Boddingtons Pub Ale - Boddingtons

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

2.2/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a nitro-can into a mug.

A - Color of a golden coin with an amazing creamy, three-finger, perfectly white foamy head. Looks inviting enough.

S - Almost odorless, but what little aroma exists is kind of a "stale beer" odor. Smells of adjucnts. Not appealing at all.

T - Cloying dexrtin sweetness followed by earthy stale hops. Astringent chemical aftertaste reminiscent of dish soap and formaldehyde. Zero depth or complexity. Phenols became even more present as it warmed. One word...BAD.

M - Smooth creamy, silky, mouthfeel. Nice and full bodied, but it doesnt make up for the poor taste.

O - A nice appearance and mouthfeel, but thats about the only redeeming qualities here this beer. Adjuncts abound. A struggle to finish. I have craft beer drinking friends that enjoy this one. Maybe I am missing something.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-16-2012 01:27:14 | More by TempeBeerMan

harrymel

Washington

2.48/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Canned: unk
Pours golden with fleeting inverted foam infusion which rises to a half finger of fine foam. Smells sweet with some floral character and wheat tones. Taste follows through with a subtle profile of grain and artificial sweetener and a little bitterness on the finish. Medium bodied with fine, low carb. Overall, this is a drinkable beer when I simply want something to quench my thirst, but that's about it. Nothing worth seeking.

From notes verbatim on 10/7/10
A: Draught can pours as typical. Raining, fine foam which hangs out for quite some time. Brilliant clarity.
S: Not much to be said here. Sweet and grainy.
T: Grain. Sweet, okay ale. Not great, but drinkable.
M: Smooth, cask feel with little impact. Medium body, low carb.
D: I could pound this. It doesn't carry the profile for appreciating at a sit down.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-15-2012 11:46:13 | More by harrymel

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.23/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Gotta love nitro-cans and that cascading affect... and that no matter how fast you pour it, it always stops at the very top of an imperial pint with a perfect finger of creamy head. It's still weird seeing such a creamy head and it sitting on top of a clear pale color instead of the blackness of a Guinness. Aroma doesn't quite do it for me. I get this rich corny sweetness that doesn't appeal much to me. Taste is more palatable with light pale maltiness, earthy, grassy tones and a slight bitterness. The finish is weird though IMO. It's super creamy (as one would expect with the nitrogen), but ends with a very dry almost leathery note that forces me to start smacking my lips and tongue to induce some saliva production to moisten things up a bit. I find myself quaffing the pints for the most part...which is just fine as this is a highly quaff-able libation.

It is what it is and it is something that I could see me picking up on gameday to pound.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-12-2012 00:47:44 | More by EgadBananas

AdrianRP

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +45.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, I cannot believe this beer rated as poorly as it did! I truly find this a very unique brew.

Its the 'other' Guinness draught being lighter in color, and yet not any less interesting. Its flavor is very mellow, yet rich, and its overall creamy texture make the beer allot of fun to drink.

Its bubbles cascade just as Guinness draught's does...

I purchase this beer after the holidays in January, and consume it through early spring. I will report back later with a more detailed, definitive review of this beer.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-05-2012 21:32:55 | More by AdrianRP

metter98

New York

3.33/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: The beer is crystal clear yellow in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high creamy and dense white head that has excellent retention properties and consistently covered the surface.
S: There are light aromas of fruity yeast and grainy malts in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of biscuit and buttery malts along with some hints of apples and sweetness. Only a slight amount of bitterness is noticeable towards the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and smooth and creamy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer goes down very easily and can be considered sessionable.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-20-2011 02:11:22 | More by metter98

pfrdaly

Massachusetts

1.53/5  rDev -52.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

A- Pours nicely. 3/4 inch of head. Pale yellow in color. Looked appetizing.

S- Nothing distinct came out of smelling the beer for me. Comparable to Bud Light or Coors.

T- Watery, not much flavor at all for me. Not much flavor from hops or malt.

M- Light and smooth.

O- The beer was not hard to drink. That being said I did not find much to praise in it.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-18-2011 00:55:39 | More by pfrdaly

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I enjoyed this beer paired with some sweet and spicy asian chicken tenders. This was a pretty good pairing of english pale to offset the spicyness. The relatively mild flavors didn't distract from the tasty chicken.

I poured this beer into a english pint glass. I always enjoy watching the cascade found in a nitro carbed beer. Once that beer settles, you get that great, creamy head which lingers for a long time.

There is almost no smell. You get just a hint of mild ale smell. The flavor echoes the smell. The taste is pretty clean. Additionally, there is almost no aftertaste.

This is a pretty good example of an English Pale, the taste is good, but pretty simple.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-07-2011 03:03:53 | More by ummswimmin

eye2

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Drinking one right now. It's OK.

A: Right after pouring is reminiscent of Guinness Draught only lighter in color. Leaves about a half-finger of foam.

S: Can't smell anything from this beer.

T: A little sweet with a lingering hint of syrup.

F: Creamy and then sappy.

Overall: Pretty good. A little strong for drinking all day. One or two at a time is OK.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-06-2011 23:54:28 | More by eye2

CowsCanBark

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 16 oz. nitro-can into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: The usual cascading appearance that a nitro gives; the glass becomes completely enveloped in the foamy head that quickly dissipates into a clear dark golden hue, with a solid bone white one finger head that doesn't let up. Moderate amount of lacing left as I drink. Really spectacular looking.

Smell: Nothing too special, metallic yeast, light barley and hops, kind of flowery smelling.

Taste: Tastes pretty much what it smells like, albeit a bit more assertive. Metallic yeast, mildly bitter citrus hops, slight tinge of booze.

Mouthfeel: Pretty damn nice. A very creamy offering, full bodied and with very little carbonation. This will make you have a foam-stache.

Overall: An excellent beer, and a surprisingly easy drinker for the full bodied mouthfeel. Definitely recommended.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-04-2011 03:05:10 | More by CowsCanBark

Siriusfisherman

Montana

3.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: Very clear, first beer I have had in a nitro can, kind of cool the way the bubbles make it loud milky when you pour it in a glass.

Smell: Pretty flat, but has a nice aroma to it. Hints of metallic flavor, Aluminum?

Taste: Unbelievably smooth, and that is by far the most appealing part of the beer's taste. Fairly straight forward with some detectable hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: It is like having cream in your mouth, the carbonation feels like a million little bubbles caressing your tongue. There is not other beer that I have had that feels like this.

Overall: A very interesting ale, undeniably smooth yet also undeniably lacking full flavor. I can certainly see why some people like it so much, but I think I will stick with my heavier ales.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-28-2011 21:27:11 | More by Siriusfisherman

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a one finger off white head from a nitro can into a pint glass - creamy nitro head with some patchy lacing, retained a nice collar - light amber clear

The aroma is light malt, some corn syrup, bread, and grassy hops coming through

Taste is herbal grassy hops, corn syrup and stale bread, hard water, with pineapple and green apple coming through as it warmed

Light to medium bodied with little carbonation - a mineral hoppy bitterness and dry - nevertheless relatively smooth and with the abv no where to be seen it is highly sessionable

Overall, a very average brew with some odd nuances

Serving type: nitro-can

11-25-2011 04:30:44 | More by Stocean1

BeersCriteria

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a pale yellow color with a thick frothy white head.

S- Malts, a few hops but mostly bread.

T- Few simple malts but mainly all I taste is bread and thus, it's not very complex at all. I would like to compare this with a Tetley's though.

Food Pairing- I would say butter bc it just taste so bready but in all seriousness, maybe something spicy since the beer is malty and bready, so maybe like a crawfish etouffee.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-21-2011 04:18:31 | More by BeersCriteria

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

2.93/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

They had a single can from a busted open 4 (or 6) pack at the grocery store. Frankly, I forgot that I reviewed this on tap. What the heck. He’s try the Nitro Can version.

Upon opening the can, there is a little gush of beer that comes out of the top as the nitro can kicks in. A finger of creamy off white head forms and lays on top the beer like cream. This settles to a thin cap that stays for quite a white. The beer is a totally clear copper/gold color.

Aroma is very mineral like with some pale malt aroma. Slightly musty as well.

Mineral, mineral, mineral. Slightly doughy with a sweetness in the finish. What’s funny is that I still have a somewhat positive memory of this when I see it from years ago. But clearly, my tastes have changed and I am not a big fan of the mineral forward flavor.

Light and creamy mouth feel with obviously knocked down carbonation.

I was hoping for more hear and it seemed like a better idea than it actually was. Oh well, I tried.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-20-2011 22:31:11 | More by Reagan1984

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from can with widget into a pint glass.

Body is brownish amber-orange in color topped by a creamy head from the nitro widget. No lacing. Earthy, light esters, and a slight metallic note characterize the aroma. The taste is similar, though some biscuity malts do come through in the flavor. Creamy on the palate, as one would expect from nitro. My main beef is that this beer is very one-dimensional in that the metallic yeast notes really overwhelm anything else that I can discern.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-15-2011 02:48:24 | More by NittanyBeerFan

fx20736

New York

3.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 16 oz Nitro Can into a British Pint glass.

Crystal clear apple juice gold with a cream colored head that looks as thick and creamy as a good pancake batter that leaves a wide sheath of lacing.

Aroma: an apple like fruiitiness on top of pale malt.

Mouthfeel: unbelievable creamy and smooth.

taste: like the aroma; biscuity malt and apples finishing with a mild English hop bitterness.

Notes: my first Nitro can review. Due to the Nitro can and poor reviews I was wary going into this one but I needn't have been. This is a tasty, smooth, creamy English Ale at a great price; at Beers of the World it was under $ 8 for a 4 pack. Since I have fallen in love with this style this could be my every day go to beer. Lovely.

Serving type: nitro-can

10-23-2011 17:58:57 | More by fx20736

thehooksman

North Carolina

2/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Pouring this out into a glass is an exciting experience. It pours a cloudy beige color that cascades down in the glass and settles to a clear weak tea color with a thick white creamy head. It smells of sweet honey and mild hops. You'd think this beer was going to be awesome. It looks like a million bucks... but no. Based on the aroma the flavor is extremely disappointing. It tastes like stale water with a touch of bitter. The body is water thin with no carbonation or cream. Poured it out.

On a second tasting, I tried it warm (never in fridge) and it was an improvement... barely. So if you like warm, flat beer, this is for you.

Serving type: nitro-can

10-07-2011 01:55:18 | More by thehooksman

TheBeerAuthority

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +38.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Boddingtons Pub Ale was a drink I tried about a year ago. I have been enjoying it many times ever since and it has become a favorite of mine. Despite the surprisingly low ratings across the page I am on...(That I noticed from a quick scan) I'm going to give my honest opinion on this amazing, one of a kind ale.

Appearance: This can looks imported! Bold, bright colors with an attractive, dominate looking name. Pours an unbelievably creamy, beautiful and unique colored white/tan, thick head.

Smell: Grainy, slightly nutty and malty.

Taste: Delicious. Very unique in my opinion. Slightly sweet, caramel, great amount of spice, nutty, malty and crisp.

Mouth feel: Amazingly thick creamy texture with the head. The beer itself is on the lighter side. The two blend perfectly.

Similar to: Newcastle brown ale but way more malty, creamy and with the sweetness toned down.

Overall: For me there is no other beer quite like it. This can comes with a widget which results in that excellent creamy, silky head. Its refreshing, crisp and satisfying. The spice really shows in this beer. Average on the alcohol side. These go down easy and smooth. If you get a chance to try this beer, do yourself the favor and go ahead.

Serving type: nitro-can

10-03-2011 04:18:18 | More by TheBeerAuthority

MEsoJD

California

2.23/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Gold copper body with a creamy head.

S: Nothing crazy, just the aroma of light hops, toast and grains.

T: Creamy, sweet grains/honey, very faint/light roasted malt, and faint hops.

M: Light bodied, little carbonation, no alcohol presence, and smooth.

O: There is nothing special about this beer. It's decent and very close to sub par. It doesn't benefit from being poured into a glass. I actually prefer it from the can. To be honest, I haven't seen a beer truly benefit from the whole nitro-can widget hype. My rating may be too generous. I defiantly wouldn't recommend. This is close to being called beer pong beer.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-24-2011 22:52:21 | More by MEsoJD

elNopalero

Texas

3.65/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a nonic pint glass. Not quite the same experience as having it on nitro, but the little doodad is still pretty cool. No way to know how long they store had this on display (and I didn’t bother looking up the number stamp) but—in a can! So no skunking.
Pours a clear golden-straw color with a good couple fingers of foam. The head retention is excellent, with a good finger and change of tight cream. Smells pleasant, with a nice hints of biscuits. No hop aroma, but its not a pale ale is it? Or, well, not the way I think of pale ales in the states (hoppy!).
There’s a pleasant body to this as well, a nice easy drinking beer. It retains its head as it warms and each sip gives you a foam mustache. Starts out sweet but with a mild bitterness on the finish. Dry, with something that reminds me (in my limited knowledge of vino) of a white wine. Light, flavorful, and highly enjoyable.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-12-2011 23:38:34 | More by elNopalero

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, orange-amber colour - at least, that is the colour once the layers of foam have finally settled. The head is a light tan colour, a little more than a finger thick. Like most canned nitro beers, it has a silky-smooth texture and retains cohesion for most of the session. Unfortunately, also like most canned nitro beers, the smell is rather faint and a bit bland - light honey-like malt sweetness and some subdued floral notes.

The flavour mostly follows the aroma: light grainy malts, and honey sweetness. Notes of apple, apricot, and other light fruits, with some leafy hop to provide a bit of bitterness at the end of the sip. It has a ridiculously smooth, creamy mouthfeel, with very light carbonation (which makes sense if they're trying to emulate a cask ale). Easy to throw back, and not a chore to do so.

Not the least complex nitro ale I've ever had; it's plenty drinkable and moderately tasty but nothing to write home about. I don't regret trying it, and I might get it again but it definitely won't be a priority. Worth a try if you love nitro beer, but otherwise it's probably something to pass on.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-08-2011 02:50:45 | More by thehyperduck

jisom123

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Delightfully smooth, nitro pale ale. Poured from a tallboy into a Sammy Smith pint glass. It has a Guinness-like "waterfall" effect when you look through the side of the glass.

This is a great go-to beer when there are no other craft beers offered.

Imagine a golden light copper colored beer that is creamy like Guinness, but no black coffee taste/smell/appearance.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-06-2011 17:05:45 | More by jisom123

Callaghan

Georgia

2.75/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into an English pub glass. As soon as the can was cracked open, it started to rush out of the top.

A: I poured it fairly quickly, due to the note above, and it looked marvelous as the cascading effect allowed a thick, creamy head to form. After about a minute, a one finger layer of cream sat on top of a honey colored brew. I really enjoyed watching this.

S: Faint smells, a little alcohol, floral, and something earthy, maybe grassy. Not the best.

T: Kinda like the nose, but with a hint of alcohol, and then a metallic taste. Finishes a little bitter, but with a sweetness that lingers a little.

M: The only thing this one has going for it is that it has a wonderful creamy head. Taking a sip where a little of the cream hits the tongue with the beer makes it enjoyable, but the beer itself is watery, thin, and has very light carbonation.

O: I do like the looks, and the color of the beer is very nice. For the price, it's decent, but there are better offers for around the same price point. I wouldn't refuse, but also wouldn't go out of my way to find one either.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-06-2011 02:54:19 | More by Callaghan

bamadog

Kentucky

2.8/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Trying to branch out and hit up some of the more accessible beers that I just haven't gotten around to yet. Review is from notes taken on 9/5/2011 and poured from the nitro-can to a pint glass.

Appearance: Pour is a honey/coppery color and it starts with a thick and creamy half-finger head that is created by the nitro; body is pretty clear and shows just a touch of chill haze; beer has minimal carbonation moving, and it seems that there is more sticking to the sides of the glass than moving throughout the beverage;

Smell: Bit of a grassy/hoppy presence and a touch of sweet, honey-like maltiness. Not overly potent or anything, but it isn't bad for what it is.

Taste: Not bad, but it seems that a bulk of the reviews are spot on based upon my experience with this one -- bit of a grassy hop flavor to it, and sweet, slightly corny and honey-like malt. Not robust, and kind of weak, actually.

Mouthfeel: Body feels kind of flat in terms of carbonation, but it starts out pretty smooth and creamy, so I feel the nitro does its part. Finish is a little water and thin and doesn't leave much to be desired.

Overall: It's not awful, and if someone offered it to me, I would take it over a lot of other beers, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to have it again. I do think the can looks pretty cool, though, and has a classic look to it.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-05-2011 19:12:12 | More by bamadog

ChanChan

California

2.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from Nitro can into an elglish style pub glass.

Appearance: At first there is of course the fireworks provided by the draught nitro widget. When the beer settles it shows a nice golden ale color with a one finger solid creamy head. There are buvbles that stick to the glass from beginning to end. Lacing is a bit low for a nitro can

Aroma: Honey, malt, and grassy notes.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied.

Taste: Not much there, this beer lacks aroma as well as taste.

Overall: Not really impressed with this beer. The only reason why I woudl buy it again is the cheap price.

Serving type: nitro-can

08-31-2011 01:28:51 | More by ChanChan

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Oh the Cream of Manchester...

The cascading effect from the nitro-can is fantastic, and it leave behind a perfect, two-finger thick white head which leaves lacing all down the side of the glass. The body itself is an amber gold color with perfect clarity. Poured into an imperial pint glass.

The aroma is quite faint. It comes off as a bit metallic up front, which is not a good thing, but then it is followed up with a unique sweet aroma, like fresh bread baking. I think that an English Pale Ale should carry a bit more fruitiness in the aroma.

The taste is nice though, and really comes through with a sweet malt character. It is funny...the first time I drank this beer and saw the honey bees on the label, I thought that there was some honey in the beer. With this sweetness, it almost seems plausible. I know now that the bees are actually a symbol on the Manchester Coat of Arms and has nothing to do with the beer itself. Nonetheless, I cannot help but get a light floral, honeysuckle sweetness out of this taste. I love it!

As the can explains, the traditional way to serve Boddingtons is not from a can, but through cask. The nitro-can just imitates the same texture as a hand-pumped beer. It is smooth and velvety, with a medium body and very fine carbonation.

I believe that if I had this beer on cask, I might be in love. I find this to be a very appealing English Pale Ale, one that I could drink all night. I know that it could use a bit more complexity, and if the cask could deliver that, I think this would be the benchmark for these so-called "cream ales."

Serving type: nitro-can

08-30-2011 02:31:45 | More by MusicaleMike