It doesn’t seem that long ago that I reviewed Morland’s Old Speckled Hen, so based on that positive experience and faced with a mediocre selection of fare at the pub – not the Black Prince, I may add – on a Friday lunchtime, I thought I’d give the Golden Hen a whirl…and I’m glad that I did…

(Graham, who lives a few doors down from me, said that I ought to try it – so I knew I probably should.  Graham has good taste in beer – which really means he likes my home-brewed beers…or at least says he does…  :o)

This review is for the draught version of Golden Hen – which arrived a light polished brass colour with a head that pretty much tickled off as soon as I looked at it.  The aroma was pretty unremarkable minerals and malt and not a great deal in the way of hop character.

The taste, however, was something else: a solid mouth feel, with a really lovely malty sweetness and tons of really good hopping – in fact a massive amount of tropical flavour, and all of this in a cask beer.  It seems (and really does taste) like they’ve single-hopped with Galaxy only – which is both brave and inspired.

I’m genuinely surprised.  This may be my new favourite summer ale.

I guarantee that I will be putting together a recipe to make a clone of this – probably using Magnum for a clean bitterness and then a whole packet of Galaxy for flavour and aroma.  Half-used packets of hops are a crime which should be STAMPED OUT.

http://www.oldspeckledhen.co.uk/products.php?beer=old-golden-hen

(WARNING: Twatty website.  Morland (GK), your beers deserve better than this goofy shit.  Stop it.)