First Gold IPA
Acorn Brewery Of Barnsley

(Notes of 15/07/2007) Tasted by a half-pint at the Devonshire Cat in Sheffield, served by a sparkler-pour in a half-pint, over-size Nonic glass.

A: coming in a copper hue with very fine carbonation, topped with an off-white ice-cream-like frothy head. Fantastic!
S: extremely flowery-hoppy with a touch of sour-ish raw nuts plus pear-drop like yeasty hints; a good malty base carries some caramel-coated nuts and autumn fruits. Not at its prime, this cask, as the overripe fruity hints come a bit astringent (usually a sign emerging some time after the cask is tapped), but still smelling deep and settled for a good-bodied IPA.
T: pear-drops, sweet tea, sour-sweet toasted fruits, and a very deep layer of semi-roasted malts dominate the foretaste; in the aftertaste, the roasted-tea-ish hoppiness and tannin develop in full swing but never excessively, coupled with a trace of banana-esters. Tangy, woody bitterness lingers until the very end of each sip.
M&D: quite soft in carbonation, medium-bodied, showing a good balance b/w malts, hops and fruit esters. This is a nice and delicious IPA that could've been a cracking session booze if served fresher!