Hen's Tooth
Greene King / Morland Brewery

Hen's ToothHen's Tooth
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From:
Greene King / Morland Brewery
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English Strong Ale
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
79
Avg:
3.46 | pDev: 16.76%
Reviews:
236
Ratings:
370
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 09, 2021
Added:
Jul 02, 2001
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  31
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4.03 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 09, 2021
 
Rated: 3.23 by lhwjanssen from Netherlands

Jul 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.03 by Ceddd99 from Michigan

Jun 29, 2019
Photo of Nass
Reviewed by Nass from Florida

2.6/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
There is nothing much to some about the Hen's Tooth. This is just a bitter drink without much flavor to carry the bitterness through. There is some slight toffee & caramel there but its being overwhelmed by the bitterness. Cheers! C
Nov 06, 2018
Photo of danmouer
Reviewed by danmouer from Virginia

3.61/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This is the Old Speckled Hen's big sister. My first glance of a big strong bitter in a flint glass bottle set me looking for some freshness faults, and I surely did find a few. Nonetheless, this is my sort of beer, writ large. It poured into my pint beautifully clear with a fat huge head that settles down to a quarter-inch cap and holds it. Beautiful deep amber hue.

The aroma is what I expect, but in this case with more than a touch of oxidation. This bottle has, of course, travelled across the pond and sat for heaven-only-knows in my local beer shop waiting for me to come rescue it. That aroma of sweet malt and earthy--I want to guess maybe Challenger--hops is numbed and tainted a bit with that distraction, but augmented a bit with a puff of alcohol.

This is a nicely mouth-filling ale that pleases every bit of the mouth, the nose and the throat. Rich full body with a moderately hefty maltiness, a good element of caramel sweetness and all balanced by a hefty hop backbone. It goes down smooth and easy, leaves you chewing the afterglow and readying for more. But don't be too anxious. At 6.5 abv, this isn't exactly the "same-again" session beer you enjoyed at your last pub visit.

Bottom line, I suspect that this bottle conditioned real ale was a prize winner back in Suffolk when it went into its bottle, but even with big abv and reasonably big ibu, it just hasn't travelled all that well. So let me go see if my favorite publican can figure out how to get hold of a cask...
Aug 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by nrdcp from England

Aug 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.05 by Macamah from England

Jul 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.47 by kkmiller76 from New Jersey

May 01, 2017
 
Rated: 3.18 by rangerred from Tennessee

Apr 01, 2017
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: brilliant deep copper capped by a 2" cream to tan layer of foam that drops to 1/2" moderately fast and then stays producing light lace.

S: Moderately low aromas of malt, treacle, nuts, light fruit, spice and dank wood rise from the glass.

T: The flavors are moderate to moderately low starting lightly sweet leading to a crisp weak black tea bitter finish. Malt flavors of grain, nuts and treacle are medium to medium low. Hints of peach are in the background. The bitterness is moderate to moderately high. Alcohol is barely noticeable.

F: medium body and medium low carbonation. The balance leans ever so slightly to the malt.

O: good but not outstanding British Strong Ale
Mar 30, 2017
Photo of Whatsmyname4
Reviewed by Whatsmyname4 from Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I'm tasting this for the second time. It's been a few months since I first tried it. This bottle pours with a ridiculous amount of head, about three fingers deep. Foam has some tight lacing that fades down after a couple of minutes to about a half an inch high. Color is a medium amber color. Smell is yeasty/bready and a little metallic, with hints of butterscotch. Feel is light to medium bodied. The taste is mix of malty, bitter, dank, earthy, skunky, and buttery, with hints of alcoholic heat.

I could see how some wouldn't like this, but I'm enjoying it the second time around. The current score on BA seems a bit harsh. It's probably best enjoyed occasionally by the slightly adventurous.
Nov 06, 2016
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Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.14/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I tried the Hen's Tooth at Montanos in Roanoke. The beer poured a clear copper with thin white head that is not leaving any lace. The scent was skunky. The taste was bitter through the drink. Definitely an English style ale. The Mouthfeel was lighter in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's ok...smells awful bit worth a try.
Oct 20, 2016
Photo of vinicole
Reviewed by vinicole from England

3.62/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Rich clear amber colour. Thick frothy head which lingers. Gentle effervescence.
Sweet malt and hops. A rather jarring aroma.
Toffee flavour. Sweet butterscotch. Some vanilla? Quite complex but not balanced.
The bottle conditioning lends this brew a smooth profile.
Jul 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by corybills from Texas

Jul 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by Squire from Mississippi

Jun 29, 2016
Photo of rupert_turtleman
Reviewed by rupert_turtleman from California

4.07/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Aggressive pour in a full pint glass led to about 4 fingers of head, but I let it settle before pouring the rest after giving the yeast in the bottle a good swirl. Also, I let it sit for a bit after taking it out of the fridge to let it get to cellar temp (about 50 degrees). Solid cloudy brown amber color with heavy lacing. Smell was a bit floral but not as strong as the malty taste. Very complex flavor with malty sweetness (vanilla and toffee) along the sides of the tongue that mask the 6.5% ABV even with the warmer drinking temp. Very smooth with low carbonation after letting it settle. Overall, was pleased that it wasn't skunky given the clear bottle. Reminded me of "real ales" from London pubs. I'm thinking a tilted pour with a small head leaves the bitterness that others have mentioned. Drink the yeast!
Jun 09, 2016
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Rated by deleted_user_1134347

4.6/5  rDev +32.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I love this brew. One of my favorites. Not easy to find around here in Budweiser land.
Apr 16, 2016
Photo of Dentist666
Reviewed by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

3.36/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Poured into pint.
Pours not very clear copper/amber beer with sediment & thick beige head, good retention.
Smell - caramel, oak, slightly fruity.
Taste - sweet malts, toffee, english herbal hops in the finish, somewhat stale.
Medium body, soft carbonation.
Apr 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.78 by ccanterbury from Virginia

Mar 27, 2016
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Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.54/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Nice rich dark brown color, with small head, but leaves sticky lacing on glass. Aroma is whiskey, molasses, oak. Flavor is bitter, nutty, burnt toast. A nice tasty ale....
Jan 19, 2016
Hen's Tooth from Greene King / Morland Brewery
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 370 ratings