I think that the thing that attracted me to this beer more than anything else was its label. It just goes to show you how a decently designed or unique label can help sell your brew amongst the competition. I’m glad that I was a sucker for the art.
Aroma
There wasn’t anything particularly dominating within the aroma of the beer. There is a slight nuttiness to it with hints of malt. It’s got a very pleasing and welcoming smell.
Appearance
The beer pours a clean reddish brown with a slight head that slowly faded to light lacing.
Taste
Again, there is no one characteristic that demands your full attention. It’s a well balanced and thoroughly drinkable ale. It’s nutty with a small hint of hops in the finish.
Overall
I really enjoyed this one. It was smooth and creamy. The slight hoppiness on the finish meshed well with the nutty character of the beer. A six pack of this wouldn’t last long. Rating: 3.5/5
January 19th, 2007
Roy Strohl said:
One of my favorite English ales. Particularly like the great balance of darker malts to the bitterness of the hops. Great in the glass; and while some might consider it a sacrilege, Hobgoblin makes a nice beer base for the traditional Flemish stew ‘Vlaamse Stovery’ / ‘Carbonade Flamande’.
Oh, one aspect of buying Hobgoblin in the US is that they sometimes package it with a great glass that has the Hobgoblin etched into the glass instead of the painted version found in the UK.