World Cup 2010 Kickin' Off
White Horse Brewery Company Limited

Tasted recently by a pint at my local JDW pub, John Russell Fox, in Andover. Served by a non-sparkler pour in a straight pint glass. This ale, according to the JDW Guest Ales programme, is brewed exclusively for Wetherspoon to celebrate the World Cup.

A: dark chestnut brown in colour, with great clarity, plus a beige foam with very good retention that leaves tight lacing as it goes, and low carbonation.
S: bready+biscuity maltiness dominates the nose, while a swirl gives rise to semi-sweet and refreshing Fuggles-like hop fruitiness as well as caramely nuts. All's good, albeit falling a bit more than necessary on the sweet side of balance.
T: delicious nut-syrup and caramelised brown sugar, followed by semi-grapey dark fruits, light sour-sweetness, and a slowly-expanding flow of tea-leafy & earthy hop bitterness plus rather bitter roast barley reminiscent of nut-skins... The subtle input of fruitiness is balanced by lingering dried-nutty bitter undertone... Bitter, semi-dry yet aromatic malty all round; chewy on the palate in the end as a result of the good level of bitter hops used.
M&D: this ale is delicately balanced, showcasing med.-level fruitiness, aromatic malts, a semi-dry undertone as of roast malts and an enticing finish endowed by good amount of bitter hops... Fresh on the palate, with softly tingling carbonation soothing the taste-buds, this is a quaffable and delicious premium bitter, particularly worth trying while it's fresh on cask like the pint I've had!