Bland alcohol-burnt, bottle-conditioned, yellow-ambered English pale ale offers pleasant caramelized butterscotch malting to contrast zesty citric bittering and floral-herbal hints to salty bottom. But interceptive astringency and bland finish diminish charred hop lick.
(WYCHWOOD) SCARECROW ALE
Moderate amber-paled clear-bottled mediocrity brings modest crystal malting and mild corn sweetness to delicate off-dry bitterness. But watery flow lacks resilience of Wychwood’s much better Fiddler’s Elbow and autumnal Hobgoblin (though the bewitching scarecrow label’s a scream).
(WYCHWOOD) OLD DEVIL LAGER
Puffy beige-headed wood chip-burnt blonde lager proffers buttery caramel creaminess. Leafy hop bitterness, subtle malt vacillation, and sweet yeast amble provide even-handed complement not far removed from honey-soaked India Pale Ales.
(WYCHWOOD) HOBGOBLIN TRADITIONAL ENGLISH ALE
Roasted mocha malts dominate earthen grains of uncomplicated rust-hazed English Ale. Candied burgundy sweetness lingers below light chocolate-y surface as mineral water crispness stays in accord with great Brit tradition.
(WYCHWOOD) GOLIATH ALE
Proud brewers of fine Scarecrow Ale and Fiddler’s Elbow return with cordial copper-hazed orange-highlighted pale ale. Buttery caramelized malts confirm bread-y yeast nose as lemony candied sweetness and soured citrus twang backup encrusted grain smear to crystalline water finish for light-bodied elegance.
(WYCHWOOD) FIDDLER’S ELBOW PALE ALE
Sweet single malt Scotch essence and barley-wheat conflux given bitter hop ambling. Creamy butterscotch insistence rises above slightest citrus hint by astringent finish for perfectly obvious Brit.
(WYCHWOOD) DUCHY ORIGINAL ORGANIC ENGLISH ALE
Earthen mineral-grained copper-hazed organic ale brings dry Scotch malting, tobacco-tinged barley roast, and wafted breadcrumb sniff to blanched resin hop stead. Herbal tea midst locates slimmest citrus, quince, and sherry illusions above walnut singe. ’09 re-tasting brought butterscotch frontage to burnt orange backdrop.
WYCHWOOD BAH HUMBUG! CHRISTMAS ALE
Under-whelming light-bodied bum-out deserves dissenting holiday moniker as sullen metallic-hopped cinnamon-gingerbread-vanilla vagary disrupts astringent nuttiness, skimpy fruitcake whimper, and styptic pumpkin-banana snipe. On tap, candi-sugared fig-plum vibe grows stronger above peppered hops.
WYATT’S WILD AGAVE BEER
Aromatic aftershave lotioning, peppery hop nose, and blue agave-spiced eucalyptus tongue climax with mint-y freshness. Initial peculiarities give way after a few sips, leaving an excessively cloy ginger-sugared finish. Pour slowly to correctly balance agave with sharp tequila twist.
WURZBURGER JULIUS ECHTER HEFE-WEISS DUNKEL
Thin, watery, turbidly rust-hued Bavarian dark ale lacks expected richness, settling for mere chocolate dip recession and prune-dried barleywine trickle. Grape esters waft through fig-raisin dissipation and teensy orange-kumquat stint.
WURZBURGER HOFBRAU PREMIUM BAVARIAN PILSNER
Insignificant musty hop-wafted, white fluffy-headed, light-bodied pilsner with dank yeast bitterness reminiscent of Holland brews such as Heineken or Peter’s Brand Pilsener. Flat carbonation, trifling citric souring, and watery flow don’t help. Bavarian? No. Closer to a bad white ale, perhaps. Try Killian’s version instead.
WURZBURGER HOFBRAU BAVARIAN HOLIDAY BEER
Tantalizing brown-hazed beige-headed Bavarian (a.k.a. Festbier) placates rich wheat frontage with heavier candi-sugared yeast sinew than most spicy holiday brews. Caramelized barleymalts linger to softened prune finish, providing delicate tone redolent of a brown ale.