Old Master Hen 2023 Vintage
Greene King / Morland Brewery

So bottled and bottle conditioned in a clear glass affair so luckily this comes double boxed, the bottle is refrigerated then sat in cool water

Poured into a balloon topped glass with care, with a fabric holder underneath to stop heat transference to reveal a burnished bronze coloured body with good big white head that recedes to splashes of bubble islands

Aroma is molasses, dates, toffee and hints of vanilla then mixed in is breaded yeasts and peppery

The flavour is sticky toffee pudding but before the sweetness in that flavour profile rolls in, wholemeal bread with very subtle malt vinegar evolve subtle barely noticeable fiery chilli notes that quickly submit to a pleasant level of bitterness

The body and mouthfeel is excellent, fitting low level carbonation, it’s easy drinking but in no way flimsy, full bodied but not heavy going

L- A fine bold chestnut brown, pours clear, with a 1Cm off-white fine-bubble head. ps @ +10mins = still holding the head reeeally well and forming lacing on the way down.
S- Quite light, just some roasty malts. Quite possible my nose is off-form.
T- Ooh-aah. Slowly into deep rich malts, almost a brief sense of Xmas-pudding richness. Then the CO2 comes out on the palate and some trad bitter hops rise into the finish.
F- It's incredibly rounded on the palate 'on the front' before the hops rise. There is a real texture of creaminess, which I think is a combo of the high malt level + the creamy head. This is the kind of head Guinness dream they could produce, that in fact - in it's natural form - exists on few beers.
O- Very nice indeed. Dark, rich + impactful on the palate would be great for winter. But this is Limited Edition (they say), so IDK if it will still be around come winter. It reminds me of the likes of Abbot Reserve and Fuller's 1845, superb tho quite thumpy very trad ales. I like it though might suit a cold winter night vs sweltering mid-June.
Comes in a pretty 'Special Edition' box. 500ml bottle BB: ? Not on the neck as suggested.
#2250 - Blind-tasted as usual and now rated I'll read the lable for anything else of note. - Bottle conditioned it says, 'pour carefully', tho TBH there is a very layer on the bottom of the bottle and none entered my brutish pour ;;

p.s. 'Old Master Hen' - hahaha! How fashionable to be a gender-confused chicken :)

Bottle conditioned. Pours a clear amber with a medium thick head which is dense and cream coloured. Ringed and trailing foamed lacing.
The aroma is quite rich. Jaffa cake and toffee with hints of the earthy GK yeast.
Malty taste. Dark and citrus fruit with caramel. Somewhat sweet at the front but ending with a decent bitter hit.
Moderate to full body although my first impression was a bit on the thin side. The conditioning provides a soft feel.
Good at the moment and may well improve with age which the packaging suggests. I would not give it more than a couple of years to reach it's prime though.

Update December 2023 - Developing nicely after 6 months.