OHanlons Royal Oak

Brewed by OHanlons
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Whimple, England

Cask conditioned at the Commercial Inn, Dunfermline. Copper colour, nice bubbly head. Aroma is complex, mostly hoppy. Palate is filled with fruits and malt with dry herbal aftertaste.

Poured out a deep burnt orange brew that was not entirely clear - probably due to my pour. I was pretty careful but got greedy near the bottom. The large super light brown crown is really thick and has amazing retention and lacing - an excellent looking brew, no doubt. The aroma is pleasant but quite mild. Found a bit of bread and caramel, the latter being the weaker of the two, fruit that comes from the darker side of the citrus family. Something faint a short that reminds me of chocolate milk powder...?? The more this warms the more the hop character comes out. The taste is really goo, so good that I’ve put another in the freezer. I’ve really gotten hooked on English bitters lately. Neat blend of malts - I know there’s some bread and some caramel but it all seems a mystery.... comes across dry. Tasty hops that come over the top of the malt but do not overpower the flavour. The hops really become more sour as I bottom my glass. It’s almost like this beer is layered. Something Xmas hard candy like in the spice. It might even taste like bark. Nears medium bodied. Smooth brew with a lengthy bitter and bready finish, more so later on. I think I’m in need of a blind English Bitter tasting and let these suckers battle each other to the death. Did I overrate this? I’ll have to hit it up again, me thinks.

From the bottle pours a hazy deep amber with a thick frothy off white head that keeps a respectable cap till the bottom of the glass. Aroma of yeasty (bottle conditioned duh) alcohol with woody and raisin tones. Flavour is roasty malt with a bitter finish and lingering hoppy aftertaste. Not my one of my fav. Bitters but a nice bottle conditioned example.

Pretty deep amber colour with a wonderful creamy head. High carbonation for the style. Aroma is hoppy, lightly acidic and fruity. Flavour is nice and pleasant with a malty base ending in a long and dry finish. I definitely wouldn’t mind sampling this from the cask in a British pub.

Dark hazy orange colour with a small head. Perfumed aroma. Hoppy. Lots of bitterness in flavour with a slightly alcoholic end. Good.

Tasted 26/04/2007. 500ml bottle from Rumble’s, Wellington. Pours an almost bright Doc Marten Cherry Red, with a very light tan airy head. Delightfully fruity nose: raisiny port notes mingle with a sweet whiff of lemonade. A hint of caramel, especially in the empty glass. Very soft in the mouth, and quite light, with just a touch of barley sweetness, more fruity esters and a toasty dry finish. Oaky notes linger on the palate, and I’m not pulling your leg here! Bitterness is very subdued, hop flavour almost non-existent besides a mild peppery spice. This one has really stood up to the travel and the shelf time. Excellent ESB, with all the complexity of a good single malt whisky. It really makes me want to have another look at their Port Stout.

Hazy, orange with no head. Hoppy aroma with notes of fruit, licorice, choclate, roasted malt and spices. Fruity flavor with notes of anice, english hops, chocolate, malt and spices. Dry finish.

Very sessionable and tasty with delicious light alefruits and a nutty complex aroma. Good stuff.