Hopdaemon Golden Braid

Tasting Summary

East Malling Beer & Cider Festival 2010, East Malling, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Kentish Al		04 Sep 2010	Very refreshing.

Kings Arms, Elham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Whinger	Not Tried	28 Jul 2010
Mick		21 May 2010	Pale and mellow, OK
Whinger		25 Nov 2009

The Dolphin, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		10 Jul 2010	Very drinkable session bitter
Andrew		10 Jul 2010	Good condition. Reminded me of Swale Kentish Admiral (which of course isn't brewed anymore)
Andrew		15 Aug 2009	Excellent condition. Slightly creamy with body. This felt like an oaty best bitter. Nothing like the Golden Braid of years ago which would blow your socks off with its dry, hoppy, blast. Still, a good session bitter.
Ian	Not Tried	24 May 2009

Old Wine Vaults, Faversham, Kent

2nd K&ES Railway Beer Festival 2010, Tenterden, Kent

Lenham Working Mens Club, Lenham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Kentish Al		22 May 2010
Pedro		22 May 2010

Man of Kent, Rochester, Kent

The Parrot (Wells & Young), Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		10 Apr 2010	All agreed this had a bit of burnt plastic, rubber to it.
Andrew		10 Apr 2010	Bit of an odd flavour to it; kind of like the essence of perspex or rubber or something. The condition wasn't great either. I drank it all though so it was okay.

The Unicorn, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		19 Mar 2010	One of the best pints of this I've had in some time. Fresh and lovely. Yes, hoppy, but not overly so with a little biscuit malt on the swallow.
Blair		01 Nov 2008	Really light, sweet bitter. Very refreshing and easy to drink.
Ian		21 Dec 2006	I haven't had this in a bit and had forgotten how good it was. Lots of hop and good pale malt base. But this is about the hop.

Samuel Peto, Folkestone, Kent

The Unicorn, Bekesbourne, Kent

Old Brewery Tavern, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		03 Aug 2009	In good condition. Slightly rich, tangy, nutty-nettle hopped bear. Nice
Ian	Not Tried	24 May 2009
Andrew	Not Tried	11 Sep 2008	I miss read the pump clip and thought this was Skrim otherwise I may well have had it instead of the Otter.

Three Mariners, Hythe, Kent

Shipwright Arms, Faversham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew	Not Tried	02 May 2009
Andrew	Not Tried	20 Jul 2008	Jane had this and it tasted excellent (...if a little unnervingly like Goachers Light)
Andrew		21 Jan 2006	Mandarin and lychee flavours followed by a bitter elderflower bite. Shame most other pubs have Incubus rather than this!
Ian	Not Tried	29 Aug 2005
Andrew		26 Aug 2005	Light and hoppy.
Ian		09 Apr 2005	Golden ale, some citrus fruit, thin in mouth , some hops and a bit tart/acid on finish.
Andrew		09 Apr 2005	A bit tired for this usually excellent beer
Andrew		28 Aug 2004

Blakes, Dover, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Dubbel	Not Tried	06 Feb 2009
Brian		22 May 2006	No head at all, slight golden tinge. Excellent full hop flavour.
Ian		24 Sep 2005	Bit like the Skrim really. In fact I had the last pint of this and it was taken off to be replaced by the Crouch Vale Best Bitter. Golden Braid was flat and dull.

Simple Simons, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew	Not Tried	23 Apr 2008	Went off as I ordered it
Blair		01 Dec 2007	Sweet and refreshing, good session bitter.
Andrew		24 Nov 2007	Liked this -I think. I remember thinking afterwards that it was good. It was the last pint I had so to be honest I don't remember much about it except it was excellent.
Ian		24 Nov 2007	Everyone else thought that this was good. Perhaps I expect more hop from my golden ales. Fine, tasty and easy drinking.
Andrew		31 Oct 2007	Bit too cold. Rich oatiness with a hint of strawberry with a straw mellow bitter finish.
Andrew		19 Oct 2007	A touch too cold but excellent. Fresh, hoppy and dry.
Ian		20 May 2007	I had this because sometimes it can be sublime. This is perfectly drinkable, no off flavours, decent dry citrus finish, lacks a bit of condition maybe.
Ian		27 Dec 2006	Not as good as I was hoping for, but the hop was still good.
Andrew	Not Tried	27 Dec 2006
Brian		11 Nov 2006	Superb fresh cut grass and hay. Straw coloured and livelier than I remember. Perfect balance of bitter fruit and malt. It has the feel of a summer pint though, not one for a grey November day in front of a wood fire.

Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club, Dover, Kent

The Elephant, Faversham, Kent

Red Lion, Snargate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew	Not Tried	31 Jul 2006	Had a sip of Jane's and it was a bit flat and lifeless
Ian		24 Jun 2006	Very easy drinking golden session bitter

Yew Tree Inn, Barfrestone, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		04 Jun 2006	A lovely lime smell is followed by some subtle mellon on the front of the tounge and then rich mellon and well ballanced pineapple hop flavours dominate. Rich syrupy pineapple bitter finish. Ace!

Duck Inn, Pett Bottom, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		23 Aug 2005	Lovely and hoppy with a slightly orangy flowery nose. Great rich, sweet malt finish. An excellent pint.

Rare Breeds Beer Festival 2005, Woodchurch, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		03 Jun 2005	The type of beer I love. Golden, good hop nose, with citric/lemon flavours. Good sherberty flavour with tangy lemon on the tongue. Superb

Crabble Corn Mill Beer Festival 2005, Dover, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		27 May 2005	Blond session beer. Not as hoppy as it can be, but still has some nice citrus notes

Rose & Crown, Elham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		14 Dec 2004	A bit too cold and not with its normal hoppy bite
Ian		12 Nov 2004	Refreshing, typical Hopdeamon hops and yeast bringing a very drinkable session bitter
Ian		12 Nov 2004	Golden session beer. Hops to the fore. Just so well made, you wonder why other brewers can't make beer this good.

Coastguard, St Margarets at Cliffe, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Martin		05 Nov 2004	Impressive still, but had better here a couple of weeks before