Boddingtons Pub Ale - Boddingtons

McLaughlin5350

New Hampshire

2.8/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

i have had Bodddingtons in a can and had thought not that much of it. when i had it off tap i was very impressed. It pours very nice and has a great pale yellow color.it has a very nice head to it, very creamy. It taste bitter like you would expect but has a very nice creamyness to it. the only down side i found is how low its ABV is. it could have a bit more bitterness too. i think this beer is a very good intro bitter beer if you have not had a lot of bitter beers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 17:19:12 | More by McLaughlin5350

PENISBEER

1.2/5  rDev -62.6%
look: 5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

My friend brought a 4 pack over to a very drunken game of pool, and really talked this stuff up.The can looked so inviting with its bright yellow color, and the name made me think it was going to taste something like that beer stuff in Harry Potter. It poured with a beautiful bubbly head and from across the room looked very appetizing. As I went over to claim my pint, I thought someone might have shit themselves, when suddenly I realized THE BEER SMELLED LIKE F**KING PUKE!!!! poured it down the drain and then poured wet cement down the drain to make sure it wouldn't come back up. Not sure if maybe they were just ancient stock from Publix or what, but oh god it was terrible...

Serving type: nitro-can

07-13-2012 23:12:47 | More by PENISBEER

mailboxfish

2.78/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It's very mild. Drinks more like milk than beer. I can see how someone who prefers a more flavorful beverage would dislike like beer. Still, it's not anything to scoff at. It's drinkable, and mildly enjoyable. I doubt I'll be seeking it out in the future, but I won't cringe if offered a glass of Boddingtons Pub Ale. You could probably pass on this one, but I don't think it deserves the scathing reviews it has gotten.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-05-2012 04:05:55 | More by mailboxfish

FrankJ1982

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

has a fantastic appearance out of the can. It cascades into a pure white head that remains until the last sip. This ale has a delicate flavor, well balanced and perfect for putting down. A great night starts with a few Boddingtons. This is the closest to the beers I had while in London a favorite. A great beer to relax with, and definitley the one you want when you are looking to have a few.

Update: ever since the closing of strangeways, this beer has lost what made it great. Still a good session beer, but nothing special among similars.

Serving type: nitro-can

06-29-2005 17:30:30 | More by FrankJ1982

Enderdraught

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is my first rating so bear with me! I was very impressed when I first poured this into a glass. It has great body added by the nitrogen gas system. The feel going into the mouth is soft and creamy with a good initial taste.

The overall flavor is good, but with a metallic, slightly bitter aftertaste. That is really the only real fault this beer has in my opinion. Great color and appearance add to the overall rating.

Serving type: nitro-can

03-03-2006 03:32:32 | More by Enderdraught

q5hj

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

This brew is golden orange and has a nice creamy white head. I couldn't smell much of anything, but it has a nice taste to it, malty with a hint of banana. The mouthfeel is a bit creamy, but also a bit watery, I need something more. It goes down very smooth...it would be very easy to have more than one.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-04-2007 22:53:41 | More by q5hj

cruland

Michigan

4/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours wonderfully and has a slow-developing head (very similar to Guinness). Once it settles it has a nice, rich look.

Smell: Simply isn't there. Honestly, Miller Lite has a more potent aroma.

Taste: Very smooth, very pleasant to drink. The after-taste is mild with a hint of bitterness/hops.

Mouthfeel: Smooth.

Drinkability: About as close to perfect as you can come without quite being there.

Serving type: nitro-can

08-17-2007 16:25:16 | More by cruland

BigRook

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I usually avoid cans, but after several positive reviews from some respected beer tasting locals, I decided to give this one a go. Pleasantly surprised. A quick pour from the can will give an effect similar to Guinness Draft. The big difference was the light amber color. The thick head could easily float a penny and left a thick lacing as I enjoyed every taste. The first impression is very creamy with a hint of freshly mowed grass. The finish is clean and light. This beer is very drinkable.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-26-2011 01:40:16 | More by BigRook

themaxx76

Arizona

4.88/5  rDev +52%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this ale for the first time a couple years back in a little pub in Brighton, England. I immediately fell in love with it. It's extremely smooth, thick creamy head and the bitter notes hit the back of the tounge just right. Luckily it's really easy to find here in Phoenix and Churchill's Pub and Grill always have it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2008 18:12:08 | More by themaxx76

JDRourke

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +35.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Despite other reviews, I found this beer to be an exceptional antithesis of the flavor-exploding beers in large production these days. I've had Boddingtons a number of times over the past two months, in cans and from tap at the Flying Saucer in Austin Texas, and I'm always excited to rely on it as an incredibly drinkable, low-gravity beer with delicate hints of sweet corn, and even, light banana on the after taste. Its nose isn't incredibly pronounced, but is reflective of the subtle flavors within. The carbonation is nice and frothy and melts away quickly like the much wider known Guinness brews, leaving a creamy smoothness on the palate after a sip. For those who want a great beer to drink during events that you wouldn't normally want high-gravity (movies, football games, socials with important guests that you cant turn into a drunken ass in front of) then Boddington's Pub Ale is for you. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2008 20:18:12 | More by JDRourke

GreatMNFlyer

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Ah yes Boddingtons. I can honestly say this is my favorite beer to get that is readily available basically EVERYWHERE that I would go to buy beer.

A - It always pours to a perfect thick creamy head that typically lasts deep into the drinking experience. You can indeed float light objects on top of the head. I would have to say the color is closer to a lighter brown.

S - It smells really good. Its a pub ale but it smells like a lighter version of a brown ale. It's not the strongest version of this style to be certain, but for something that is as available as say Heineken or Wells, it really is a good beer.

T - I really like it. I could drink 2-3 pints of this in a single night because it's not horribly flavored more towards one style. With certain kinds of beer, it can get old after awhile, but this has just the right taste to keep me coming back for more without wearing out my taste buds for one particular taste.

M - It's incredibly smooth. Like I said, it doesn't assault one particular region of your mouth and tongue. Rather it washes over all of it, which makes it a real easy beer to enjoy.

D - Very drinkable. I can drink this much easier than I can bud lite, which apparently has superior drinkability, if you believe everything that you are told.

Serving type: can

06-15-2010 14:59:15 | More by GreatMNFlyer

auggiedoggy

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +31.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Tried this beer in a restaurant that had it on tap. It has a nice appearance, creamy white head and amber body. Aroma-wise it is is quite subtle, perhaps floral, as someone has commented before.

It has a bitter taste to it but not overly so such as with Guinness. (I do like my Guinness as well) I didn't really experience the metallic aftertaste but then again, I had it on tap rather than from the can. Very smooth and creamy going down.

For myself, this is a good session beer at 4.7% and very thirst quenching on a hot summer's day.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2009 15:13:27 | More by auggiedoggy

raymondofrish

Pennsylvania

2.7/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

a: Very nice creamy head, amber color underneath

s: Appetizing. Slightly floral. Makes me want to drink it

t: Here's the dilemma. At first, pretty good. Not great, but a fair balance. Pretty clean taste, only slight malt, with a some floral aroma and just a little more bitter. Promising to be something I could have more than one of... and then... the metallic taste comes in--Strong. And lingers on my tongue. I don't feel like taking another sip. Each sip is "oh this isn't so bad; pretty good actually..." and then the feeling of having a mouth full of iron filings.

m: Extremely creamy head. Smooth overall

d: Besides the metal, this would be a fine session beer. By as it stands, I have to brace myself for each sip.

Update: Toward the end of this beer, the flavors started to meld together much better. The metallic aftertaste turned into a somewhat more agressive bitterness throughout the whole sip and was less heavy on the later-end. Not sure if it was warming up a little or breathing a bit, but I think my next pint ought to sit for a few minutes before I approach it.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-17-2010 01:36:01 | More by raymondofrish

Hempdigler

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Everytime I hold a tall can in my hand all I can think is "I said get the talls snotrag" (The Stoned Age, 1994). Escaping the normal image of the silver bullet tall'ie Boddington's classes up the joint with it's Draughtflow enhanced 1 pint canister of frothy sweet goodness.

On the side of the Boddington's can are proper drinking and pouring directions (always a sign of a good beer).

I grabbed my "kick ass beer glass," as I call it, and commence proper pourage. The glass filled completely with foam! I doubled checked my pouring procedures in case I made a mistake but I did not. I looked back at my glass and watched in amazement as the foam circled, and slowly condensed into a frothy one inch head at the top of my glass. Below was the sweet light golden nectar I had been looking for. For how how much foam the beer started with I was surprised at the lack of bubbles sprouting from the sides of my mug. They were mostly concentrated at the bottom with it beeing clear on the sides.

I'm a sniffer, I took a good whiff of the beer prior to my first sip. Much like other pale beers it has a sweet smell like apple/pear juice.

My first sip was smooth and creamy due to the thick frothy head. The beer has a creamy, honey, and barley taste making it a good drinkable beer but not a standout.

I enjoyed the after taste more than I enjoyed the actual taste, it was that nice bitter taste that only appears on the back end of your tounge and on your tonsils. It also gave me that dry mouth feeling, that leaves you yearning for another sip.

All in all, I enjoyed the beer quite a bit, I loved the formation of the head, and I enjoyed the aftertaste quite a bit. I would definetly buy this beer again and recommend it to someone who is just dicovering the world of "good ass beers."

Serving type: can

12-10-2010 20:38:47 | More by Hempdigler

ScottyS

California

3.94/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

I like Boddingtons... I really do, but I will say that it is MUCH better on tap than out of those cans. My review is for the draft Boddingtons.

I had Boddingtons the other day at my local English Pub. It pours golden with a large foamy head that sticks around.. the smell is not so great, but it looks impressive. The taste, like the smell is not overwhelmingly impressive due to its simplicity, but is still quite good. But the mouthfeel of this beer makes it one of my favorites... It slides down your throat thickly, like a milkshake, but doesn't leave any lingering bitterness or nasty mouthfeel.

All in all I enjoy Boddingtons, as it is one of the few decent English beers I can get on tap in Southern California.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2013 17:44:14 | More by ScottyS

Stosh

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I guess I liked this beer more than most of the reviewers here. But I had the unusual opportunity, out of pure chance, to try this beer twice in two days - once on tap, once in the nitro can. I liked the beer much, much better on tap. The nitro can is good, but I feel these nitro cans are more of a gimmick than a way to provide a better beer experience. The beer from the nitro can is pretty to watch, as the head goes through it's progression. The beer from the tap isn't as pretty, but for me tasted much better. How a beer looks is far, far less important to me than how it tastes.

I like hoppy beers, and while the tap version of the Boddingtons wasn't quite as bitter and hoppy as my favorites, it had enough of a bite to make it interesting. It went well with the food I had, also. The nitro can version seemed far less tasty. Very drinkable, but not as much flavor and hop bite as the tap version.

Bottom line - don't give up on this beer if you only try it in the nitro cans. The tap version is like a whole different beer, and you are likely to enjoy it much more, if you like this style of beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2004 18:04:20 | More by Stosh

SindriMar

Norway

4.03/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I thought this was a very nice ale. One of the best 'smooth' pale ales I've ever had. I ordered a pint at the pub and I was really glad to see the thick head that would last 'till the very last sip. It has a very smooth mouthfeel and it's really easy to drink. There wasn't much hop presence or bitterness at all, although I could sense a slight bitterness after a few sec. The sweet malt was very inviting, but probably not strong enough for experienced drinkers. A very good pub ale, though.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2006 22:47:14 | More by SindriMar

StephenNorman

Bhutan

4.08/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours clear yellow, with a gorgeous 1 1/2 - 2 finger head. Copious lacing throughout.This is what I think of when I think of the the perfect looking beer.

Smell: Unfortunately there is barely any aroma, except maybe some light fruit/honey. This is my main beef with this beer.

Taste: This is easily one of the best tasting beer I've ever had, my favorite for sure. A slight banana/fruity flavor, with honey and slight hop bitterness. Glorious.

Mouthfeel: More watery then I would like, but still not too thin.

Drinkability: This is the easiest drinking brew I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. A great session beer no doubt. Do not hesitate to try this beer.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-02-2007 03:23:18 | More by StephenNorman

tommyv138

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +32.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had the beer on tap about a month ago and really liked it. I picked up a case of the nitro cans. When I opened the first can, it shot out and overflowed some. The second can didnt have this problem as much. I poured it into a Guinness glass to drink. Very smooth and creamy and has a good taste. Slightly bitter at the end, but in a good way. It is a great looking beer. I will be enjoying this case.

Serving type: nitro-can

04-25-2010 02:18:51 | More by tommyv138

Edella

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +36.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I know, I know. Bought out by the big guys, no longer brewed in Manchester and watery. But humor me if you will:

The ale pours in a lovely golden nitro-fied cascade like so many other nitro-cans with a mouthfeel people seem to like or hate.

The smell is of light malty banana bread with wisps of nutmeg (no one else I know smells nutmeg, though). The taste is oh so very mild and un-challenging that some may find it boring. I find it comforting and lovely, like a slightly slow old friend who lacks depth, yet is agreeable with good aesthetics. The drinkability is off the charts...certainly no challenge whatsoever. I love this beer.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-28-2010 02:42:45 | More by Edella

jDictionary

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had my first can of this tonight. You definitely want to pour it into a tall glass. Watching the head form is a truly delightful sight. It looks like you are pouring liquid vanilla ice cream out of a can. The tiny bubbles cascade furiously up to the top as a beautiful head is formed. It is similar to a Guinness nitro-can but more intense. Less colorful but more impressive.

It smells pleasant - a sweet vanilla cream smell with hints of coffee, yeast, malt and hops.

Mouth feel is not overly impressive in my opinion. It is creamy but a bit on the watery side. I found myself wishing it was a bit more carbonated.

Drinkability is good. If you can drink water, you can drink this! You get a mild bitter aftertaste but it is very subtle and well balanced.

I enjoyed this beer and glad I tried it. It might not be my first choice next time but I will come back to it again as drinking it is a delightful experience.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-19-2011 05:59:57 | More by jDictionary

bdoggboston

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +38%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is totally underrated and true classic. Maybe it doesn't have the overwhelming taste that a lot of beers have today, which I love by the way, but it's about as good as you're going to get in an English Pub Ale. It's good drinking!

While we're on the subject, they need to bring Caffreys back to the US.

Serving type: nitro-can

03-21-2013 01:41:15 | More by bdoggboston

Bigdaddymatt86

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Draught can poured into a pint glass

A: A soft gold color with a bit of a foggy look to it. An off white Foamy head, with almost a honey like look.

S: The smell is a little sweet with an almost floral scent.

T: Creamy, without that bitter beer after taste at first. The beer is best flavored chilled but not cold. The beer actually loses its lack of after taste as the glass is finished the last few sips come with a sort of disgusting mouthful of grains and hops. This is probably one of the only things about the beer i didn't enjoy.

M: Again, creamy not bad but not excellent either. The creaminess was quite unique and good however it does start to become old after a while.

O: Over all I thought this was a very good beer, i prefer a unique feel and taste in my beer, however after drinking the four pack of draught cans i had no strong desire to drink anymore as the creamy flavor really became over whelming. The beer is not great, not terrible, just good. I will be drinking this again.

Serving type: can

02-04-2012 18:06:38 | More by Bigdaddymatt86

JoshuaC

4.2/5  rDev +30.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I love this beer as a light drinking with friends beer. Not too sophisticated, just pleasant drinking. It has a creamy feel, with a great flavour. One cannot expect a stout or a Belgian style flavour from this ale, rather expect simple and clean beer taste.

Serving type: nitro-can

06-26-2012 14:51:02 | More by JoshuaC

SarahLynne

3.95/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Love the mouthfeel and the head. Flavor is smooth and easy to drink. Like to drink it when I want something a bit lighter. Even my best friend likes it and she does not typically like beer. She said it is a better alternative to Bud/Bud Light. Basically it's my go-to for something smooth and easy to drink.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-11-2012 19:20:10 | More by SarahLynne