Day 360: Hobgoblin

Name: Hobgolin

Brewer: Wychwood Brewery (Whitney, England)

Classification: Extra Special Bitter

Alcohol: 5.2% 

Thoughts: I haven't featured many Extra Special Bitter beers on the blog because I haven't found many that I like or want to try. The ones that I have had are either too bitter or have a staleness in the flavor. However, I have heard of one ESB that does not have either of these problems. Hobgoblin pours a dark near black carmel with an ever so slight reddish tinge. The head is fat and frothy with a light maple coloring. This is a very bready beer, with nice malty sweetness alongside a fruit bread wafting. This beer is definitely a trickster though, as its name might suggest, with some nice subtleties hidden in the smell. The first impression this beer leaves on you is with a strong, malty backbone, quite similar to the smell. There’s a nice side taste of tingly rich fruits. The after taste is slightly bitter, with a sweet lingering note. As you drink down further a slightly watery taste seems to get to the beer though. Like I said I haven't had many ESBs on the blog, but this is one I would drink over and over. It would be something that if I was in England I would have as my beer of choice. It is that good!

Rating: 88/100