Cask Handpump at the Moon Under Water, Manchester (JDW) 06/12/2003 Mid brown coloured with some sour fruit flavour. Slightly rich on the palate. Crisp full malt finish with a hint of bitterness.

Cask Conditioned at The Bell, Banbury. Brown Amber beer with thinnish head. This is a sweetish malty beer, an attempt to deliver a winter warmer which in my opinion misses the mark. Little subtelty of flavours, mainly an alcoholic sweetness. There is a boiled hoppy finish.

Nice mid-amber appearance. Very subdued aroma, although the hevay cold I am suffering from might not have helped. I will give it the benefit of the doubt in that respect, otheriwse it would lose a point. Pleasnt malty edge on the palate, but a pronounced bitterness develops and dominates the finish. Slight metallic tang lingers. A Silk Tork says, quite restrained, especially for a winter beer, and consequently, as the brewery suggests, much more quaffable than one might expect. I quite liked this, but nothing exceptional. Obviously doing the Wetherspoons rounds at the moment. Handpump, Lord Moon of the Mall, London SW1, December 2003.

<i>Cask Conditioned, Masque Haut, London.</i><br /> Amber with a medium well formed and persistent head. Good medium bitterness with not much else I’m afraid. This beer wasn’t a patch on the Winter Tipple sampled just beforehand.

<i> Cask Fresh &#64; JDW Golden Lion, Rochester. </i> Dark amber colour - quite murky like a brown ale. A darkly malty beer with dark tangy hops, but all in a restrained manner. Some slight raisin and toffee flavours. Flavours are slightly murky but give an acceptable overall impression. A black tea aroma.