Okells Honda Blade Brew

Brewed by Okells
Style: Bitter
Douglas, Isle of Man

Cask at The Red Lion, Cricklade 09-06-07 Wiltshire. Poured amber colour with reddy hues. I tended to note more malt than fragrant floral aroma, then it was more malt vinegar as Butch our bus driver sat near me drowned his chips in the stuff. This was a tasty beer with good bitterness and some nice toffee undecurrents but not for the first time today was one of many beers that were far too safe and a bit boring.

Cask (handpump) at the Market Porter, Southwark, June 2006. More amber, tending towards copper, than gold in colour. I didn’t find much evidence of the fragrance referred to in the commercial description. The hop element was rather moist and clammy with some sulphurous notes. Perhaps a bit green. Better definition on the palate. Tangy hops, dry and fairly bitter. Tends towards astringency on the finish, but doesn’t stray too far in that direction, leaving a crisp and quite sharp aftertaste. A decent, relatively straightforward bitter.

Cask conditioned at the Market Porter, Southwark. Disgusting rotten egg aroma at first, which half burns off but still is rather unpleasant until the bottom. Cloudy orange appearance. Sweet malt with some beef and hops. Better than the aroma suggests.