Woodfordes Headcracker

Brewed by Woodfordes
Style: Barley Wine
Broadland Brewery
Woodbastwick, England

Hand pulled at the White Horse, Parsons Green, London (as part of their Old Ale festival), with Joeh, Kook, Duff and Maeib. Golden colour, rough head. Fresh hoppy aroma. Very light and easy sipping. Hoppy in the mouth with a dry/sour finish, where the abv becomes slightly noticeable. Good for it’s freshness, and stylistically unsual for a strong English beer. Good stuff.

Very hoppy aroma, lots of citrus/grapefruit. Clean malts there too. Gold/copper in colour. Nice malty sweet start with a hoppy mid and quite dry finish. Hop aftertaste lingers. Smooth medium mouthfeel. Great!

Cask conditioned at the White Horse, Parsons Green, London. During the Old Ale Festival. Surprisingly pale. Evident alcohol, sweet malt and banana-ish notes with even some citrus in there. It held up very well on the day, amongst some real killer competition, thanks to the good beer keeping here at the pub.

Dense pale ale appearance with a dry fruity aroma, and a bitter toffee flavour. An average dry beer with hints of toffee.

I am usually a big fan of Woodforde's beers, but I found this a bit of a let down by their own high standards. According to the brewery, this is a barley wine. It is a rather pale coloured one - golden colored really. All sweet malt on the nose, but rather a volatile spirity feel. Vinous tones continue on to the palate with lots of sweet fruit - peaches maybe - and hops, but these do not cut through the sugary feel enough for me. I found the mouthfeel a little odd, somehow syruppy and thin at the same time. All comes together rather better at the end, but my overall impression is of a lack of balance. OK, though. Handpump, Head of Steam, London NW1.

Aroma of sweet hops and honey. Color of marmelade with a thin head. This beer had a very big flavor, yeast, white grapes, notes of caramel with a slight alcohol bitter finish. Not a bad beer, but the mouthfeel was slightly slimey....respectable overall though.

beautiful nose, bushy , nice, honey carmels over a resinous surface, slightly astringent finish, nice golden color, light haze, some lemon sour

Pale, hazy, nutty, yeasty, lovely bitterness that leads to a fine finish. Spritely - what the hell do I mean by that? Need some help with this one I guess. Were it not for the strength I might say that this would make a good summer ale. I guess it would - mow the lawn, have a few and pass out. Thanks to Doug for toting it all the way.