Beautiful Presentation overall. Pretty Impressive.

Light on the palate. Intensely sweet. Wow. Really sweet.
This would also be my first ale. Sugary. Very sweet. Almost overbearing.

Oddly, its easy to drink. Goes down easy, and its not too bad. Just really sweet. But since its my first Ale I will be generous.

To put it simply. Dont buy unless you want to drink a sweet easy Ale. If your a Guiness guy like me, Maybe try it if you want somthing new. If not stray away. Chimay kinda?

(Not to mention it was the last 4 pack of cans there. That may have somthing to do with it?)

Clockwork

Serving type: growler

09-04-2006 18:34:29 | More by Clockwork420

HappyHourHero

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Small, light khaki colored head left a decent smattering of lace. Transparent, chestnut colored beer with an orange hue. Mild floral and hoppy tea aroma. Flavor is mild and clean as well. Pale malts and english tea hop flavor. Midway through it becomes just barely bitter. Finish is pretty clean, just a bit of lingering hops. Very nice beer that became more enjoyable halfway through the first glass.

Serving type: growler

06-23-2005 18:04:33 | More by HappyHourHero

Whyemier

Florida

3.24/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I've tried this one on several occasions, not my favorite because it is more hoppy than I like, not as bitter as an IPA but still more hops than I normally look for. That should be expected in an Dark English Ale.

Having said that, it is a one I still drink on occasion for a difference in taste.

Dark Amber or Red in color, the body is 'normal' the best I can say about it though much better and far beyond what I term as 'commercial beers'. There is a very slight sweetness, on the front of the tonque and a nut like flavor as you swallow. For me this is obscured somewhat by the hops.

I am not knocking this beer completely just recognizing it is not my favorite. Because it is close to an IPA in my opinion, many would find it an excellent substituion for one of those beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 22:02:33 | More by Whyemier

Jetulio

Spain

3.81/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle poured into a Pint glass
Appearance... dark brown beer with head colour beige of almost 2 fingers
Aroma... grass, hazelnuts and hops. Fresh and not too strong smell with a little touch of malty aroma too
Taste...some nuts and malt, then bitterness appears soon lasting all the time,
Mouthfeel... medium body and medium/soft carbonation
Overall... a very nice ale, bitterness is present in a classic English style

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 17:10:28 | More by Jetulio

HappyPappy2X

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark chestnut color, substantial head that dissipates in 1-2 minutes.

S: Sweetness dominates, metallic hints, earthy.

T: Sweetness balanced with roasty bitterness. Nutty, earthy flavors last longer than the sweetness.

M: Medium light, average carbonation.

O: Typifies British style ale in the earthiness, low hops bitterness, mellow roastiness. I love it!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 16:00:22 | More by HappyPappy2X

Bear1964

Nebraska

3.41/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a Pint glass, great reddish brown color with a 2 finger medium brown head that lasted a tad. The aroma was toasted malt and sweetness in the mild dark fruit range, the taste was filled with a nice malt balance against mild hops and a hint of sweet. Really a enjoyable Black Ale all the way around as it had a nice mouthfeel that satisfied in all the right places,had you thinking about having another as you looked at the beautiful lace hanging on the glass. I like the style and will pick this one up again, I would love to try this on tap!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 15:33:51 | More by Bear1964

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

16.9 oz bottle poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that reduced to a thin layer and left some nice lacing on the glass. It is a ruby color with good clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass. Nice lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: caramel and bready malts, with a little fruitiness in there too.

Taste: Same as above with some mild hop bitterness and citrus notes.

Mouthfeel: smooth, tingly hop bitterness, a little chewy, medium carbonation, and medium bodied.

Overall: Pretty nice ESB that I have time before and many more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 06:45:13 | More by Flounder57

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.84/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Been meaning to review this one for quite some time... .

Appearance 3.75: Dark, mahogany brown and completely transparent. Fizzy and non-existent head screams "CO2!", but there are nice swirls left after the pour.

Smell 4.00: Very nice bouquet. I smell the fuggle hops and the Marris Otter grains; wonderful combination. However, the bouquet does seem a bit flat.

-Taste 4.00: Front is completely missing. Just cool liquid. Middle is where the barley and the hops begin to assert themselves and this turns into a subdued wave of malt and hops in the finish, which leaves an aftertaste of caramel and alkaline hops along with a strange, minerally, slightly metallic taste that is, I think, linked to the water the beer was brewed with rather than a lead-lined tank at the brewery.

-Mouthfeel 3.0: Nothing special. An added level of carbonation/conditioning could really enhance this brew, IMHO.

-Overall 3.75: Very good beer. Certainly not the best English Ale available, but it is certainly a very good representative of the style. As I state above, I think an added level of conditioning (i.e. "more bubbles") would really help the overall profile of this beer and push it into "great" category. Nonetheless, definitely worth a try if you have not sampled it before.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 05:15:50 | More by BeerDocT

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.99/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into tulip 2/4/13

A clear brownish amber with a short lived finger of tan foam that leaves a single thick ring of lace followed by some random patches

S almost smells like a fruit pie, spice, fruity notes, a little bread and some toffee with a slight nutty aspect, not overly strong but quite nice

T more of the same really, slightly more spice and the toffees darker then the nose and the breads darker too, earthy notes add to the mix

M has some body to it and creams up nicely, nice spicy earthy finish lingers for a while

O pretty well rounded and easy to drink, this one works for me

Pretty solid brew that's worth trying for sure, not a bad flagship brew for Wychwood

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 06:03:34 | More by wordemupg

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

I poured this beer aggressively into a mini Imperial pint and got a nice two finger yellow head that lingers and laces nicely from a deep, rich, clear and amber beer.

I'm getting notes of mild diacetyl (dark fruits) and caramel malts with some earthy hops and maybe a little yeasty, but nothing more overpowering than the other and all very mild.

The flavor is pretty much the same. It's malty sweet, but not syrupy, more like thin with some notes of fruits, mild hops and yeast. Not overly complex. It finishes mildly bitter after the sweetness flattens out. I would have to say that it's pretty balanced and a bit bland.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with a body that is a bit on the thin side and leaves a bit of a film on my tongue, but perhaps that is already there. LOL The carbonation is definitely mild and the finish slightly dry.

Overall, I would say that this is a good beer! I didn't get a huge amount of diacetyl like like everyone was saying. The beer was NOT syrupy sweet out of the bottle. I served it at 55 degrees F, maybe that is the way to go. The only problem with the beer that I had was that it was a little thin or watery, but that leads to more drinking! At 5.2 ABV you could drink a few of these! I'm going to give it high 3's or a 4 out of 5!

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 02:19:18 | More by WissBrauSean

tronester

Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish chestnut brown, with a thin but creamy light tan head. Quite dark for an ESB. Aromas of toffee and a hint of oak. Taste begins with a toffee start, followed by some rich bready flavors, then a earthy hop hint. The finish is long and minerally, in a good way. Mouthfeel is rich. Overall an excellent ale that I plan to get again.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 23:37:15 | More by tronester

philgill

Ireland

1.9/5  rDev -49.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

It takes a couple of years for me to forget how much I dislike this beer. Yesterday evening while facing a less than inspiring choice in the supermarket I plumped for the 5 for 10 euro deal on hobgoblin. This morning I find myself with 4 beers that I don't want to drink.

Beer pours nicely into a Westvleteren taster glass.
Aroma nothing much going on, a bit of caramel, not a whole lot of hops, maybe a bit of pine.
Taste is a real let down, sharp like carbonated water/ I think this could be a personal thing against the hops themselves, would I be right in saying challenger is used here?

Anyways, I was unable to finish the bottle. Moved onto a far more drinkable London Pride

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 15:06:05 | More by philgill

Cryptic

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I love dark beers and this one was really nice. I still think I enjoy New Holland Log Cabin better but this was a real close second. Enjoyed this immensely, and would consider buying this again. I think initially I had heard good things about this beer and it did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 19:09:26 | More by Cryptic

santomark

California

4.88/5  rDev +30.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Soooo glad I found this on tap at a local ale house. I've had this before in the bottle and just forgot how much I loved it. When I asked the bartender for my usual drink, he told me it was out, but he had something along the lines and showed me the Hobgoblin behind him. I immediately had to have this.

Appearance - pours a dark red ruby color, with a mild thick head. You can definitely float a quarter on top of this head.

Smell - Nice and malty.

Taste - The head is very frothy, nutty and wonderfully refreshing. The head first hits the palate and gives off this faint chocolate taste. The beer itself is malty, a little bitter with hops, hints of fruit and coffee undertones. Just the right amount of everything for me.

Mouthfeel - The head melts in the mouth and fuses with the ale. It makes this smooth, silky and refreshing texture.

Drinkability - Wonderful, everything is so greatly balanced with it's own uniqueness from other English Dark Ales. This is like an EDA milked right from a unicorn by Da Vinci with a choir of baby angelic angels serenading in the background.

Overall - One of the best Dark English Ales I've had.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 01:56:42 | More by santomark

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Ah, one of the first real imports I remember trying back in the day. Memories. Anyway, this stuff pours a clear midnight amber topped by a finger of dirty khaki foam. The nose comprises light buttery biscuit, perfume-y flowers, light greens, and a kiss of honey. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a bit of hard water, some grass, and a touch of toast. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a nice bitter, nothing that will shake your perception of the style or the beverage, but something easy to drink and easy to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 18:39:11 | More by TMoney2591

pkalix

California

4.64/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

opaque, hazy, burnt amber. very cloudy.
smells very sweet, very malty, but thin.
tastes very sweet, tastes malty, but very thin, almost watery. the watery isnt a bad way of describing, but just thinner. almost a small balsamic vinegar taste to it also.
as i said, a thin feel to it, but this is a great product. it is a bit low in abv but maybe i should try more of these lower abv brews. their website is interesting and they apparently have a 'tripel' also? such an easy drink, i would gladly line up many more of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:23:04 | More by pkalix

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Served from tap into a sampler shaker. Poured a ruby red orange with a half finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, nutty, spice, nutmeg, and earth. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, bread, earth, and spice. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. Despite the fact that this is not a complex beer by any means, it makes up for this fact with a really good balance of flavors and aromas throughout. This made this brew quite approachable and rather enjoyable. I had this brew a long time ago before I even knew what BA was and absolutely loved it. Now that I have experienced so many new beers and my palate has completely changed, it is still solid, but just does not have the same magic that it had for me 5+ years ago. Definitely a good intro beer into craft beer for the truly curious or for the veteran alike. You can’t go wrong either way.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 21:37:16 | More by thagr81us

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.44/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very nice, dark color with minimal head. Mouthfeel was smooth and palatable. Taste had a good balance between bitterness and oakyness. Appearance was that of a stout/imperial stout, but it was obviously more bitter and crisp. I'd definitely buy it again, however it was not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 19:40:17 | More by Jacurdy60

beerdrifter

Germany

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Clear ruby-mahogany pour with a two finger off-white head with decent retention and lacing. Fruity and nutty nose with hints of bubblegum, caramel, tea, and yeast. The taste follows suit with hints of brown bread, banana, caramel, bubblegum, tobacco, toast, and some subtle cherry notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a subtle bitterness on the finish. Overall, nothing really jumps out. A pretty typical ESB...

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 18:02:10 | More by beerdrifter

scot_chale

Minnesota

4.31/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Beautiful beer. Nice dark red with a cap of beige foam. Carbonation dancing in there but not as much as an American lager.

S- Diacetyl all the way, with just a touch of caramel malt.

T- Balanced. A bitterness comes through, but I would attribute that to the bittering hop, not a late addition. The malt base is thick, but the carbonation breaks it up very pleasantly. The finish is a lingering, sweet malt.

M- silky, buttery, smooth with just a tiny bite of CO2.

O- Very nice beer. I'm not very well educated on ESBs, but I can say I really like this one. I would buy a 6 pack and show it to my home brewing friends as a great example of what an ESB should be, based on what I've read about the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 01:06:03 | More by scot_chale

maximum12

Minnesota

2.4/5  rDev -36%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Mysterious 500ML bottle that appeared in my cellar...with no known ancestry. I didn't buy it, so someone must have left it here. Huh. Always nice to have a beer with no expectations.

Pour is ruby red, fairly still. Smell is sugary, syrupy sweet. Wow.

Hobgoblin is like a forty-year Cost Accountant: only one thing it knows how to do. Just like the nose, sugary sweetness stamps all over the palate. Touches of toast, grape/banana, toffee. All drowned in the malty sugar. 8.45 ounces might be too much in one sitting.

Classic case of sugary overkill; the rest of the tastes are just bludgeoned to death. Doesn't resemble a beverage I'd like to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 03:52:12 | More by maximum12

CrazyMike

Alberta (Canada)

3.91/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish brown appearance with lots of foamy white head that quickly settles down leaving some lacing. Smell consists of caramel, coffee, dark fruit and spices. Appearance is generic but smell is interesting.

Taste consists of malt, chocolate, caramel, raisins and other dark fruit and bitter hops. Very smooth and creamy. Medium bodied with low carbonation. Has a bitter caramel finish.

Overall this is a well rounded and refreshing beer with a lot of interesting features. Will be trying this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:36:21 | More by CrazyMike

mschind

California

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Poured into a pint glass. Not much of a head or retention but some foamy lacing down the glass. Clear, medium reddish brown.

S- Nutty malt withh some coffee notes.

T- Malt up front then more hops than other ESB styles I've tried. Mellow, slightly bittter finish.

M- Full body but not heavy. Smooth finish with just the right amount of astringency from the dark malts.

O- An excellent example of an ESB. Hoppier than most which is a plus for me. Tasty and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 00:28:23 | More by mschind