Brewery: Hobson's
Location: Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, England
ABV: 4.8% / 5.2%
Version: Bottled
Source: Tanner's, Bridgnorth

I've had the pleasure of sampling both these beers on draught in the King's Head in Bridgnorth a while back (my brother-in-law swears by the Postman's Knock and rarely sups anything else when it's on offer) and the last time I was down there (visiting the in-laws) I picked up a couple of bottles when I was in Tanner's wine merchants.

Opening the Postman's Knock releases a rich chocolatey aroma and the beer pours a very dark ruby-red-brown with a fairly thing head. It's a very rich, malty beer with lots of roast coffee flavours and more than a hint of dark chocolate. It's extremely tasty, if a little thin in the texture department, but generally went down very well indeed. Definitely worth picking up if you see it.

By contrast, Old Henry is a noticeably lighter, amber-ruby ale. Flavour-wise, it's quite dry, with distinct hoppy notes and a honey-and-orange tang that's quite pleasant, carried along on a rich, satisfying mouth-feel. Again, it's very pleasant, very drinkable and well worth sampling if you're in the area; I've not seen Hobson's elsewhere before now.

Old Henry is the slightly stronger of the two beers so I was expecting it to have a more complex flavour. But although it does get more interesting as it warms, I think on balance, I preferred the Postman's Knock. Slightly richer, maltier, warmer; it just about has the edge on its hoppier sibling, at least as far as my taste-buds are concerned.

All in all though, a fine pair of beers.

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