Tasting Notes: Jolly Ploughman
Brewery: Tom Woods
Location: Grimsby, England
ABV: 5.0%
Version: Cask
Source: Wetherspoons, Belfast
So I finally found time to visit the Belfast Wetherspoons to see what was on offer in the Beerfest. As this branch is part of the Lloyd's Number 1 branding and usually only has a few taps set aside for guest ales I wasn't expecting much selection and they certainly didn't surprise me. There were four taps purporting to be dedicated to the festival but there was no sign of the brochure mentioned by Darren in his Manchester report so I can't really be sure if they were. No shortage of supply of Tennent's Ice Cold though, they've five pumps dedicated to that one alone. Why I've no idea, surely it would be better just to fill a glass with water and stick some ice in it.
Anyway, on offer was Tom Woods Jolly Ploughman, Badger Toad's Croak and Okells Mac Lir. There was also one for Banks Winter Ale but that had a "Coming Soon" sign on it. Obviously, going by the title of the post I decided to start with the Jolly Ploughmans. And that was it. While this was being poured somebody else ordered a Toad's Croak and it ran out halfway through the pour. The same happened with the Okells a short time later, and this was a not particularly busy Friday lunchtime.
But enough rambling, on with the review. The beer is a lovely rich chestnut/mahogany brown with a slight head. The aroma is very subtle, other than some maltiness I was hard pushed to detect anything else notable. However, the flavour isn't so shy. First up is loads of malt, then some dried fruit hop flavours come through, all ending with a dry yeasty alcohol finish. It's quite moreish but the aftertaste is perhaps just a bit too dry and heavy for a session, better to move onto something else. But of course I couldn't, as they'd run out.
