Tom Wood's Lincoln Red
Highwood Brewery Ltd.

Brown 500ml bottle, obtained from Beers of Europe, best before 28 Jul 2011, drank and reviewed 4 Jul 2011: poured into na UK pint sleeve glass.

True reddy brown coloured body, with a large off-white bubbley head on top, looks a treat.

Aroma of roasted, toasted malts with semi-sweet molasses thrown in.

The taste follows the smell, malts and molasses, but with a hop dry bite towards the end of the mouthfeel. As the mouth really dries between gulps the hop bitterness turns into an almost citrus mini-sourness (pink grapefruit?). Very nice in deed.

I first tried this last year at a restaurant with a piece of Lincoln Red Beef, from which it takes its name. Since then, I have been trying to find somewhere to buy the beer, and I finally found it at a farm shop just outside of Lincoln.

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a into a traditional bitter pint glass. Unfortunately this time it was not accompanied by the beef.

A - Deep red in colour, with a half-inch fluffy white head. The head retention is good, and nice lacing through the pint. Minimal carbonation.

S - Sweet roasted malts. Subtle clean hops and a very mild citrus.

T - The initial taste is quite dry, with a sweet maltiness up front. There is a clear bitter component to the taste after the initial flavour that has a hint of lemon. The aftertaste is a long and bitter hoppiness, with and an earthy quality.

M - Medium bodied, with a mildly oily feel. A little carbonation but not too much, which allows the flavours to be appreciated.

D - Being a Lincoln boy myself I am probably bias but I really do love this beer and was genuinely delighted to find a place to buy it. It is not easy to get hold of but if you ever get the opportunity to try it, you must!