Wye Not?
Wye Valley Brewery

500ml Brown bottle (bottle conditioned): BBD Aug 2012. Poured slowly into my Abbot Ale glass tankard. No sediment left the bottle: pale golden in colour, with a good, deep head of white foam, rising through the clear body could be seen bubble trails even though the glass has no agitator in its base. The head stayed for the whole tasting and produced some heavy lacing on the glass.

The smells were of citrusy hops and yeast with a slight malt sweetness lurking in the background.

The taste was very simular to the aromas: hops first, then fresh yeasts followed by some malt hints, the beer finishes in the mouth with a pleasant hop twang of bitterness. This isn't one dimensional, the flavours move around in the mouth with the citrus hop content being the strongest element, yet without completely taking over.

The 4.5%ABV is there, but it isn't totally apparent, the hops reducing the impact of the alcohol and the yeast conditioning in the bottle seemingly making it taste fresh and young.

Not bad at all, glad I let it settle for 6 months or so before opening it.

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Aug 2012. Purchased from Sainsburys as part of their British beer hunt. Described on the label as bottle-conditioned.

Poured into a pint glass. A golden colour with visible sediment and good carbonation. Yeast is present on the base of the bottle. Forms a large white head of creamy foam that lasts for a while before collapsing to a surface layer. Aroma of light malt with notes of stewed leaves, faint roasted grain and a hint of citrus.

Tastes of light malt with some sweetness and a mild hoppy bitterness. Notes of stewed leaves, subtle citrus and an acrid flavour upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with a slight spicy quality. Aftertaste of stewed leaves.

Another average ale. There are signs of potential, but this is pretty dull. The bottle conditioning doesn't seem to do much for this one; it feels quite rounded but lacks the depth that yeast usually adds to the flavour. The aromatic hops could also be increased to improve the flavour. At any rate, nothing special.