Twelve Days - Hook Norton Brewery Co. Ltd.

bark

Sweden

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

The colour is deep brown; the finger thick head is pale brown and firm. Some lacing occurs.

The smell is generous and very malty with roasted notes (nuts, chocolate). Some dry notes of dried fruits, dark bread and caramel.

The taste is powerful with roasted notes of nuts and black coffee. Very dry notes with bitter hints, some rye bread, dried apricots and green apples. The body is quite weak. The aftertaste is dominated by dry roasted flavours too; coffee, earthy fruity malts and a hint of dark chocolate and toffee. The finish is fresh with a somewhat metallic bitterness.

The carbonation is mild; the bubbles very small. The liquid is smooth.

Some more body and a little less metal in the aftertaste, this would be a very fine winter ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2008 19:51:04 | More by bark

mdwalsh

Iowa

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Big, 4 finger brown head on a dark black/brown beer. Lots of bubbles in this one and alright lace. Seems a little weak.

S: Roasted, carmelized nuts, a lot of peanut in particular. No hops, no spices, and nothing to strong.

T: Again, slightly nutty, but I get a slight burnt grain, though it's very hidden. More nuttyness, though in the taste it seems more walnut than peanut. Still no hops, and less sweet than I had hoped from the smell. This just doesn't fit a style for me. Not the flavor of a winter warmer, somewhere awkward between a brown and a strong ale.

M: Too light for an x-mas beer by a hair.

D: It's drinkable, but not in the good way.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 04:33:32 | More by mdwalsh

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured out as a nice brownish red color with a tan head. The head sinks down to a thin white film that lays over the top of the beer. This beer Wasn't really a holiday beer to me, I suppose there were some spices in it but it wasn't very pronounced. This brew get a little better tasting once it warms up a bit. This beer might be ideal having it from a cask.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 03:20:03 | More by Knapp85

PolarBear3

Australia

3.24/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a darkish mahogany colour with an tanned head that retains fairly well

S - nutty aromas with some dark sweet malts and a hint of chocolate

T - Roasted malt, nutty , earthy flavours with a a hint of coffee and dark chocolate coffee together a little bitterness at the finish

M - medium bodied and medium carbonation

O - Promised alot at first with pleasant aromas upfront. I was slightly disappointed with the taste which lacks a little intensity and complex flavours to that of a good dark ale. But nonetheless very drinkable on a cold winters evening.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 09:39:54 | More by PolarBear3

theopholis

California

3.2/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- The body is a clear, dark reddish-brown in color. No effervescence, and very little head. Looks like a flat Coke. What little head it had was a beige, slightly foamy head with absolutely no retention at all.

Aroma- Mostly malty with some caramelized sugar. Just enough bittering hops in the nose to let you know it's a beer.

Taste- Nice balance of maltiness, malt sweetness and bittering hops. Doesn't have the dark fruits and powerful esters you might expect from a strong ale, but pleasant all the same.

Mouthfeel-: A bit over-carbonated for the style. The body is light for the style, but it seems to work.

Drinkability- Not a great example of the style, but quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2007 06:42:52 | More by theopholis

heygeebee

Australia

3.2/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

BB Nov 12

Pours dark brown. Fluffy dirty-off-white head crackles and bubbles. Spotty lace.

Malt driven aromas. Moderate. More figs dates prunes than toffees and caramels.

Taste is much more roast malt driven. Almost burnt malt / toast. Didn't see that one coming. Dry finish.

Mouthfeel medium bodied, low carbonation.

Overall, a bit one dimensional, and dry. Add 0.5 for the Aus price point.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 08:49:13 | More by heygeebee

shleepy

California

3.1/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served from bottle into tulip glasses. Writing based on 2-week-old notes.

A: Dark brown, fluffy head. So far, so good.

S: Toffee, caramel. Not too interesting.

T: Burned caramel. Very toasty, to the point of bitterness, but balanced by sweetness. Leather, prunes.

M: Medium body and carbonation.

O: It's alright for a UK beer, but not spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 03:48:29 | More by shleepy

dalri

California

3.08/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A strong porter - chesnuts, caramel, woodsmoke, dried fruit like raisins, fits in perfectly with the holidays as a warming, thick brew -I'm not much of a porter lover, but this was quite drinkable. Bottle tasted only. Color is bread crust brown, texture is very smooth

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2007 19:48:54 | More by dalri

DogFood11

California

3.08/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured 16.9oz of this brew into a stemmed tulip. It has a ruby red body and the head was a medium tan. Head falls to a skim layer on top and its loose.

The aroma doesn't jump out at ya. Very subtle nose on this. Roasted malts and a touch of dark fruits come to the surface. Carbonation is laid back. Some astringency and watered towards the middle and then drys up ok in the finish. Not much spice or much of anything to write home about. Tobacco aftertaste. Its a rather boring ale.

Notes: I wouldn't classify this as approachable even with its laid back style. It has some issues with the bitter side that doesn't translate well on the palate. Malt bill is the best part of this and would make it worthy if they can figure out the other side. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2008 02:10:25 | More by DogFood11

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Dark cola brown with a small head that recedes in a few moments, leaving but a faint trace of lacing.

S: The aroma is earthy, fruity, malty.

T: The beer is sweet and fruity, with notes of pears, apples, raisins, malt, toast, toffee, and alcohol. As I make my way through the glass, the sweetness becomes overwhelming. A few ounces was plenty.

M: Medium-thin in body with a fairly low level of carbonation.

D: Not something I would repeat. It was fun for a while, but this beer becomes quite cloying after just a small glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 03:55:05 | More by Huhzubendah