Wells Bombardier Burning Gold - Wells & Young's Ltd

shearer292

United Kingdom (Scotland)

2.78/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance - poured amber with no head and little carbonation, very clear and crisp

Smell - average smell with slight sweetness, no distinct notes to speak of, very slight fruit.

Taste - again slight sweetness at the beginning with little fruit then a citrus bitterness which stays at the back of the tongue for a while. nothing much really stands out to speak of. overall tastes plain.

mouthfeel - this is a little watery and doesnt leave much of an impression, doesnt dry the mouth so is a little refreshing, could be doing with a little more carbonation which would make it a bit more interesting.

overall - nothing to get excited about, it is drinkable but i have tasted better but in saying that i have also tasted worse, would pick up if quite cheap on offer or faced with a mediocre selection.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 09:02:01 | More by shearer292

kojevergas

California

3.4/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into La Chouffe goblet in Galway, Ireland. Reviewed from notes. Acquired at McCambridge's in Galway (on shop street, for those of you interested).

A: Two finger head of nice thickness and a bit of cream. Above average retention. Clear gold colour.

Sm: Cream, light barley, hints of citrus.

T: Light and balanced body of the notes from the nose. Hints of butterscotch. The cream is masterfully handled - present in both the open and the finish. Tingling citrus on the finish as well.

Mf: Buttery and smooth; as always Wells knows how to handle their mouthfeel. Suits the taste and style brilliantly. A bit too light on the palate, however.

Dr: 4.7% ABV? You'd never know. A steep price. I wish it wasn't so damn light.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 00:29:37 | More by kojevergas

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

2.48/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A clear glass bottle with a best before date of Sept 2011. The name and appearance suggest a summer ale.

Poured into a Sam Smith's pint glass. A deep golden-amber colour with light carbonation. Small head which disappears rapidly; white and foamy with large bubbles. Smells of light malt and not much else - the odour isn't entirely agreeable.

Taste is weak and unimpressive. Some light malt and a hint of hops but it doesn't amount to much, tastes like beer mixed with dishwater. Smooth mouthfeel with mild tingling from the carbonation.

Overall, not a great beer - the flavour is simply too weak and bland. Perhaps it's better in summer but I rather doubt it. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 23:48:58 | More by jazzyjeff13

AEK

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.05/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500ml clear glass bottle, B.B.E 23/01/11 poured into a young's pint pot.

A. Straw coloured ale with a 1cm thick white head that soon diminished to a thin foam layer.

S. Juicy malt, citrus fruit and the faintest whiff of banana.

T. Citrusy with a good hop presence. Fairly dry.

M. Medium bodied, slightly carbonated.

D. IMHO, an average beer, not as good as the 'true' Bombadier. Lacks somewhat on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 12:11:55 | More by AEK

thierrynantes

France

3.03/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Beer bottle (50 cl.), tasted in 2010.

Appearance : golden color, with white small foam head (not persistent).
Smell : grass aroma (like a lager) and citrus.
Taste and mouthfeel : watery, citrus notes and bitter finish.
Drinkability : an average beer in the style English pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2010 17:37:25 | More by thierrynantes

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

2.95/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

500ml bottle:
decants a shimmering orange-amber ale with a small rocky cap. Modest lacing.

Bready-sweet aroma with a wisp of grass and a rusted iron tone.

The wonderful malty smell is more pronounced in the aroma than taste. The breadiness is there but thinner, thin plate, lightly bitter (mostly long boil Goldings) no fruity esters to speak of, fast clean lightly bitter finish.

Mild, understated, approachable, good drinkability and a very clean tasting bitter but uninspired. Good for sessioning.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 01:48:56 | More by pootz

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

2.7/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500ml bottle 4.7% abv

Appearance: Clear golden colour, small white head, and little lace.

Smell: Almost no aroma, I am so disappointed. There is a slight malty sweetness but almost no hops.

Taste: As with the smell, disappointing. Very plain taste, slight malty sweetness, touches of citrus, but a lack of hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Light, reasonable carbonation.

Drinkability: Drinkable, yes, but far too plain to enjoy.

I had really high hops for this beer, as other beers from the brewery really impressed me; however this beer is just too plain.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 21:05:18 | More by Thehuntmaster

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.15/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Poured a golden color ale with a medium white foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of overcooked vegetables and grainy malt. Taste is not the most interesting with some overcooked vegetables and unrefined grainy malt notes. Body is about average with OK carbonation. Lacks of hops and a cleaner malt bill would have greatly improved this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2009 03:39:53 | More by Phyl21ca

Reinheitsgebot71

Ontario (Canada)

2.73/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I picked this up as soon as I saw it on the shelf at my local LCBO in hopes of getting to it before the contents were damaged due to the useless defensive properties of its clear bottle.

The name is bang on about one thing, this beer pours a crystal clear golden, amber/orange. Topping this off is a fine white head which quickly dissipates to a film of minute bubbles.

Aromas of ripe apples were the first thing that hit me though I must admit the nose is very subdued here. I managed to pick out hints of hop aroma and citrus zest as well as some unpleasant chlorine smells. Overall very bland smells here.

Bland hop bitterness mingles with corn syrup like malt tastes leaving a very astringent feel in the finish. Notes of burnt caramel pop with mass produced lager malt tastes, but everything is very muted. The alcohol becomes more apparent as the beer warms as well as a faint unpleasant taste of chlorinated water.
The body was overall light and watery easily drinkable but not very interesting.

This was a pretty lackluster beer I'll be sticking to the ESB in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2009 22:49:42 | More by Reinheitsgebot71

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

2.3/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Deep gold with an anemic head that fizzles away to nothing almost instantaneously. No lace left behind, just a splotch of bubbles in the middle to show that there ever was head to speak of. The scent of skunk when the bottle is opened; damn these clear bottles. After pouring, it opens up a bit to reveal a muted aroma of caramel, grass, and a hint of lemon. Tastes of caramel with a touch of grass and lemon peel in the finish. Mild skunk. Light bodied with low carbonation. Feels thin and watery. Other than that little bit of skunk, its pretty inoffensive. It's easy to be inoffensive when you say nothing.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 00:24:40 | More by mintjellie

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another 'why?' beer from the LCBO. Not sure how this summery blonde ale fits into the fall release theme. Sometimes I get the feeling that foreign brewers simply send their outdated overstock to Ontario, where its sold as something 'new' amidst even blander competition. Anyhow...

Pours a darkish golden yellow with one finger of white head and very little lacing. Smell and taste are akin to a macro lager: some skunk, light cereal grains and wheat malt, a pissy/apple juice aroma, muted English hops with minimal bitterness, and more grains in the aftertaste. No trace of citrus. My description makes this sound horrifying, but it's actually not that bad. It's just not good, either. Mouthfeel is crisp and medium bodied with lots of carbonation and a bit of spicy bite in the finish. Perhaps the only noteworthy aspect of this beer.

Overall, I don't hate this brew as I sometimes enjoy blonde ales. But this doesn't do the trick. Too bland and undistinguished; not much different from the better macros. I'll pass on Burning Gold in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 06:07:07 | More by cratez

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into an ale glass, leaving a very thin white head. A deep golden, one of the lightest pale ales I've had. The clear bottle does not bode well, however...

The smell is not pleasant, almost skunky. It reminds me of some of the mediocre Asian macro lagers (Pearl River, specifically). Hard to get anything other than faint hops and grasses here.

The taste is not much better, very boring, and too much like a lager. A bit of sweetness to the finish, but that's about it. Almost impossible to discern anything interesting about this brew. Can't believe this is classified as a pale ale, it's so lager-like!

Mouthfeel is very carbonated, thin.

Wow, so very disappointed. This brew did nothing for me. It wasn't offensive, however, I could drink the whole thing down, but it's not worth getting again, and certainly not worth paying the import bottle price. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 03:19:17 | More by JohnnyBarman

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

2.7/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Beer in a clear bottle? That's never a good thing. Neither is drinking beer brewed by Wells & Young's in my experience, but here goes...

Pours the color of apple juice with a head the diminishes almost instantly to a thin and spotty ring of foam.

There's not much going on in the nose. It's not skunky. That's lucky. And now that I'm over that hurdle and as for the rest, ascribing descriptors to the aromatics in this beer would be an insult to those beers that actually do go to the trouble of having an appealing aroma. There's nothing here beyond a hint of caramel and a bit of grass.

The taste is very light, with a slight herbal hop bitterness against some caramel malt. I'd say it hits all the marks of the style, but really it's more of a very timid, very light tap. A bit of lemon rind lingers in the finish.

The mouthfeel feels overly carbonated.

This isn't a bad beer only inasmuch as it's a very boring beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2009 00:50:34 | More by MeisterBurger

Daredevil

Switzerland

3.6/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I really like Wells Bombardier bitter, so I was quite curious to sample this brew ... from the appearance and the label I would have expected some honey sweetness, but the tasting proved my presentiment wrong ... the brew is a bit muddy for a bitter and also rather light (similar to an IPA), but very smooth ... I would say it's rather austere than sweet too ...

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 19:49:23 | More by Daredevil

charlatan

United Kingdom (Scotland)

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

Pours a light gold with a head which largely dissipates quickly. The bottle has a patriotic English theme, a pleasant surprised for a beer on sale here in Scotland!

My nose is off form at present but this seems a pretty standard smelling pale ale with raisins to the fore and a hint of white grape juice. It begins with a burst of carbonation and a hint of bitterness before a period of honey raisin sweetness and finally a relatively dry, laid back hop finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 23:45:40 | More by charlatan

fullsweep

United Kingdom (England)

2.68/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

500 mL bottle poured into a pint glass.

A faint orange tint to the generally amber with a thick, bubbly head.

Smells great, well balanced with hops predominant.

Taste isn't as distinct as the smell suggested. In fact, it was somewhat bland. Nothing really stuck out.

Mouthfeel was average--moderation carbonation and richnes.

Drinkability below average for me, just because there wasn't anything really guiding the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 17:35:44 | More by fullsweep

Lukie

Australia

2.75/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I will start off by saying the nice thing about this beer. The colour is brilliant. A rich, "burning gold" for sure. Orange-gold hue, just looks wonderful, and it poors out with a better head then 90% of other English Ales that come to Perth, WA, which aren't as fresh. That's where the nice-ness really ends.

Very light honey and grassy hop aromas, and that's about it. A hint of lemon.

Almost a spritzy soda'ish taste, with hints of honey and lemon citrus flavours. It's a sweet lemon, more so then a tangy lemon. Think... Corona, but with flavour. Still not a great thing.

The body is very watery, and spritzy, and while very easy to drink, I crave a lot more out of my brews.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 14:35:50 | More by Lukie

brendan13

Australia

3.4/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a fairly clear orange/dark golden colour with a couple of centimetres of fluffy white head that falls fairly quick. Sporadic lacing.
S - Grassy, very light floral and fruity notes. A bit of a minerally character. Some vague malt hints.
T - Ahhh, there is some malt; toasty, biscuity pale malt. More light, slight citrus fruity hop notes in the taste as well as the floral hints.
Quite a noticeable mineral character as well.
M - Light bodied, medium to high carbonation. The mineral quality sort of "bites" at the side of the mouth.
D - Not the most amazing beer out there for sure but still a nice enough sessionable ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2009 12:01:44 | More by brendan13

StJamesGate

New York

3.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours bright gold with a thin white head that leaves no lace. Skunky nose with some hay and mineral. Corn malts are light, with sharp, bitter hops cutting at the end. Light feel, finish is long and metallic.

The hops are in the right place for an American palate, but everything else lets it down. Not one to savor.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2009 18:28:17 | More by StJamesGate

bark

Sweden

3.4/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The colour is copper-brass; the finger thick head is off-white. The liquid is clear.

The smell is malty with earthy-buttery notes. Some fruits. Bitter-dry notes. It is overall light.

The first flavour that hits my mouth is mild English hops. The body is light. Some notes of exotic fruits, flour and dry aroma hops. The aftertaste is light, it reminds of a pale lager.

The carbonation is soft; the liquid smooth.

The English blonde ale was created to establish ales among lager drinkers. And, well... This is much like a fruity pale lager. I don't really get it.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2009 20:32:14 | More by bark

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A white very moussy head occupies the top quarter inch of my pint glass. The remainder is filled with a bright coppered tone of apricot; they've named this "Burning Gold" appropriately. Clarity is convoluted only by a thick populace of bubbles, all of which seem to be moving at their own pace. Its colours are fully appreciated to the light.

The mineral rich water can be pinpointed by smell alone. Nothing about this scent is delicate or appeasing to the senses, it is chalky and distinguishably rich in something like sulfur or iron. There is perhaps just a hint of banana or fruit somewhere beyond the sticky, buttery burnt toffee. I don't keep my nose buried in the glass for long.

"Bring me my bow of burning gold" so the poem goes that inspired this beer; how about "bring some flippin' flavour!" The taste is (at most) a hint of honeyed malts, toasted biscuit and a minor earthy and drying hop bitterness on the finish. I am searching for, but fail to find, the "more than a hint" of citrus the label promises.

The buttery toffee became even more prevalent with warming. The beer is sessionable but that's not to say it offers any kind of delight or gratification to the senses; my pint size experience really only needed be a 4oz serving. Without these faint traces of carbonation and diacetyl this would be nothing more than bottled water.

The label says that this beer is "alive with English passion" - apparently English passion is about as alluring as English beaches and about as successful as English dentistry. This is another Wells (which is all of them so far) that I won't be revisiting unless it is fresh, on cask and near the source - and even then I won't be expecting much.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2008 03:22:18 | More by biegaman

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Rather average as beers go. But a nice bottle I guess.

Nice amber-gold colour, but just a short head and no real lace.

A touch of the skunk in the nose - curse of the clear bottle maybe. Otherwise pretty uninspiring on the nose and palate. Some bitterness, but nothing really interesting.

Drinkable, but dull.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2008 01:05:21 | More by TerryW

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Yellow with some fizzy white head, though also some fresh lace. Cheese aroma,cheesy taste. Mid mouth feel or a bit less. Not too drinkable so a waste of a pint.The bitterness, with 3 types of hops, should have been better. A very basic beer if you want that. Unimpressive.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2008 02:57:34 | More by northyorksammy

shamus

Ontario (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I purchased this solely based on the fact that it is new in the local LCBO and I like the packaging and name 'Burning Gold": Inspired by William Blake's Jerusalem."

Pours with soda pop style carbonation. Looks like a deeper gold gingerale. Smells of the skunk and something woody/spicy.

Goes down smooth at the front and ends a bit astringent. A lot of caramel malt in the after-taste. nothing exceptional about this, but not a horror story. "Zesty aromas" do not "awaken the senses" as promised on the label.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 22:05:08 | More by shamus

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice hazy amber-gold colour with a nice head that lasts.

Skunky smell which I don't mind, malty and some hops also some citrus detected.

Average tasting pale ale, nothing special, slightly bitter.

Overall a refreshing beer, there other beers are better.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 00:57:02 | More by GodOfBeer