Glastonbury Mystery Tor

Glastonbury Mystery Tor [baron rating 3/5] - 3.8% gold ale,overcarbonated faint citrus smell,zingy clementine taste,fruity dry bitter finish


Note: Bottle conditioned with lively carbonation

Exmoor Gold

Exmoor Gold [baron rating 5/5] - 5% gold ale,biscuity lemon citrus smell,balanced citrus caramel bitter taste,dry fruity bitter finish

Note: Not bottle conditioned

Glastonbury Hedge Monkey

Glastonbury Hedge Monkey [baron rating 3/5] - 4.6% amber ale,apple toffee smell,spicy toffee slightly burnt taste,dry bitter finish

Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Finchley's India Pale Ale

Finchley's India Pale Ale [baron rating 3/5] - 4.5% copper ale,spicy caramel smell,bready spicy caramel taste,dry bitter finish


Wooden Hand Cornish Buccaneer

Wooden Hand Cornish Buccaneer [baron rating 1/5] - 4.3% copper ale,tart berries smell,unbalanced tart sweet fruity taste,dry bitter finish

Note: Not bottle conditioned

Fuller's London Porter

Fuller's London Porter [baron rating 5/5] - 5.4% ruby ale,roasted chocolate smell,balanced smooth roasted taste,creamy burnt finish

Buy Fullers ales here

Kernel IPA S.C.C.A.NS

Kernel IPA S.C.C.A.NS [baron rating 5/5] - 7.5% copper ale,tropical resinous smell,big chewy piney apricot taste,bittersweet resinous finish


Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Thank you to Paul from AlesByMail for sending this through for a 'birthday treat / baron rating'!

Buy Kernel ales here

Holts Fifth Sense

Holts Fifth Sense [baron rating 2/5] - 4.3% copper ale,slight citrus honey smell,nutty slightly sweet caramel taste,short caramel finish

Fuller's 1845

Fuller's 1845 [baron rating 5/5] - 6.3% dark amber ale,syrupy fruitcake smell,balanced rich raisin & sweet fruits taste,dried fruit finish


Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Moorhouse's Blond Witch

Moorhouse's Blond Witch [baron rating 3/5] - 4.5% gold ale,spicy sulphourous smell,crisp spicy citrus taste,weak biscuity bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


This was part of the summer pack of the superb '52 week beer club' by myBrewerytap.

Join it now and make sure you say the baron made me do it!

Buy Moorhouse's ales here

Finchley's Golden Pale Ale

Finchley's Golden Pale Ale [baron rating 2/5] - 4.2% gold ale,slight fruity sulpur smell,light spicy citrus taste,watery mild bitter finish


Buy Finchley's ales (Batemans actually) here

Adnams New Zealand Pale Ale

Adnams New Zealand Pale Ale [baron rating 4/5] - 4% copper ale,tropical fruit smell,tropical & grapefruit taste,long fruity bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Cask-conditioned with perfect carbonation on the first day, starts to subside after that

Thank you to Fergus from Adnams for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Adnams ales here

Looking forward to baron rating Green Jack Gone Fishing ESB

Green Jack are one of those breweries which don't get much talk on twitter and blogs but consistently produce great bottled beers (I've not had the chance to try any cask stuff yet).

Their Baltic Trader Export Stout [baron rating 5/5] is a strong weighty dark beer and by contrast their Canary Pale Ale [baron rating 5/5] is a light but full of taste pale ale.

We recently tried their bottle-conditioned Mahseer IPA [baron rating 5/5] and loved it so I was over the moon when they said that a big bottle of their Gone Fishing ESB was in the post. It arrived today perfectly packaged and looking amazing:


Green Jack Brewery

  • Gone Fishing ESB - 5.5% Extra Special Bitter, a strong, deep amber-coloured ale, fruity and malty very drinkable for it’s strength
Look out for a 'baron rating' for this Green Jack Brewery beer, and a big thank you to @GreenJackBrew for sending it through to me!

Buy Green Jack ales here

Okells Mac Lir

Okells Mac Lir [baron rating 4/5] - 4.4% gold unclouded ale,mild citrus smell,sweet floral citrus taste,sugary juicy bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Mike from Okells Brewery for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

McMullen Stronghart

McMullen Stronghart [baron rating 5/5] - 7% ruby ale,plumy raisin smell,rich sweet slightly burnt fruitcake taste,fruity bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to @SainsburysPR for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy McMullen Stronghart here

Cumbrian Legendary American Invasion

Cumbrian Legendary American Invasion [baron rating 4/5] - 5% gold ale,mild citrus smell,juicy citrus bitter taste,long pithy bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Cumbrian Legendary Ales for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Cumbrian Legendary ales here

Magic Rock High Wire

Magic Rock High Wire [baron rating 5/5] - 5.5% gold ale,tropical resin smell,fruity very bitter taste,clean mild sweet clementine finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Richard from Magic Rock Brewery for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Magic Rock ales here

Everards Tiger

Everards Tiger [baron rating 2/5] - 4.5% amber ale,mild sweet bready smell,thin mild caramel bittersweet taste,mild caramel metallic finish


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Williams Bros Caesar Augustus

Williams Bros Caesar Augustus [baron rating 4/5] - 4.1% gold ale,savoury tangerine smell,fruity floral bready taste,soft mildly sweet finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Williams Bros. for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Williams Bros ales here and here

Waen Janner's Pride

Waen Janner's Pride [baron rating 3/5] - 4.6% amber ale,spirity toffee smell,balanced sugary spicy bitter taste,fruity slight watery finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Thank you to Sue from The Waen Brewery for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Waen ales here

Looking forward to baron rating Salopian Oracle

I baron rated Salopian Brewery's Darwin's Origin [baron rating 4/5] some time ago and had a chance to meet Jake from the brewery at the SIBA Wales & West beer judging competition.

We did a video review of Oracle with the legendary Real Ale Guide (forward to 4:25 for the review) near the end of the night so it was great when Jake contacted me last week to say that it's been bottled and on it's way to Baron Towers:


Salopian Brewery
  • Oracle - 4% new world ale with a fusion of hops that caress the palete. The bottle version of their popular cask ale.
Look out for 'baron ratings' for this Salopian Brewery beer soon, and a big thank you to Jake from Salopian for sending it through to me

Looking forward to baron rating Adnams Ghost Ship

Adnams have been very good to the Baron lately, sending the first ever mini-casks for review and then last week a bottle of their new Ghost Ship:


Adnams Brewery
  • Ghost Ship - 4.5% ghostly pale ale, assertive pithy bitterness with a malty backbone and a lemon & lime aroma
Look out for a 'baron rating' for this Adnams beer soon, and a big thank you to @SoleBear & @Adnams from Adnams for sending it through to me!

Buy Adnams ales here

Green Jack Mahseer IPA

Green Jack Mahseer IPA [baron rating 5/5] - 5% copper ale,citrus resin smell,smooth spicy bitter marmalade taste,spicy bitter peel finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Thank you to @greenjackbrew from Green Jack brewery for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Green Jack ales here

York Minster Ale

York Minster Ale [baron rating 3/5] - 4.2% amber ale,raisin smell,raisins, citrus & classic bitter taste,bitter dried fruit finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

This was part of the summer pack of the superb '52 week beer club' by myBrewerytap.

Join it now and make sure you say the baron made me do it!

Buy York ales here

Meantime Wheat

Meantime Wheat [baron rating 4/5] - 5% cloudy gold ale,pineapple banoffee pie smell,clean lemon white grape taste,dry bitter lemon finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

This was part of the summer pack of the superb '52 week beer club' by myBrewerytap.

Join it now and make sure you say the baron made me do it!

Buy Meantime ales here

Mallinsons Lynx

Mallinsons Lynx [baron rating 4/5] - 4.4% pale gold ale,zesty citrus smell,sharp tropical with soft bitter taste,dry tropical bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Bottle conditioned with lively carbonation

Thank you to Tara from Mallinsons for handing this over for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Mallinsons ales here and here

Stringers XB

Stringers XB [baron rating 5/5] - 4.2% dark amber ale,dried fruit smell,balanced classic English Best Bitter taste,burnt fruit bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Jon from Stringers Beer for handing this over for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Stringers ales here and here

Magic Rock Cannonball

Magic Rock Cannonball [baron rating 5/5] - 7.4% copper ale,sweet resin citrus smell,sweet tropical bitter taste,syrupy resin bitter finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Richard from Magic Rock Brewery for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Magic Rock ales here

Williams Bros Seven Giraffes

Williams Bros Seven Giraffes [baron rating 4/5] - 5.1% copper ale,spicy elderflower smell,floral sweet lemon taste,grainy herbal finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Williams Bros. for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

This was also part of the summer pack of the superb '52 week beer club' by myBrewerytap.

Join it now and make sure you say the baron made me do it!

Buy Williams Bros. ales here and here

Hewitt's Un-Hung Hero

Hewitt's Un-Hung Hero [baron rating 5/5] - 5% copper ale,marmalade mandarin smell,zingy citrus grainy taste,bitter prickly citrus finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

This was part of the summer pack of the superb '52 week beer club' by myBrewerytap.

Join it now and make sure you say the baron made me do it!

Buy Hewitt's ales here

Looking forward to baron rating Sainsbury's Great British Beer Hunt 2011 ales

As I said earlier, it's been a very good week for the baron, as not only did Williams Brothers send their entries to the Sainsbury's Great British Beer Hunt 2011 but also Sainsbury's PR also send a few bottles through:

  •  McMullen Stronghart - 7% bitter, "liquid Christmas pudding"
  • Ridgeway Bad King John - 6% very English black ale
  • Sadler's Worcester Sorcerer - 4.3% golden English bitter,crisp grassy aromas with warm toffee apple fruitiness & gentle bitter finish
Look out for 'baron ratings' for these Sainsbury's beers soon, and a big thank you to @SainsburysPR for sending these through to me!

Buy Sainsbury's ales here
     

Adnams Green Bullet

Adnams Green Bullet [baron rating 5/5] - 4.6% copper ale,grassy lemon resinous smell,soft lemon mild caramel taste,long dry resinous finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Cask-conditioned with perfect carbonation on the first day, starts to subside after that

Thank you to Fergus from Adnams for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Adnams ales here

Looking forward to baron rating Williams Bros ales

There's been a bit of a beer drought in Ormskirk this summer but it looks like the gods are happy with the baron again as this week has been quite something for ale deliveries!

Williams Brothers have a couple of their beers in the Sainsbury's Great British Beer Hunt 2011 and these were included along with their March Of The Penguins stout:


Williams Bros Brewery
  • Caesar Augustus - 4.1% lager/IPA hybrid, cold fermented with lager yeast then add chock loads of classic IPA style hops
  • March Of The Penguins - 4.9% smooth creamy stout, chocolate & roasted barley with a spicy fruity finish
  • Profanity Stout - 7% rich, dark & dry hopped, blend of rich coffee & intensely fruity aromas with a velvety malty mouthfeel
Look out for 'baron ratings' for these Williams Bros beers soon, and a big thank you to @WilliamsBrewery from Williams Bros. for sending these through to me!

Buy Williams Bros ales here and here 

Carnegie Porter

Carnegie Porter [baron rating 5/5] - 5.5% black porter,black berries smell,smooth balanced roasted chocolatey fruity taste,soft choc finish


Thank you to Richard from myBrewerytap for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Carnegie ales here

Hardknott Aether Blaec 2010 (27 & 28 year old versions)

Hardknott Aether Blaec 2010 (27yr) [baron rating 2/5] - 7.2% black stout,whisky smoky smell,tart black currant taste,tart fruity finish


Note: Bottle conditioned with lively carbonation

Hardknott Aether Blaec 2010 (28yr) [baron rating 4/5] - 7.7% black stout,choc berries smell,smooth rounded fruity taste,fruity smoky finish


Note: Bottle conditioned with lively carbonation

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Dave and Ann from Hardknott Brewery for handing this over for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Hardknott ales here and here

Looking forward to baron rating Adnams mini-casks

Two mini-casks from Adnams arrived out of the blue this week (it was so cool being handed this heavy box with Adnams on the side and not having a clue about what was in it!):


Adnams Brewery
  • Green Bullet - 4.6% Spicy, lemon, grassy aromas, good sweetness & mouthfeel to balance the lemon rind bitterness with a dry finish
  • New Zealand Pale Ale - 4% A crisp, dry, blonde beer. Nelson Sauvin adds fantastic gooseberry flavours to the beer similar to a Sauvignon Blanc.
 Each cask holds 5 litres of lovely Adnams beer and the Green Bullet ale is only available in M&B pubs - I'm very lucky to have some in mini-cask form. I've not tried the NZPA yet but the Green Bullet is amazing, look out for an audio baron rating very soon!

Look out for 'baron ratings' for these Adnams beers soon, and a big thank you to @SoleBear & @Adnams from Adnams for sending these through to me!

Buy Adnams ales here

Greene King IPA Export

Greene King IPA Export [baron rating 3/5] - 5% amber ale,spicy butterscotch smell,spicy slighty sweet caramel taste,mild bitter finish

Williams Bros Cock o'The Walk

Williams Bros Cock o'The Walk [baron rating 4/5] - 4.3% red ale,citrus smell,zingy citrus sweet berries taste,fruity caramel malty finish
Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it.

Download flash to hear the audio review
Subscribe in iTunes


Note: Not bottle conditioned

Thank you to Williams Bros. for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Williams Bros ales here and here