Duchy Originals Organic Ale

(500 ml bottle: $3.99 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA) A really nice fruity nose is vibrant and expressive when the beer is first poured, but it quickly shows a bit of mustiness and then ultimately turns somewhat earthy, the fruitiness considerably diminished by that point. And in the flavor, the expected fruitiness (based on the initial aromas) never really jumps out like it does with the nose, but rather a nutty, earthy flavor offers a balancing presence, and the beer finishes late with a pleasant smokiness. The beer is mildly bitter, but certainly has a more floral character to it. And there are no unusual flavors, something I’ve come to expect with organic beers. Medium-bodied with average carbonation and a pretty easy-going mouthfeel. Clear, amber body is topped by a solid inch of beige-colored head. Not much lacing, but retention is pretty decent as there was still a thin layer atop the beer after my half-hour long phone call had ended. The nerve of people calling me when I’m rating a beer! Good beer, quite enjoyable, and it’s organic too!

Sample at AleFest Dayton: This beer is a pale clear amber color with a medium off-white head with decent retention. Thin, spotty lacing. Bready malt aroma. Medium-bodied with earthy, slightly stale malt flavor, along with some caramel. The finish is malty and metallic, with a sweet aftertaste. Not very enjoyable.

Bright amber color, with a creamy beige head, nice toasty nose, with caramelized malt, toffeeish accent, grainy, nutty, with a subtle floral hops and a hint of dark dried fruits in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a crisp roasted malt, caramel malt, nutty accent, hint of graininess, toffeeish note, earthy floral hops, leading towards a malty, lingering dry hoppy finish.

Bright copper colour with cream head and light carbonation. Little aroma, but a hint of hops. Taste starts sweet, but ends with a strong bitter zing.

Drank it a while back. Remember being satisfied with it but not overly impressed. The 47 rating is spot on, as this beer is just about middle of the road; nothing spectacular but it tastes good enough to drink more than one.

bottle from sainsburys, this is good stuff, brilliant copper colour, firm white lasting head. on the mose its not too much of anything, just some malt i got, but in the mouth i found this to be a full flavoured ESB style beer, caramel and malts dominate, fills the mouth brilliantly and has just a touch of bitterness at the finish, excellent stuff

Pours a yellow orange color with a fairly thick white head and absolutely fantastic lacing. Not much to the aroma. A bit of bittering hops on top of a fairly malty english ale. The American in me wants more hops, more alcohol, more malt, more more more but it’s a solid easy drinking beer as it is.

Bottle from Super Saver. Medium brown pour with aroma of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. Tastes caramel malty, with some bitter hops, brown sugar, and cacao. Gets more bitter and vinous as it warms.