Harveys Armada Ale - Harvey & Son Ltd.

Erzengel

Germany

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

In the glass the beer has a light amber colour with a white, fine-pored head.
It starts smooth, slightly bitter with the typical omnipresent Ale-flavour. In the middle there comes an interesting caramel-tone in combination with a smooth and very light sweetness. The hop-bitterness remains in the background, but is still present in the ensemble.
The aftertaste is medium-long lasting, a fine combination between the hops and the light sweetness with the typical Ale-aromas.
--> Nice and light Bitter!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 19:19:48 | More by Erzengel

JohnW

United Kingdom (England)

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This Harvey's beer is probably my favorite from their range of cask beers. Served from hand pump (in The Royal Oak, Tabard St London) pours medium gold colour, clear, though little head. Aroma is mix of malts and resiny hops, though well balanced and appealing. Taste matches the aromas, just a tiny hint of malt sweetness to start, but the bitterness and oily hop flavours come through in a well balanced and happy combination. A slight citrus hint too, but all kept in balance so non overpowers the other. Very easy to drink, refreshing, the sort of beer I really enjoy - medium texture, tasty and satisfying.

JohnW
B'ham UK April 2009

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2009 08:10:56 | More by JohnW

paterlodie

Belgium

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poors out with hrdly any head, just some laces. Beercolor is amber brown with white haze. Nose is very malty, porty and hops bathing in a roasty surrounding. Taste is maltysweet, oxidated but good oaky taste. Nice bitterness again combined with litle smoky roast makes it a plesant beer. Mouthfeel is ok and I don't mis the carbonisation that's not there( should it?). Taste and bitterness do it well without. Drinkability is good even for one not used to this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2005 19:59:57 | More by paterlodie

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer should be termed as a Premium Bitter, according to Harvey's own website. When I lived in Brighton it was available extensively in almost every Harvey's tied house in that region (Sussex county), because people truly like it. And so they should, I think, for the sweet-toothed Harvey drinkers. For, in my own point of view (and, as a CAMRA student-member for only 5 years, my opinion could well be biased), the whole range of Harvey's ales tend to be subtlely hopped with more pronounced maltiness as the dominting note. Hence my impression of their ales as slightly sweeter than others. But this one, Armada, has a nice and pleasant citric kick on top of balanced hoppyness...

This time I tried it by half-pint, at the Lord Nelson pub close to the Brighton train station, a very friendly pub with mixed clientele which serves the whole range of Harvey's regulars and seasonals on draught and bottles, with a real cider always on draught as well.

Appearance: it has nice, clear, copper/dark amber colour, with a minimalist beerhead; the carbonation is very limited.
Smell: smells of oily grapefruit-peel, slightly tartly-sweet.
Taste and aftertaste: Great!!--dryish and hoppy, balanced with fruity, wheat-like sweet palate; in the background there is very round, "vertical", lingering hoppyness which adds to the pleasant bitterness left in my throat.
Drinkability: it certainly is my "cup of tea"; but some locals at my local pub "the Mitre" in Brighton were once astonished to catch me drinking three pints of this stuff: "is it not too sweet and strong for a bitter?", they asked. They have to try it themselves.

Serving type: cask

04-22-2005 13:51:30 | More by wl0307