Twickenham Grandstand
Twickenham Fine Ales

 

 

my first from these guys, served on cask engine. clear amber colored brew with a tall and creamy layer of white froth like beaten eggs on top. smells metallic and a little sharp, kind of classically english too, with the sweeter toasted grains and the old worldy ale yeast just sort of done ambiently it seems. i get a nuttiness to this right away, and a soft sweetness along with it, a strong mineral profile like pennies and sweat, and then some warmth from the grain as well, bready yeast, and enough hop bitterness for this to smell balanced. the flavor is kind of minimal, like much of what i smelled here fell in on itself a little bit, the cask conditioning is pro, but the beer doesnt have a ton of flavor. as such, its nice as a morning brew, a hangover cure, or a kick starter, but it didnt have as much flavor as many of its peers i had around london did. minimal is not always bad though, its clean for its amber color, the yeast element is allowed to stand, and it works well with fried food. overall i like the texture a lot better than the flavor, but this really is an all day sort of drink. i love the low alcohol beer culture over here!

 

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Nov 2018. Purchased a little while back from M&S. Described on the label as a balanced amber session beer; hopped with Brewers Gold.

A: Poured into a pint mug. A deep amber hue with faint haze and plentiful carbonation. Produces a large head of creamy white foam that lasts for a minute or two before subsiding to a patchy surface layer. Nice lacing.

S: Aroma of grainy malt with hints of mild barley sugar, a touch of caramel, ale yeast, hay and subtle leafiness. Traditional and balanced.

T: Tastes of grainy malt with notes of barley sugar, mild caramel, ale yeast, subtle earthiness, hay, faint herbs and leafiness. Pretty dry, followed by a moderate hoppy bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with fizzy carbonation and decent body for the strength. Somewhat astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of bitter stewed hops, leafiness, grainy malt and ale yeast.

O: A balanced, traditional bitter that won't frighten the horses. Looks alright, while the aroma and flavour are a mix of grainy malt, leafy hops and ale yeast. Body is OK. Well put together but not terribly exciting. Would be fine on a warm day. Worth trying.

 

Cask at the Cricketers, Kew Green. Pours quite cloudy at first but ultimately settles down with a good body, though it lacks flavour, ultimately coming across as a bit of a slimy bitter.