Flagship - Hook Norton Brewery Co. Ltd.

StJamesGate

New York

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Against the Grain, Dublin.

Hazy honey-goldenrod with continuously rising parchment-coloured head that rings.
Resin, marmalade and sponge cake on the nose.
Honey, mango, caramel and pear cake, some woody vanilla in the middle, then a big resin and orange rind hop hit.
Lemon cookie linger and nettle linger.
Medium starting to get heavy, sticky, chewy, a bit hot.

Flagged as 6.3% on draft, which confuses me.

Punches way above it's weight; almost like a DIPA. Some very American characteristics to the aroma, and serious bitterness. (Admiral is the most prominently named hops, but there is EKG and Fuggles in there, too.) Curious if it hold up in the bottle.

Welcome addition to the new generation of "traditional" English IPAs.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 15:34:20 | More by StJamesGate

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle conditioned (5.5%): 500ml, drank one day before its best before date.

Light amber to orange in colour with an off-white head.

The nose is citrus hops and yeast: next to no maltiness found in the smells.

The taste has a hoppy start which turns into a sweeter maltier centre followed by a dry bittering finish.

Enjoyed it just as much as the cask one I've reviewed.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 13:54:11 | More by BlackHaddock