Friar's Fancy
Hardys & Hansons PLC

Tasted this beer by a pint at my local Wetherspoon pub in East End London yesterday. It was the only guest beer available yesterday, but was very fresh when I tasted it.

A: it pours an amber hue, with a 1cm-thick, very very tight foamy, off-white beer head; great headretention, plus pretty tight and clear layers of white lace left along the way...
S: soft white-grapefruit peel's zesty aroma plus light apple-peel manifest, with a hint of lager malts(!!)--lightly bready and more aromatic note at the back.
T: upfront a pale-malty palate, as profoundly juicy and dryish grapefruit and soft orangey zesty hop flavours follow up; a kind of black-tea tannic touch as well as fast-intensifying, lightly-spicy bitterness gather strength in the extremely lingering aftertaste, where semi-sweet malts and semi-dryish hops flavours keep on going.
M&D: the mouthfeel is great, with a soft palate balanced well with fresh cask-ale's natural bubbly texture, making this medium-bodied and full-flavoured pale ale an exceptional drinking experience. Luscious as well as subtle-flavoured, this is one of the cask bitters in their best condition which I've had recently.