Cracker
Shepherd Neame Ltd

Pint poured into imperial pint glass at local wetherspoons

A: Dark ruby colouring, with a 2 finger head that dissapates rather quickly leaving a crown, lacing is minimal.

S: Very fresh fruitful smell, lots of citrus, lemons and grapefruit, not much sweet malt

T: citric edge again apparent, and some faint malts to come through in the finish, Cant overly detect any spice in the finish, mostly fruit in the aftertaste, but achieves some balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness

M: Low carbonation, light in body, very easy to drink.

D: Drinkable, with nice balance in the characterful taste, nothing overwhelming, just a good sessioner

Tasted by half-pint at my local JDW pub, The Capitol, in Forest Hill, SE London. This beer seems to be a seasonal contract-brew by the Shepherd Neames exclusively for the Wetherspoon chain, as the top-rim of the pump clip clearly bears the word "J D Wetherspoon". The alc. strength is also numbed down to 3.9%abv. right now. Served by a handpump, w/o a sparkler.

A: dark reddish-amber in colour, coming with an ever-lasting off-white foamy head that leaves thick and tight laces as it retreats.
S: full of sour-sweet fruitiness of Goldings hops, very lively and fresh, added with an apple-ish and mildly sweet citric edge, while the maltiness is relatively timid.
T: pear-ish fruity malts and Goldings hops, giving a mildly sour tinge of nuttiness and apples... turning dryish and roast-malty half-way through, leaving a lingering dried tea-leafy and powdery-spice bitterness as of Fuggles hops.
M&D: smoothly-textured, light and refreshing as a Kentish hoppy ale, this is a rather traditional offering with a good body of hops to boot. Nothing spectacular nor X'mas-ish in the glass, but this is a good session bitter designed to quaff.

This seasonal ale poured a deep amber that bordered on burgundy. Liquid had good clarity. Thiinish head left smatterings of lacework. Roasted nice aroma does not hint at the fruity hoppy taste of this ale. Typical of this brewer, strong fruitiness in the finish. Smooth and clean tasting, a nice solid seasonal from the Kent brewer. Once again had this at the Lord Moon Of The Mall, a nice Wetherspoon pub that carries a good range of guest ales.