Fiddler's Elbow - Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd

Darkale

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Aroma is sharp and sour -- I agree with those reviewers who do not think that it is pleasant, but it is interesting, and fortunately does not carry over into the taste of the beer.

Very clear body, clear dark gold, with a moderate head that seems to come from nowhere, because I can hardly detect any carbonation trails in the beer. Moderate lacing.

Very clean taste. Mouthfeel is crisp and brisk, raspy, but just creamy enough for balance. Hints of citrus and fruit, just like a good little pale ale should have, combined with a nice hops burn.

I could drink more than one of these. For those accustomed to the American Pale Ale, this is an intriguing counterpoint.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2003 13:30:39 | More by Darkale

granger10

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It had a kind of skunky scent to it that I didn't care for. And the appearance was lighter than I would have liked. But there was a nice head to it. I noticed a definite bready maltiness to it. A big hop bite came through towards the end and in the aftertaste. A pretty aggressive beer. I could drink this one again!

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2003 02:57:47 | More by granger10

Indybeer

Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

500ml bottle. When I picked up this bottle it was a golden orange almost an ice tea color. When I pulled it out of the frige it was a cloudy orange, looking almost like a weizen. Pours with very little head and leaves no real lace on the glass. The aroma of citrus with a hint of malt and hops. The flavor is slightly malty with a citrus tang and a slightly bitter finish from the hops. Goes done easily and is quite refreshing. A thoroughly pleasant experiance. Another English ale reminding me of the time I spent in the UK

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2003 18:31:58 | More by Indybeer

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours with a moderate head and leaving some lace. Sweet nose from the malts. Good mix of malts and hops but not overpowering in either. Nearly clear just a slight haze - no noticeable yeast - nothing settling out. Fairly smooth and light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2003 18:08:43 | More by jdhilt

far333

Connecticut

3.83/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very detailed and artistic illustration of a fiddler on the label of a 500 ml bottle with raised flying witch logo and raised lettering at bottom front saying "Fiercely Independent." Beer is deep amber with a small bit of haze, perhaps from sediment. Head is a nice beige and lingers. Aroma is of flowers and citrus, but not strong. Medium carbonation hits the tongue, and a full creamy mouthfeel fills the mouth. The flavor is much bigger and rounder than the aroma suggests. There is a rich roasted malt flavor, balanced with mild hoppiness, plus slight hints of honey. There is a mild hop aftertaste, but it's very understated. This beer is VERY drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2003 15:42:20 | More by far333

greebz

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

When I bought this, it was a nice looking golden-orange color, but upon refrigeration it turned slightly hazy/cloudy. Poured with very little head or lace. Not much aroma nor hop flavor when cold, however as it warmed, some hop bite did come through. Not very long lasting however. It has a clean finish and went down fairly easy. Not much to get excited about, though nothing offensive either. I agree with Thrasher that the label was probably the best thing about this beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2003 16:55:37 | More by greebz

Thrasher

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tawny orange with medium head. Aroma of delicate malts, light hops, slightly musty. Some skunkiness which faded away as the beer sat in the glass. Flavors of tart apple, bread crusts, light herbs and spices, with a strong orange undertone. Very successful spiciness to this beer, which belies its sweet, subtle malt base. Smooth mouthfeel. Lingering citric finish that grows a little tiresome. Certainly enjoyable, but the wonderful name and psychedelic picture on the bottle were the high points of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2002 15:01:21 | More by Thrasher

John

New York

3.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Hazy golden color. Head is whipped creamy. Skunk smells are getting in the way of what might be pleasant yeasty doughyness, light notes of roasted malt. Flavors that make it beyond the skunkiness; some fruitiness...apple, pear, white grape and leafy hops, all are pleasant. Good, but could've been much better.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2002 15:08:48 | More by John

Shiloh

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My compliments to the brewers...they have given us a smooth full bodied English ale that has no lingering after taste. Sweeter than I had anticipated but certainly not over the edge. I will keep this ale in mind.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 16:26:01 | More by Shiloh

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

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The color looks a bit like a slightly cloudy apple juice, with a decent sticky, creamy off-white colored head. On the nose there is a nice fruity citrus smell. It’s pretty much the same story on the palate, nice citric / fruity bitterness and a light bready flavor, and a nice sweetness. Nice smooth and somewhat tingly mouth feel. Overall I enjoyed it, very good pale ale… another good brew from Wychwood.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2002 17:46:26 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

mickeymac

California

3.05/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It's amber with a pretty thin white head. I've been wanting to try this one for a while and was very disappointed to be hit with a nose full of skunkiness, despite the fact that my shop takes good care of its beer. The bottle looks nice, but if this is the price to pay, it's definitely not worth it. The taste is a bit underwhelming: hops and malt flavor both are on the low end of the scale. Maybe I just got a bad bottle, but at $4.00 for a 500 ml bottle, I won't be running back to the store give it another chance.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2002 19:05:53 | More by mickeymac

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

1.85/5  rDev -48.8%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Quite thin, sweet, and even a bit cloying, once again, lose the clear bottles. I'm not really a fan of this, a bit of a strange taste, like there others.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2002 16:17:39 | More by rastaman

inebrius

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light copper with a pleasant lace. Bready malty mildly floral nose. Well balanced. Somewhat fruity malty start ends oily hop flavor with a clinging bitterness. This beer grew on me as I drank. It's hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are nicely crafted, with enough malt spine to make it legitimate.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2002 11:30:31 | More by inebrius

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