England

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Beers 141 - 160 of 165:

Wadworth, The Bishop's Tipple (England) Brewed in Devizes with "substantial quantities" of Saaz and Styrian Goldings hops, this strong beer pours a light gold colour with a persistent white head leaving plenty of lacing round the glass. The nose has a toasty, sweet malt character, with a floral aspect and very intense, clove-like spice. On the palate it is very rich, creamy and full, with a powerful core of plummy red fruits, and a barley-wine character with plenty of bitter, oily hops pushing into the finish and a slightly overwhelming alcohol intensity. This is a very fine beer, though a bit of a mouthfiul. 6.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Sainsbury's.

Waitrose UK, The Green Man Organic Ale (England) This brewed for Waitrose from organic hops and malt, though the brewer is unknown. Bartram's makes an organic Ale called "Green Man", so could this be made by them? It pours a hazy pale gold, with a thinnish white head. The nose is buscuity and only moderately hoppy, with a faint sulphury note that seems to blow off, and a bit of grassy character. On the palate it is medium-bodied and a little bit gassy, with decent malt and bitter hops. 4.6% ABV, 50cl, �1.55, Waitrose.

Wells Brewery, Bombardier (England) The odd bottle size is because this is a pint, or "Full English Pint" as it rather bombastically claims on the neck collar. Charles Wells has brewed a fine auburn/chestnut-coloured beer with an off-white head. On the nose there is a melange of toasty malt and crisp red fruit, that is quite plummy. On the palate there's an initial hint of sweetness and a thick, cushioning texture, that is soon overtaken by a raft of bitter, oily hop flavours. The toastiness builds again into the finish, but that tension against grippy hopiness remains. 5.2% ABV, 56.2cl, �1.69, Asda, Booth's, Safeway, Sainsbury's, Waitrose.

Weston's, (for Marks & Spencer) Organic Cider (England) Brewed by Hereford cider producer Weston's for M&S;, this cider pours a bright, medium gold, with a thin white head that disippates rapidly. On teh nose it is quite sharp and tangy, with a sweaty note that suggests a touch of Brettanomyces (yeast) character. On the palate it is sweet and sharp, with plenty of vivid apple fruit, a nice tangy lemon acidity and reasonable body. An interesting and quite complex cider. 6.6% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Marks & Spencer.

Weston's, (for Marks & Spencer) Vintage Cider (England) Brewed for M&S; by Weston's, a highly-regarded Herefordshire producer. I confess to not being a cider fan, but this has to rank as one of the best I've tasted. It pours a light gold colour with moderate white head that dissipates quite quickly. The nose is immediately complex, with nutty apple aromas, but also a cedary quality and a honey or toffee background. There's a real suggestion of ripe fruit here, but it is quite sharp and high-toned. On the palate there's a massive presence of bittersweet apple fruit, with powerful, almost Cognac-like body, but that tugging fruit sweetness. Acidity dries the mouth, with a lemon pith quality. What a striking cider. 7.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.99, Marks & Spencer.

Whim Ales, Dr Johnson's Definitive (England) This beer from the Derbyshire Whim Ales is beautifully retro-packaged to suggest quality and tradition. It pours a lovely deep amber/ruby colour with a thick and quite persistent cream-coloured head. The nose is rather subdued, with mildly malty, plummy fruit aromas, but all quite reticent, if harmonious. The texture is very luxurious and thick on the palate, which has lots of bitterness, with a hoppy, grassy and vegetal quality supported by broad-based malts and gentle acidity. This is a balanced, composed and enjoyable beer, but it is perhaps a touch too innocuous. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Peckhams.

Whittingtons, Cats Whiskers (England) This bottle-conditioned beer from Gloucestershire brewer Whittingtons pours quite a dark amber colour, with a very high-rising, fluffy white head. It is toasty and nutty on the nose, with a little coffee note and sense of red apple fruit, with some nice leafy hops in the background. On the palate the roasted malt character really comes through. It is medium bodied and quite crisp, with those toasted and nutty flavours dominating, and a citrussy fruit and acidity sharpening up the finish. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.69, brewery website, Sainsbury's, Waitrose.

Wickwar, Cotswold Way (England) Wickwar brewery from Gloucestershire was founded in 1990, to produce a small range of real ales. Cotswold Way is an amber coloured beer with a moderate white head. It has a nose of toffee and smoky, dark malts, with a nice citrussy tang and some aromatic, oily hops. On the palate it has a creamy, full texture and smooth, generous palate with nutty, dry, walnut shell and wheat husk flavours, and a decent, quite bitter finish. Almost worthy of four stars. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, Beersofeurope, Sainsbury's.

Wickwar, IKB (England) 'Engineeered to Perfection' it declares on the label, and indeed this beer is dedicated to Isombard Kindom Brunel (IKB), one of who's bridges sits next door to the brewery. It pours a toffee colour and is slightly hazy, with a thin to moderate off-white head. On the nose it is overtly malty, with nutty notes and a peppery quality. On the palate it is medium-bodied with more malt and ripe, plummy flavours, but it flattens pretty quickly, with a slightly weak finish, whilst being an enjoyable enough session beer. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, brewery website, Beersofeurope.

Wolf Brewery, Straw Dog Weisse Beer (England) Wolf certainly wins the prize for most ghostly web site - no sign of this beer on it, and last update in 2001 (writing this in 2006). This wheat beer pours a fairly dark and hazy gold, with a very high-rise, fluffy white head. On the nose it is fairly neutral, with faint lemony fruit, no real spice or clove qualities, and just a mild yeastiness. On the palate it is crisp, clean and refreshing, with juicy citrus acidity, a straighforward underripe pear frutiness and good balance and length. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, brewery website, Beersofeurope.

Wood's, Shropshire Lad Spring Bitter (England) This beer is made with English malt and English Fuggles and Golding hops. It pours a very dark, lightly hazy coppery colour with a moderate light tan head. It has an inviting nose that is biscuitty and malty, with some fruitcake character. On the palate it is very smooth and full-bodied, flooding the mouth with bittersweet red fruit and vegetal flavours, with a streak of chicory and an underlying, softer layer of toasty, slightly chocolaty malt. It drinks very well, with plenty of body and texture, and a refreshing hop and acid crsipness in the finish. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, Onlyfinebeer, Pitfield Beer Shop.

Woodforde's, Nelson�s Revenge (England) (RP) Woodforde�s, founded in 1981, is one of Britain�s longest-surviving small craft breweries, though having doubled capacity in 2004 it is now more of a small regional than a micro. Nelson�s Revenge - a finalist in the 2004 Champion Beer of Britain competition - commemorates Admiral Lord Nelson�s connections with Norfolk: he was born in Burnham Thorpe in 1758 and learned his sailing skills off the Norfolk coast. This wonderfully quenching beer is brewed with Maris Otter pale malt and crystal malts and is hopped with one hop, Goldings. It�s pale bronze in colour and has a superb aroma of juicy, biscuity malt, spicy hop resins and tart orange/citrus fruit. Malt, hop resins and tangy fruit fill the mouth, while the long finish becomes dry and bitter but is balanced by a continuing juicy malt and citrus fruit appeal. 4.6% ABV, 50cl, �24.99 X 12, Livingbeer.com.

Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog (England) (RP) Nog won the Champion Beer of Britain award in 1992 and gave a massive boost to the brewery�s fortunes. A nog is believed to be a long-extinct type of East Anglian stock ale, matured for a year or more and used for blending with beers of less strength. Nog is brewed with Maris Otter pale, crystal and chocolate malts and is hopped with the classic English duo, Fuggles and Goldings. It is fascinating how a tiny amount of dark malt dominates the aroma and flavour of a beer: in this case there is a delicious chocolate and espresso coffee note throughout, balanced by biscuity malt and rich vinous fruit. The finish is long and complex with dark fruit and coffee dominating. With just 18 units of bitterness, this is not meant to be an especially hoppy beer but there is a good underlying gentle peppery hop presence 4.6% ABV, 50cl, �25.99 X 12, Livingbeer.com.

Woodforde's, Wherry Best Bitter (England) A former Champion Beer of Britain, Wherry pours a bright golden/orange colour with a moderately retentive white head. The nose is very fine, with a flinty mineral note, fine hoppiness and a biscuity quality with just a hint of lemon zest. On the palate it is very crisp and citrussy, with a big wallop of grapefruit pith acidity and flavour, and good hop levels into the finish. The malt and an orangy fruitiness are very pleasant, in a refreshing and thirst-quenching beer. 3.8% ABV, 50cl, �2.29, Beersofeurope, Livingbeer.com, Onlyfinebeer.

Wychwood, Circle Master Organic Ale (England) Wychwood make the organic ale for the Duchy Originals label, and there are similarities in the two beers. This has a lighter, medium yellow-gold colour and a nose that is pungently hoppy with a distinctive burnt edge: like summer grass that has been on fire. Beneath the herbal aromas are a raft of dark, toasty malt notes. On the palate this creamy-textured beer is crisp and lively, with masses of bitter hops and a fruity, tangy character before the softening malt gains a foothold. The finish is very sweet however, and though this is quite complex, I'd have prefered that initial hoppiness to really stay the course. 4.7% ABV, 50cl, �1.69, Asda, Booth's, Waitrose.

Wychwood, Hobgoblin Strong Dark Ale (England) This is a dark, amber-tinged dark beer with a creamy-coloured head that is quite persistent. There's an immediate hoppy aromas of cut grass, nettles and leafy hedgerow, with just a hint of something darker beneath. On the palate this is quite full and creamy, with a dark chocolate edge to mollasses and dark, bittersweet, plummy fruit. That sweetness persists, but there are hints of hazelnut and bitters in this quite complex beer that finishes dry and long. 5.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.69, Asda, Booth's, Threshers, Waitrose.

Wychwood, Osprey Strong & Rich Ale (England) Brewed especially for UK supermarket Sainsbury's, this is made with English Northdown and Goldings hops and comes in a clear glass bottle. It pours a ruby.copper colour, with quite a persistent, lacey off-white head. The nose is fresh and malty, with lots of treacley notes, biscuit and a toffee apple character. On the palate this has a creamy texture and expansive mouthfeel, with date and malty, dark fruits along with a brighter suggestion of citrus. There really is good freshness here, with those citrus notes, a clean, fresh acidity, and a good oily hop bitterness just gripping the finish. This is a very nice strong beer, with a high sippability factor. 6.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, Sainsbury's.

Wychwood, Whirlygig (England) (RP) Whirlygig, a finalist in the ASDA Beer Competition, is pale copper in colour and is generously hopped with the traditional English varieties Fuggles and Goldings. Pale and crystal malts combine to give a complex nutty, sultana, raisin and toffee aroma and palate, underscored by a deep hop character that is piny and resinous on the nose. The hops give a deep and abiding bitterness to the palate and finish, which is balanced by ripe fruit and biscuity malt. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, Asda.

Wye Valley, Butty Bach (England) This bottle-conditioned ale is subtitled "The Friendly Ale" on the label, as the name is Welsh for "Little Friend". It pours a medium-deep gold, with a quickly disippating off-white head. The nose is immediately malty and rich, with toffeed notes, red berry fruits and a touch of spice. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, with a lively, but soft character, with plenty of sweet, chewy, malt and fruity body, and a clean, nicely hopped finish. Straightforward but very quaffable ale with a good dollop of character. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.79, Beersofeurope, Onlyfinebeer, Sainsbury's.

Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Golden Ale (England) This beer is bottle-conditioned, and uses some wheat as well as barley malt. As recommended on the label, I poured it "bright", leaving the sediment in the bottle. The colour is a medium orange/gold, with a fluffy, but quickly dissipating off-white head. On the nose it is very fresh, fruity and appealing, with lots of grassy and nettly hops and a crisp, summery apple character. In the mouth it is medium bodied and has quite a creamy texture, with a hint of fruity sweetness, but a big, spicy and herbal hop character that fills the mouth with deliciously bitter flavours. There's a lightness and perfumed quality to this beer, but it is dry and has a grapefruity bitterness into a long finish, making it very moreish. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, Onlyfinebeer, Realbeerbox, Sainsbury's.