Fiddler's Elbow - Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd

darkmartin

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +32.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours to a caramel-brown with a frothy white head that doesnt last long. Slight, sticky lacing.

Smell: Fairly grainy with faint citrus hops.

Taste: Begins with a buttery-caramel flavor that finishes with a slight citrus bite. Alcohol is hidden completely.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and full-bodied. Little carbonation.

Drinkability: Outstanding pale ale. The initial smooth, buttery taste develops into a full caramel finish that simply is excellent.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 05:19:45 | More by darkmartin

dionisio

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On first sip my reaction was oh man this is a good tasting beer. You can taste that this is made out of wheat, not in that it tastes like most wheat beers do, but in that its flavor is comparable to a strong wheat bread. I also love the head on this, it's very soft and fluffy and a great pleasure to drink through. This beer is very thirst-quenching with a long enjoyable aftertaste.

I bought this in England, and the label says 4.5% abv.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2008 19:55:03 | More by dionisio

Farrell

New Jersey

4.72/5  rDev +30.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I picked this brew up from my local liquor store, and boy was i glad. I poured this bad boy into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a very nice golden/copper brown, with a light yellow haziness at the bottom. A thin, but very long lasting head developed as I poured. Already, it looked delicious.

Smell: Flowery notes as well as some malt sweetness was present. As the beer warmed, the scent becomes a little more prevalent. Not exceptional, but pretty damn good.

Taste: This is one awesome tasting beer. The hop bitterness is nicely balanced with the malt sweetness. I experienced a nice crisp citrus tart infused with the flowery hop bitterness. A fruitiness was also there, but I just couldn't put my finger on it (I guess I need more experience!). As soon as the beer touched my mouth I got taste of the hops with the bitterness lingering until I swallowed. The after taste was the crispness of the malts and the citrus. As I got down to the last few sips, the beer took on a stronger hop flavor and finished with a nice balanced bitterness.

Mouth feel: nice and medium bodied on the palate. A very slight over carbonation keeps it from being perfect.

Drinkability: Excellent. This beer goes down easy and tastes great.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 05:14:12 | More by Farrell

jsisko01

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance - Pours a very dark amber/copper color with almost no head. Leaves a nice, creamy lacing behind.

Smell - Sweet, earthy, and bitter.

Taste - Has a subtle sweetness, with citrus and orange zest. It's very earthy, with bready malts, and has a nice, light bitterness in the finish. Has somewhat of a floral flavor too.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with low carbonation.

Overall - This is one of the best pale ales I've ever tried. Simple and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 03:56:38 | More by jsisko01

Offa

California

4.58/5  rDev +26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a solid, light but complex, well-rounded ale with subtle compelxity and greast balance of characteristics.

Redish-gold, it has a small off-white head that dissipates to leave a lasting foamy ring and has a weak hint of lace.

The aroma is hard to pin down but is a good, solid, English ale, very fresh, with fresh hops and yeasty bread, citrus, and a bit flowery and faintly fruity.

The taste is similar, lightly toasty yeasty bread, leafy-earthy-citrusy hops, all very fresh. The feel lis light and lively, yet still full-bodied. It is very smooth, crisp and refreshing, and easily drinkable, yet has solid, complex taste and body.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 22:47:23 | More by Offa

bark

Sweden

4.47/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First of all, I noticed that this bottle is brown and not clear as the other I have seen from Wychwood. Good.

The colour is brass-amber; the liquid is a bit hazy. The pale beige finger thick foam slowly sinks down to a thin lid, leaving massive lacing. This is very much what a English Pale Ale should look like!

The smell is mild and malty with fruity notes and a hint of bitterness. I also found some butter, dried apricots, dough and gravy. The bitterness is mild and pretty straightforward; I found some light notes of bitter almonds and bitter oranges.

The taste is malty with buttery, semi-sweet notes and a lightly roasted flavour. The hops are gently bitter with fruity notes of apricots, tangerines and red currants. The aftertaste got some notes of dry yeast, bitter herbs, creamy hops and a delicate descending malt flavour. It is over all exceptionally well balanced.

The carbonation is a little strong for the style. On the other side, this is a beer from a bottle, not from a cask. The small bubbles and the smooth liquid create a proper, very drinkable mouthfeel.

One of the best bottled Pale Ales (or is it a Bitter?) I have had. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2007 20:38:24 | More by bark

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A- clear orange amber with a uniform off white head, creamy and dense, with nice little specks and arcing waves of lace.

S- smells very british, something indescribable, toasty, woodsy, earthy, and somewhat floral. there's a bitter sweetness in the aroma, like hopped toffee, orange peel, old wood, sandalwood, almost christmas-like and very similar to sam smith winter welcome. ripe red fruits, melon, creamy.

T- slightly metallic, excellent flavor all around not overbearing on any facet, earthy and toasty with a crisp dried leaf and bark flavor. diacetyl, floral, fruity, and grassy flavors all come out nicely. the website says this is a wheat beer but i would never have guessed. now that i know however, i can taste a mild tart breadiness amid the caramel and toffee barley. some very soft lemon and grapefruit. finishes grainy and dry with a firm touch of hops that balance perfectly with sweet/tart citrus pith flavors.

MF- crisp, refreshing, effervescent, drying, mildly astringent, juicy with what could almost be a full wheat beer feeling, and though i can't quite put my finger on it, something about the assertive carbonation doesn't really allow the body of this one to be noticed. it's fleeting, and just as it seems to roll on my tongue, it disappears.

D- i always love a good british beer and wychwood doesn't disappoint. their whole image is kinda 'out there' and i dig that. this one is summery alright, despite the overall sense of autumn and harvest, and perhaps my favorite offering so far from the brewer. smooth and dry and flavorful and modest at the same time. something i might seek a case of...

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2009 08:00:06 | More by hustlesworth

cyrenaica

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle
5.2% ABV

I first tried this beer on August 13, 2007 after puchasing from my local LCBO outlet. The beer piured a nice dark translucent coppery red in to a glass with a generous loose white head. The aroma was a combination of nuts and hops, a little spicy. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied with some mild carbonation. The taste is very mild with some malty hints and a hint of bitterness of the tongue.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2007 17:47:16 | More by cyrenaica

Reverand

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What a great English ale. Great amber color and taste. Love the bottle and label. Check out the Wychwood website for their upcoming beers. If they are anything like this brew I will be eagerly waiting to try each one. Hobgoblin will have to wait until my BEER FEST this summer.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2002 15:17:38 | More by Reverand

Traquairlover

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1 pint, 0.9 fl. oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

A = Beautiful orange, dark honey, light amber color, nice frothy head that leaves good lacing as it dissipates, light carbonation bubbles.

S = Little too light in the nose, but the smells are good, some citrus, lemons mostly, light malt, very slight caramel.

T = Good hops, mostly lemon, orange and grapfruit citrus flavors but also very slight pine, balanced with good light malt flavors, nice long slightly bitter finish.

M = Luscious medium to heavy body, good carbonation, coating of mouth is pretty good.

D = The is an extremely drinkable beer. It is very refreshing, light, low enough alcohol to sit back and enjoy without worries.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2008 01:40:03 | More by Traquairlover

Jason

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 ml / 16.9oz clear bowling pin style bottle with raised logos and the brewery name. No freshness date to be found.

Creamy off white lace sits on top of a clear amber brew. Sticky with shimmering rings of lace left on the glass.

Mild citric and grassy twang from the hops with a faint buttery yeasty nose. Smells of fresh hop with each whiff.

Smooth with a pleasing malt crispness slick oily hop flavour that leaves a lingering and tingling bitterness. The hop flavour is big with coarse leaf and pungent floral flavours. Malt is clearly shows the crispness from the wheat and a bready flavour from the barley. In the end is a buttery yeasty mix with a bit of residual sweetness and leafy hop flavour to boot.

Flavourful to say the least ... the wheat adds to the drinkability and the hops are done just right and pack with flavour. Another import I wish would come in six-packs.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2002 15:46:34 | More by Jason

mithrascruor

California

4.38/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle poured into a mug.

Appearance: Pours a nice clear amber-brown color with a thick off-white head that leaves a nice amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Has a very nice hoppy smell, the bitterness of which is softened by some malts. A bit of grasses are also noticable.

Taste: The beer's flavor is full of nice hops, offset by a smooth malt taste. Some bread and nuts are present as well, along with a mild buttery sensation. Has a very crisp finish with a lightly bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Very slick and somewhat warming, but with a good crisp-ness to it. Minimal carbonation yet a bit tingly.

Drinkability: Goes down well; the taste keeps me interested and doesn't get boring.

A very enjoyable English pale ale that is quite tasty and flavorful. Well-balanced and nice to drink, I'd definitely recommend this and have it again myself.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2007 03:35:59 | More by mithrascruor

mavesba

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Impressed with the smooth, creamy head following the pour, that lasted well past the half way point while drinking it. The taste was well balanced, but a little more hoppy than expected. Based on the aroma and taste, I think I would enjoy this one even more served at a slightly warmer temperature; I pulled it straight from the fridge.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2009 01:51:53 | More by mavesba

Globetrotter

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Found in a Moscow supermarket, this brown half liter bottle is widest at the shoulders, with a short neck and slightly tapered body. The multi-colored label features a fiddler doing his thing in some type of grain field. The Russian import label lists only purity law ingredients. Best before 1/7/07, I opened it on 4/29/06.

Pours a clear apricot-copper hue under a one finger light beige head with nice body and good retention, leaving a few lace spots as it recedes slowly. The nose is sweet and slightly fruity, with a good dose of crisp spice thrown in. The mouth is well-carbonated and fairly light. Nice sweet syrupy malt opening with a touch of raspberry, followed immediately by crisp floral and spice bitter. Touch of coriander, hint of carnation and a bit of espresso are all present. The sweet malt runs well with the assertive bitterness through the finish, with dryness emerging in the aftertaste. I like this a lot - very refreshing, well balanced, good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2006 17:57:21 | More by Globetrotter

Atron67

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Poured a copper orangy color with some cloudiness throughout. a half inch of so of fluff on top that pretty quickly settled down to not much at all.

S- pretty malty scents, some underlying citrusy floral scents but more malt.

T- pretty solid a nice malt flavor that is clean with a nice complexity, ends with a nice light hoppiness that balances the malt very well.

M- medium body with a solid carbonation.

D- nice session, goes down smooth

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2008 21:52:34 | More by Atron67

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This one has been in my basement too long. A rainy evening seems like the perfect time to try it.

Clear, with a moderately steeped Orange Pekoe tea color to it. Whisps of spider-web lacing all down the glass sides.

Floral, yet a rouch grassy. Definitely butter caramel mixed in. A pleaser for the nasal senses.

Definitely hoppy with a certain crispness that settles down once the carbonation let's off a bit. Nice buttery bread malt backbone. Very nice balance. Tea-like dryness and a clinging bitterness that begs you to take another swig.

Maybe it's the wheat or perhaps the initial carbonation lavel, but I like my EPA's just a bit smoother. Body is medium.

Very nice, would be killer on tap.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 03:26:48 | More by Shadman

wahhmaster

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500 ml bottle into a nonic imperial pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a translucent amber color with a foamy, white head that has decent retention and leaves some spotty lacing.

Smell: Malty with buttery notes. Also has grassy and citrusy hints from the hops.

Taste: Starts fairly bitter with grassy and floral flavors. Develops a buttery, malty character as it progresses. Leaves a crisp, hoppy aftertaste. Quite nice...

Mouthfeel: Very smooth with a crisp, clean finish.

Drinkability: A great pale ale. Flavorful, yet easy to drink, I would certainly have this one again, if the opportunity presented itself.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2010 20:41:30 | More by wahhmaster

pweis909

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

25 oz amber bottle (not a clear bottle, as appears in the picture associated with these reviews).

This is an orangey-amber brew that is lightly carbonated, producing a foam that laces the glass as it dissapates.

The aroma is malty, with a slightly minty, floral hop. Some bready, yeastiness apparent, and maybe even some fruitiness.

It delivers a satisfying malt taste, fairly sweet, with a light hoppy bitter finish.

Satisfyingly slick on the tongue.

I don't mind them a little sweet, so I find this brew pretty quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2006 20:51:16 | More by pweis909

plaztikjezuz

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a deep copper color with a off white head that fell into a thick sheet.
smell is very malty with a good hopsack that kinda comes out of the glass to your nose.
the flavor is very malty, carmelized malt, hopsack, citrus, drops off with a lingering minerality
the mouthfeel is pretty good.
beer is very drinkable year round.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2006 04:49:20 | More by plaztikjezuz

terrabyte

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy tan with hints of orange. A decent size head that quickly disappeared.

While the foam was building, I thought I smelled champagne. However, it settled down into a damp yeast smell with a hint of sour oranges or apricots.

Flavor has a slight flowery sweetness with a smooth caramel base. Well balanced with a toasted wheat malt. Ends with a nice twang of grassy hops and sour fruits with just a hint of bitterness.

Mouthfeel was nice and creamy without being overcarbonated.

Quite drinkable due to the lighter ingredients that kept the medium mouth seem lighter.

I obtained a large bottle that forced me to pour myself two glasses worth. I have to say that the second glass (bottom half of the bottle) seemed a little more watery. The top half was much tastier. Next time, I'll use a larger glass to make sure it is all mixed together.

I think this beer was made for me! I'm not a big fan of wheat beers that beg for orange slices. I'm also not a fan of sweets. This beer was a perfect balance between all of those pitfalls. Sourness, sweets, grassy wheats -- all in check here. Some of the watery feelings I got on the second glass are the only reason for lower scores.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2006 02:43:32 | More by terrabyte

Thur123

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ok so, the color of this brew is an almost opaque deer black, with just a tinge of red on the edges. The head was slight and a brownish red color that look nice. The smell is deep and sweet roasted malts. The smell isn't huge but it's rich. There is chocolate and liquorish, with a whiff of caramel as well.

Glug glug glug

Slight hop bitterness in front fades into a roasted coffee rich flavor with anise showing up to on the back end. The mouth feel of this is great, really full and creamy without being to cloying. The aftertaste shows mostly the roast flavor and just a bit of the hops as well, giving this beer a spicy kind of aspect to it. Overall this is a really solid stout, and at 10.99 a sixer and only 6%, I'm only a little bummed.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2009 02:15:12 | More by Thur123

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 500ml brown bottle(room temp) a a medium gold with a lare head of foam that dissipated slowl.

The smell is a sweet and spicy mix of hops and malt that's not subtle at all and that is a good thing.

The taste repeats the smell. Yummy sweet malty goodness up front with an ample background of lemony hops gives this ale such great balance and drinkablility that I find this one to be my favourite of the Wychwood brews!

Bottom line: This is a great sessionable English Pale Ale that I have no qualms about visiting again and again.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2006 17:48:56 | More by Bitterbill

Godot

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a beautiful orange/gold into an english pint. The off white pillowing head crowned the glass beautifully before it dropped back to a solid film leaving tons of lacing. The smell was of subtle lemons, a slight sweet maltiness, and maybe a little straw. The taste is a well balanced mixture of a slight hop bite up front, a rounded malty breadiness with some buttery notes of yeast, and finishing with a lingering bitterness, though by no means overpowering. This is why I love english pale ales, and this is a wonderful example of the style. American pale ales are great in their own right, but english pale ales have this reserved character that only opens up when you really pay attention. I could drink this one all day long and never tire of it.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2008 23:24:31 | More by Godot

lamergod

Singapore

4.18/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

App: Nice copperish orange coloru with light carbonation and a 1 finger head. Has a head of a typical southern english pint that does not stick very long and ends up being a strand of foam at the top.

Smell: Nice malty goodness upfront with some notes oft toffees and caramel. Finishes with a note of hops

Taste: Very similar to the smell. Very well balanced between the sweetness and biterness. Best EPA I have drank thus far.

Mouthfeel: Very light carbonation, hence a very light body. Smooth down the throat, just like every pint should be during the world cup.

Drinkability: Very very drinkable. Definetly can see myself downing a few pints with some mates at a pub. A great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2010 01:43:35 | More by lamergod

eb003

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another brew I enjoyed. The appearance is a bit darker than honey. The smell reminded me of hints of citrus, actually. I know some others said bananas, but I smelled citrus. I also thought there was a citrus undertone to the taste. It's very clean and light. What little aftertaste there is, is very clean. The mouthfeel is very good...it does leave you lingering for another sip. I rate this high on drinkability because it's a good, refreshing ale.

It's definitely worth a try. It's a truly enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2006 01:02:43 | More by eb003