Beer Review: Bradfield Farmer's Pale

Brewery: Bradfield

 

Style: Pale Ale

 

ABV: 5.0%

 

Location: Bradfield, South Yorkshire

 

Colour: Medium-dark Gold with one finger white head.

 

Aroma: Hoppy, musty, malty, a hint of tartiness comes through in the background. 

 

Taste: A pronounced and lingering dryness that complements the bitter notes, rather malty yet with a distinct lack of sweetness. Heavy and smooth mouthfeel with a hint of citrus fruit. 

 

Verdict: An average beer that delivers on flavour, though the dryness could be contentious for some; the hoppy and fruity notes seem rather muted which affects the overall balance on flavour, whilst the floral bouquet of aromas seemed largely absent due to the choice of hops used. The lack of sweetness helps bring the bitterness to the fore, although its abscense is noticeable. The brewers describe the drink as full bodied, although it delivers on this, the lacking of certain flavours affects it and makes it seem rather flat and conventional.

Rating: 6/10

Beer Review: Wold Top Scarborough Fair IPA

 Brewery: Wold Top

 

Style: IPA

 

ABV: 6%

 

Location: Driffield, East Yorkshire

 

Colour: Sunshine gold with a thin off white head.

 

Aroma: Hoppy, aromatic, bitter,  distinctly fruity, with a strong scent of peaches coming through.

 

Taste: Hoppy, bitter, robust flavours coming through with a background of sweetness. Some fruitness, with a sense of bittersweet citrus notes of Grapefruit. Heavy, cloying and strong which suggest this is a drink not to be messed with. The flavours linger in the mouth long after the sip.

 

Verdict: The use of hops are quite evident through this drink, making it a mememorable one. There is a good balance of flavours going on here. A quaffable beer with strong mixture of  aromas and flavours that perfectly achieve the complex nuances of a export style English IPA. It is easy to see why this beer has won a number of awards over the years, as the brewers put out all the stops with this lip smacking finely crafted drink. 

Rating: 9/10