Good evening all. After two weeks of fretting, self doubt and near-constant revision (no comment on the validity of that last part), the exam season finally ends tomorrow. As promised, I'll be reviewing something from the depths of my cellar to celebrate, so keep your eyes peeled for that. On to tonight though, and a beer from Hampshire's Oakleaf Brewery called Blake's Heaven. It's described as a winter ale, which hopefully I haven't opted to drink too soon as apparently Guildford is due some snow and I'll be needing all the warmth I can get. Review after the pic....
Blake's Heaven (7.0% ABV) pours a maroon colour with a small beige head that very quickly dissolves to a halo around the inside of the glass. Despite the bottle conditioning, it was very hard to rouse any substantial head from this beer! The aroma consists of dark chocolate, coffee and a caramelised sweetness, but these are all rather subdued for a winter-themed beer. The taste is composed of dark fruits, chocolate, coffee and vanilla, with a hint of spice in the finish and no discernible bitterness. There is a noticeable boozy presence, but as well as warming me up it made me think this beer was still quite immature and would possibly work better with a bit of age behind it. The mouthfeel is light with low levels of carbonation. Overall, this is an average beer with interesting yet subdued flavours and a mouthfeel that doesn't compliment the season it's intended for. When I think of winter beers I think of thick, full-bodied drinks to warm up the spirit, and in my opinion this beer doesn't fulfill that criteria. I did enjoy it, but I wouldn't get it again in a hurry.
Until next time....
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