Suffolk Springer
Greene King / Morland Brewery

500 ml clear bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 6.0%. Mahogany coloured beer, big to moderate off-white to beige head. Nice aroma of "dusty" and fruity English hops, hints of caramel and berries. The flavour is malty with hints of caramel, honey and some fruit. Some "dusty" hops in the finish, but not much bitterness.

Old ale.
Poured into pint.
Pours clear mahogany beer with 2-finger beige head, decent retention.
Smell - malty, slightly fruity and toasted.
Taste - marmalade, dark fruits, caramel, roasted malts, burnt sugar, cherry cake.
Medium body, good carbonation.
Drinkable, but lacking a bit of complexity.

 

 

Copy of a strong suffolk, but I found it more bitter

 

 

First, I'm a huge beer lover but somewhat of a novice when it comes to beer tasting...so take my reviews with a grain of salt.

I know what I like and I know what I don't. I did not enjoy the Suffolk Springer and won't buy it again.

The appearance was less than average, no head, not clear.

I took nothing away from the smell.

The taste was okay, not terrible but nothing to yearn for.

The mouthfeel was a little syrupy.

Overall, this beer was okay. I don't have a lot of ESB bitter experience so it's possible that it tasted like it's supposed to but I just don't have the mature pallet to recognize its qualities.

A 500ml clear glass bottle with a BB of July 2012. Picked up a little while back from Morrisons. This beer is a celebration of horse-racing; the label mentions that a springer is a horse on which the odds shorten dramatically at the last minute.

Poured into a Sam Smith's pint glass. A clear cherry-mahogany colour with decent carbonation. Forms a large head of creamy tan foam that lasts for a few minutes before disappearing. Aroma of sweet, almost cloying roasted malt, with notes of caramel, dried fruit, molasses, wood, a hint of vanilla and mild stewed hops. A faint background twang reminiscent of malt vinegar.

Tastes of fruity roasted malt with a dry finish. Notes of caramel, dried fruit, vanilla, faint molasses and stewed hops. Has a mild woodiness, as if partly produced/aged in wooden vats. A mild, dry bitterness upon swallowing, with a warming twinge of booze in the background. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with good body. Somewhat astringent. Aftertaste of rich, fruity malt and stewed hops.

Pretty good; certainly better than a lot of Greene King brews which all seem to be variations on the same thing. Rich and a tad cloying - I wouldn't want to have more than one. The fruity malt flavour is decent but lacks depth; I suspect this would benefit from conditioning with live yeast. A solid ESB that is worth trying.

 

This ale pours a deep brown/cherry-red color. Looks very appetizing in my glass with a nice solid head. The head did not stick around very long.

I don't get a whole lot on the nose, but maybe i'm a little stuffed up. I do get some roastiness... wood? coffee?...with some sweetness mixed in there.

The taste is not easy to pinpoint either. I definitely get the caramel but I also get some dark roastiness. Maybe some molasses. There is sweetness on the back end but you'll first be hit with the dark roasted (nutty?) flavor.

I really like the mouthfeel. It feels so light on my tongue. Soft and fluffy. Very unexpected for a beer of such dark color and bold presumptions.

I have to start by confessing I'm not a great fan of most Greene King beers. To me, almost all of their cask ales seems to have a distinct taste of steamed vegetables. Bottles seem to offer a bit more variation. I do like some Greene King beers so I'll try my very best to be objective!

A - Dark red; darkish thin and fleeting head.

S - Sweet and caramelly, some dried fruit.

T - For such a strong malty beer, it's actually quite subtle. The sweet malt continues to come through but doesn't impart much complexity. I was expecting it to taste more alcoholic but surprisingly it doesn't.

M - Typical mouthfeel with low carbonation. Perhaps it's the alcohol that gives it a bit of body.

D - As a session beer I would've liked it. However, given the alcohol content, this one was almost too drinkable. A 6% beer which doesn't give you a bit of a kick seems almost like a waste.

On cask as part of the Real Ale Festival at Wetherspoons.

1/2 pint served by handpump into imperial 1/2 pint glass.

A- Dark mahogany body with a off white creamy head that is consistent with good lacing.

S- Not much in the nose, a strong malty sweetness.

T- Large malt presence as expected alongside a dark fruit and nutty note. Some hop bitterness with a little alchohol kick in the finish.

M- Low carbonation with full body.

D- Certainly tasty malt-wise, all the usual qualities of an ESB, well rounded with a hint of alcohol in the finish. Not a classic sessioner but certainly wouldnt turn down.

Bought in a clear 500ml bottle from Sainsburys.

Appearance: A rich chocolate brown colour, with a large foamy tan head and moderate carbonation.

Aroma: Lots of biscuity malts, with a sweet brown sugar, and caramel syrup. There is also a subtle fruitiness to the nose, possibly blueberry.

Taste: As with the nose the taste is malt driven like typical Greene King beers with very soft sponge cake and shortbread, and a hint of chocolate. There is a hint of fruitiness, maybe figs and dates. A slight warming finish from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Quite full, with a sticky texture, and smooth.

Drinkability: A good pint as usual from Greene King, with a bit of a punch this time. Well worth a shot if the style is your type of thing.

Clear 500ml bottle, original review lost on site.

Lovelly amber colour, clear body, with a full head of foam.

Can't remember a great amount else about the beer or my review, no aroma of note . I do however remember I was quiet impressed overall, I promise to buy and re-review if I see this beer again.