McMullen IPA

Cask (handpump), Spice of Life, Soho. Amber/copper colour with a persistent off-white head. Aroma was mainly nutty malt - a little raw and not that fresh. Better on the palate. Chewy malt predominates, with some fruity bitterness. Overall feel is a little earthy although some resinous hop character does eventually impinge. But its rather hidden by the fat malt profile. Again, I felt that the beer might not have been at its freshest. Decent enough but the malt/hop balance could do with being skewed rather more in the hop direction. As it is the feel is more Autumnal than IPA.

[CASK: The Salisbury Ale House, Manchester 27/10/06] A middle range strongish ale. Simply OK nothing more to it really!

Cask at The Farriers Arms St Albans 28 Sep 06. Dark golden coloured. A tiny head. Sweet hoppy fruity aroma. Diluted fruity flavour. Sourish bitter aftertaste.

Half pint on cask. Amber coloured. Low level of white foam. Malty foundation in both aroma and flavour. Dark fruits are also present in a rather weak taste. Bitter finish, but not much for an IPA (Found in good condition at the Farriers Arms, St Albans 28.09.2006).

[Cask at The Three Judges] Floral, perfumey hops balanced with caramel malt notes. medium body, dry finish.

Cask@The Nags Head, Covent Garden, London. Not bad, but its a justa bitter, not an IPA. Good balance between hop and malt. Grainy malt, with some leafy citric hop characters.

Cask conditioned at The Farriers Arms, St Albans, Herts. Brown to gold colour with white head. This much missed beer has made a comeback as a seasonal for autumn for selected McMullen pubs only. There is a thickish fruity, dry malty base with a dry fruity powdery hop to entice the flavour buds. More a British IPA than the super hop variants but quite drinkable. Finishes with an odd touch of caramel which seemed a little out of place, but a decent beer.