WychCraft - Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- always a good look from these guys. i mean the packaging AND the beer. dense and very creamy off white head with a hint of yellow to it. body is a lovely murky unfiltered dirty peach flesh color with golden highlights along the bottom and side of my imperial pint glass. foam settles down to a dense disk, eventually breaking up into patterns like lichens on a tree or tasty looking pond scum floating on the surface. very nice drippy lace as well and some well defined sippin' rings.

S- very english and fruity, smells like the beach to me which means it smells like st peter's english ale or ruddles county. big caramel and toffee creamy buttery sweetness balanced with just the right amount of lemony orange apricot fruity tartness.some grassy, vanilla, and richly earthy notes weave their way around a very fresh grainy cereal base. granola. meuslix. wonderful.

T- less sweet and much drier in the flavor than aroma. full grainy flavors are typed here in capital letters, underlined by a delicate caligraphic swirl of citrus, grassy, earthy, and politely bitter hops. mild toffee flavors linger in the back with some notes of roasted grain or coffee. hop flavor becomes prominent in the finish as the grains begin to fade, leaving minute traces of sweetness on my drying cheeks. somewhat tart, yeasty aftertaste with a hint of grain.

MF- even with the pretty face, sweety fruity aroma, and complex flavor, the feel might be the gem of this brew. soft almost nitro carbonation lies within this ultra plush memory foam of a beer.

D- low alcohol and great all around. i love this brewery. wychcraft is a great session ale perfect for the end of summer.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 21:51:19 | More by hustlesworth

mwalters

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle with great image and packaging. I like the shape and feel of the bottle in my hand. The label says that this is a thrice hopped golden ale. I was different than most of the other Wychwood ales, except Scarecrow, being that it was lighter and easier to drink. I like the ligh mouthfeel, but you still feel and taste that typical English maltiness. This beer will be easier for most people to drink due to it's lighness. It was not overly hoppy, but pleasent. I likes the light malt flavor. The smell was clean and balanced, plus I did like to golden color of tye beer in my Hobgoblin glass.It was not my favorite Wychwood beer, but I would definately buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2006 19:08:24 | More by mwalters

EPseja

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to BA yelterdow for the hookup. Served from a unqiue Wychwood 500ml bottle in my SABL glass at just below cellar temperature.

A - Golden yellow in color with orange highlights. Creamy, frothy 1-inch head with decent retention and modest lacing.

S - Lovely, honey-buttered biscuity English malts under a blanket of crispy Styrian Goldings hops. I wish I knew that from the smell alone, but I had to read the label for the exact hop variety. Inviting.

T - Lightly sweet with honeyed tones and a bright citrusy-floral hop bouquet. Refreshing middle as the malts yield to the fothcoming hops. Dries out only slightly just before the swallow. Aftertaste is bitter, but certainly not offputting. Excellent balance.

M - The perfect puff of volume in the mouth turns this modestly viscous beer into a velvet throw for the tongue. Swallow is slick and satisfying. Fantastic.

D - Low ABV and high taste. This is one seriously excellent and supremely drinkable beer. I could easily put away 2L of this beer without blinking. Its great balance has officially turned me way on to English Pale Ales.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 01:41:59 | More by EPseja

Hajile

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance
A full finger of snow white foam that dissipated quickly. A gold body with light carb. Color like a Irish Whiskey (Wolfhound).

SMELL
Very strong fruity smell at first then the malts and earth tones overpower it (in a good way).

MOUTHFEEL
Light (expected from a blond ale) but refreshing.

OVERALL
Great beer in the fall to wash down after a couple Oktoberfest!!

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 22:09:21 | More by Hajile

colts9016

Idaho

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

Poured into a pint glass at 40 degrees.

Appearance: A very healthy 1 finger white head that is foamy and frothy with great retention. The color of the beer is amber with orange hues. There is effervescence in the beer and the clarity of the beer is hazy. The head is leaving lacing on the glass.

Nose: A moderate yeasty malt caramel aroma. There is a mild to moderate fruity esters some floral and a little wood.

Taste: Fruity ester, pine, and floral are on the medium side. The malt is slightly caramel, and yeasty.

Overall: The mouth feel is a low carbonation, smooth, and creamy. The body of the beer medium and the finish is medium. This is a wonderful example of an English Pale Ale. Wychcraft has very nice flavors and is easy to drink. I really like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2009 00:16:20 | More by colts9016

Offa

California

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

This is a very good, clean, tasty, lightly bitter English ale. The first time I had it, some time ago, I was not that impressed, but when I tried it again much later, I discovered that it actually has a lot of flavour, nice levels of sweetness and bitterness, and light but interesting complexity.

Faintly hazy orange, it has a big off-white head slowly shrinking to a thin lasting had and leaves some pretty good lace.

The aroma is bready malty with lemon, sweet grapes, grass, and some other fruitiness, hard to define.

The taste is light, zesty, very fruity with apricots, lemon, bready-grapey sweetnessn and a dry, leafy finish with some citrus. It is lightly sweet, with the light tartness and slightly stronger bitterness balancing, the bitterness slightly taking over in the finish. It's highly refreshing and very tasty, a good alternative to something like a kolsch.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2008 23:31:39 | More by Offa

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Recommended by a Marrika's bartender. It took one sip to agree that this guy knew what he was talking about. This is one terrific beer. A solid English Pale malt brew with emphasis on orange and appricot flavors and aromas. A series of healty hoppings of English hops lends a supurb balance, juicy fruit flavors, and appealing earthy aromas. Ripe and fresh flavors and aroma abound. Medium feel and remains firm throughout. Finishes with a nice blend of fruity sweetness and hop flavor / bittering. A true English IPA and the best beer that Wychwood makes.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2006 03:11:04 | More by BEERchitect

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.33/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow, Wychwood's other offerings had given me low expectations. This is one solid pale ale. Translucent golden orangey color, peppery Fuggles hop aroma. Not much head, but the lace tracks thick and long.

Burst of English hop flavor, not too bitter but an involved hop interaction: Styrian and Fuggles blend, never competing, no bitterness left. Easy drinking pale ale finishes dry, a little bready finish with the yeast and pale malts cleansing the palate. Very delicate, nicely done, will stand up to flavorful dishes without overpowering simpler ones. Terrific for the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2007 01:41:40 | More by BretSikkink

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Standard English pale ale. Amber colour with a white head. Nothing out of the ordinary. Malt nose with a bit of hop bitterness. Hops are a bit more pronounced in the flavour, but the malts still demand some attention. Carbonation is decent, and this is a good session ale. By no means is this the best EPA I've had, but I've had worse.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2007 06:02:57 | More by BDTyre

lamergod

Singapore

4.3/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

App: half finger fizzy white head with a nice bright yellow carbonated body.

Smell: A strong floral hops smell up front, some nice toast malts, a little bread aroma with some orange smell. A very well balanced smell.

Taste: Same as the smell. Bitter aftertaste is present.

Mouthfeel. Mouthfeel is good, light bodied and smooth.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable. Definetly a session beer. Sure can down a few pint.

Highly recommended! Nice complexity and lots of flavour and character to the brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2010 06:59:31 | More by lamergod

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

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

Poured into my Erdinger weizen glass.

A: Pours a golden, amber-yellow with a reddish hue and a nice fluffy two-finger head of white foam which settles to some rocky foam and nice lacing.

S: Smells sweet and a little fruity. There are some spicy notes from the hops, but nothing too overbearing.

T: Interesting concoction of fruity, bitter hops and sweet tasting grainy malts. An interesting infused berry tone comes through in the finish, perhaps cran- or straw-, but the varying types and degrees of hops are thrice-noted.

M: Mouthfeel is is light bodied and a little creamy. Slight sting from the hops, but mellowed nicely by malts.

D: Since the ABV is honest and low enough, and since this brew really does quite good, I could see drinking this English Ale on a regular basis.

I was impressed by this English brewery's Hobgoblin brown ale, and their Wychcraft pale ale is a very nice follow up. I'd liek to try and find more styles from this great International brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2007 04:13:43 | More by Gambrinus1184

velkyal

Virginia

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

The label describes Wychcraft as a blonde beer combining the four elements to "create a truly magical brew". Wychcraft pours a fantastic amber colour, with a nice head that doesn't fade too quickly and leaves some slight lacing down the glass. The first thing which hit me was a very citrusy smell, probably from the fact that this is "thrice hopped" - eventually that citrus would define itself more clearly as a combination of grapefruit, lime and marmalade, getting sweeter as time went on. There is a nice refreshing tartness to the beer, and having been hopped three times, hops are clearly at the forefront of both nose and taste. With such a citrus element to the beer it is unsurprisingly zingy on the tongue, although I found it left a slight catch in the back of my throat. In general though it is a nice refreshing beer I could happily imagine drinking in a beer garden over a Ploughman's lunch.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2008 07:46:04 | More by velkyal

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

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

500 ml bottle.

you gotta love the embossed Witches on broomsticks all around the bottle!

a hazed-out amber with light blonde hues. clumpy and rocky formed head, creamy color, slow dissipation and mildly sticky lace. a very nice look.

Herbal and earthy hops, wheat and white pepper upfront. A faint but sweet light malt. The Styrian golding hops are very aromatic and inviting. I love the simple, hearty and grainy aroma.

A light golden malt is crisp with wheat and dried herbs, along with an earthy and simple hop flavor that really shines through. Crisp and clean, mildly sweet malt makes for great balance and has very good complexity from the hearty, earthy, herbal and dry Golding hops. Tons of complexity from very simple ingredients gets bonus points from me.

I must be under a spell, 'cause i love this brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 19:33:45 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

fullsweep

United Kingdom (England)

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 mL poured into a glass.

So far, this is by far my favorite/most interesting English pale ale I've tried.

Pours with a nice and thick off-white head that dissipates within a few minutes leaving some minor lacing. The color underneath is a golden-brown/light amber, very nice!

I wasn't getting much in the smells department.

Flavor is where this beer shines. Flavors include honey (although not an ingredient), citrus and a nice bitter aftertaste that complements the sweetness. The drink mellows and gets even more smooth as it sits (I drink slowly).

Great beer. This is the 2nd one I've tried from this brewery now and they're 2 for 2.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2009 21:24:58 | More by fullsweep

santomark

California

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

Poured a 500ml into a pint sized glass.

A: This beer glows a nice gold color, with a light head.

S: first thing I notice when i smell this beer is the pale hops, then the spices and finally the citrus.

T: Like the smell of this beer the first thing I taste is the pale hops, then it finishes with a nice refreshing citrus, honey, and caramel note.

M: This beer wasn't that smooth, but it was nicely carbonated and crisp.

D: This is a good beer, that for some reason always leaves me wanting more. Its a good relaxing beer.

This beer is a bit pricey, but well worth it if your looking for a great blonde ale that is well balanced. If you don't like blonde ales, don't bother purchasing/drinking it, because you probably won't like it and you'll regret spending the money on it.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 08:11:35 | More by santomark

elniko

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 500ml bottle into pint glass. No date makings that I could discern.

A: Glowing rich amber with nice frothy head and lacing. A very nice looking brew.

S: Has that distinctive English pale ale nose. Almost musty tones with some graininess mixed in. As it warmed some light fruit tones become apparent as well. The smell is the only thing that I did not find to be outstanding in this brew.

T & M: Medium bodied and perfectly balanced. It is almost refreshing to have an EPA actually made in England by a fine brewery. Finish is quite crisp. I pick up some apple notes as well.

D: Damn, I wasn't sure what to expect with this beer as I bought on a whim. I will definitely be picking up again if I can find it in the Metroplex.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2009 19:33:29 | More by elniko

Braudog

Virginia

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

From a 1/2-litre, this poured with a shiny orange-copper color with a rocky head ... is this an Englishman impersonating an American? The aroma almost says yes ... sweetly hoppy and inviting. In the first swallow, the endeavor slows ... this is much maltier and biscuity than its American cousins. indeed this dry, subtly balanced is elegantly balanced ... the hops are penned in, but ready to rumble in the background of this excellent beer. (#2699, 2/13/2007)

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2007 01:08:07 | More by Braudog

assurbanipaul

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a light gold with brilliant clarity and a firm frothy white head. Aroma is very light, some toasty pale malts and a hint of hops.

Taste is light pale malt and a nice, golden hop bitterness. Very light and biscuity flavors but with a good, lightly bitter hop flavor. An overall balance between earthy dry and butter sweetness, very mild.

Mouthfeel is light and very smooth. This may not bring a power punch to the flavor but this is a delightfully balanced and delicate beer. I would gladly session this over and over.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2006 03:26:46 | More by assurbanipaul

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

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

Appearance: Pours a clear, light copper body with a full, white head.

Smell: Light, biscuity aroma with light notes of caramel, oranges, and white pepper.

Taste: Touch of biscuits, a touch a caramel, with just a mild sweetness. Hint of marmalade. Dash of still mineral water. Mild hop bitterness. Taste of white pepper emerging near the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Surprisingly nice. After careful consideration, I have decided this to be a fine, refreshing English ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2008 03:03:38 | More by ChainGangGuy

barleypopmaker

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The aroma is not overpowering as some American Pale Ales are, the aroma is more even. In this beer you get some of the citrus aroma as well as a floral hop aroma. It is almost like orange blossoms. There is a very unique malt aroma in that it is like a sweet toffee and bready combination, sort of like the crust of the bread. There is also a masked fruitiness that lies under the main aromas, most commonly this is from an English variety of ale yeast. In this case the level is low.
The beer pours a nice orange and goldish color with just a little bit of haze. There was a rocky head that dissipated fairly fast as well as some particulates floating in the beer. I was not aware that this was a bottle conditioned beer, but it may also be some hop sediment if the beer was dry hopped.
The flavor of this beer is quite nice. There is a soft caramel malt flavor as well as some malty sweetness and crusty break like notes, but overall fairly balanced. The hop flavor is like bitter orange, and has a moderate amount of bite to it. The bitterness is not bracing or overpowering, but it is noticeable. There is also a generic fruity quality to it as well (By generic I mean it tastes like a combination of fruits and not one specific fruit in general). This particular bottle of beer seems to be a bit oxidized, and this is common with imported beers (oxidized is not skunky, skunkiness is caused by the beer coming in excessive contact with light which causes a chemical reaction with the hops in the beer). The oxidation in this beer is a paper-like feeling and flavor on the tongue. This beer is not excessively oxidized, but just slightly and I thought it was worth mentioning.
Mouthfeel is in the lower end of the medium range and has no noticeable astringency. It has a nice feel to it.
Overall, I really like this beer and could drink it all night long. The bitterness and sweetness balance out very nice and the flavors work well together. The use of the citrusy hops is uncommon in an English style Pale Ale, but the meld between the malt and hops are very much signature English Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2009 22:29:41 | More by barleypopmaker

Frozensoul327

Michigan

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

A: Vibrant yellow orange color with a lavish head of white foam. Lots of lace, medium level of carbonation. A touch of haze over an otherwise clear beer.

S: Dry hops and fresh husk. Hints of sweet fruits and earthy aromas. A touch of light woodiness. Nice

T: Malted barley, sweet hops and grain. Light straw, earthy wood and grass. Very nice, not too powerful, yet still flavorful.

M: A touch of density and carbonation keeps this in the zone of enjoyment. The ghost of hop oil is left behind after the beer is gone.

D: Yes, i'll have another. And another. Very well crafted, another winner from Wychwood.

Notes: I'd like to see this one hopped up and turned into an English IPA. That'd be interesting...

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2006 01:29:03 | More by Frozensoul327

Opethsprite

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Neat bottle! It is a burnt orange color in the glass with a thin, off-white head which lingers despite its lack of volume, and leaves nice lacing. Its nose is subtle, mostly consisting of hops, raisins, and metal. The flavor is exceedingly complex with many different phases...this could be difficult to describe... The hops and raisins really come through brilliantly, and the metal element backs it nicely. It is a hearty beer, and an excellent choice for the present season (fall). This is really worth trying, my friends.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2007 03:19:50 | More by Opethsprite

BeerSox

Virginia

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

400ml bottle into pint glass.

Slightly hazy golden color with a thick and dense pearly white head that leaves a thick solid wall of lacing down the glass.

The aroma is some light bready malt with some grassy hops. Nothing too overpowering. A slight scent of diacetyl.

The taste is light and grainy malts with a bit of hoppiness. A slight creaminess shows up in the middle. Medium bodied with low carbonation. The finish is light and grainy.

This is a really drinkable ale, just about what you would want from an English Pale Ale. A great session ale too. Unfortuneately, even though this one is pretty good, it's probably past its prime after coming overseas. I would love to try this on cask in England. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 05:36:28 | More by BeerSox

JamesS

Indiana

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

Pours a very nice light copper/dark yellow color with some very nice head and decent lacing throughout. Very nice scent, mostly English hops (Fuggles I'm guessing, from the jerky aroma) with a nice malt backing. Good taste, a very nice bitter brew with jerky/egg hops and a nice malt body to sweeten it out. Goes down smooth and easy. Probably one of my favorite English standard pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2009 00:38:48 | More by JamesS

BeefyMee

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Golden straw colored with a nice head. Oily hops are very noticeable in the taste and smell but never really assert themselves. There's an initial bready characteristic followed by a sweetness as it warms. This is a very pleasant beer that I could certainly drink in large quantities. Though it's not all that exciting, it is the kind of beer you wouldn't mind drinking all night.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2007 00:57:26 | More by BeefyMee