Like a Fiddler's Elbow
Written: May 01 '02 (Updated Oct 01 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A good thirst quencher
Cons: Not the best from this brewery
The Bottom Line: A refreshing beer, ideal for quenching your thirst. Just don't expect too much.
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| proxam's Full Review: Fiddlers Elbow Amber Ale |
I'm a big fan of Wychwood beers, as anyone reading some of my reviews will soon realize. The trouble is, they keep bringing out different specials each month and there's only so much beer I can drink. One beer that isn't a special though is Fiddler's Elbow.
Wychwood Brewery started life back in 1983 as a one-man business producing 8 to 10 barrels per week. As demand grew, a larger operation was set up on the site of an older brewery, which dated back to 1839. The Brewery now produces 30,000 barrels a year.
Wychwood uses local water from the river Windrush, English malt, hops and yeast. No additives are used, and over the years the brewery has received various awards, mainly from the branches of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale).
Many of Wychwood's beers are extensively available across the UK in bottles and it is even relatively easy to get these brews on draught outside the Oxford area, even in darkest Scotland.
--------------------------INTERLUDE-------------------------
A husband and wife entered the emergency dentist's surgery. The husband said, "I want a tooth pulled. We are in a hurry - so no Novocain or gas. Just pull the tooth out."
"You're a brave man," said the dentist. "Now show me the tooth"
"Open your mouth," said the man to his wife, "and show the dentist which tooth it is, dear."
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Back to the beer......
THEY SAY: "Fiddlers Elbow is a wonderfully refreshing beer made from a blend of barley and wheat malts and hopped with Styrians. It has an earthy hop aroma balanced by juicy malt, with tart citrus fruit in the mouth and a long quenching, hoppy fruity finish."
Fiddler's Elbow pours to a pale and clear, yellowish amber, almost golden colour. The head is not overly foamy and soon dissipates leaving a beer that is quite lightly carbonated and leaves only the barest amount of lace on the glass.
The aroma is of a very earthy hoppiness with some grassy tones but this is counterbalanced by a citric sweetness with traces of overripe fruit.
It's moderately light-bodied with a mild bitterness and the initial flavour is quite dry with a fairly strong citric acidity. It's a little sweet but a leafy, and somewhat oily, hop flavour balances this. The hop flavour IS quite prominent but there is a faint background maltiness too.
The finish is fairly dry, predominantly hoppy with a slight smoky bitterness - quite pleasant.
• The Verdict •
At 5.2% ABV, Fiddler's Elbow is a solid beer but in my opinion not as good as Wychwood’s flagship ale; Hobgoblin.
It's nice enough but it's not really a heavyweight. This is a beer that you could probably knock back a few quite easily on a Summer's evening - It's very drinkable and an excellent thirst quencher. Not really one to sip and savour though.
I bought a 500ml bottle in Safeway for the sum of £1.69, which I thought was a little on the expensive side.
Some other beers from this brewery that I've reviewed are:
Hobgoblin
Pumpking
Back Wych
Thanks for reading,
Sláinte
©proxam2003
Recommended:
Yes
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proxam
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Location: De Leving's Toun
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Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Don't drink & derive
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