Say 'Bah Humbug' to any other beer but this, for it is one of Wychwood's masterpieces! On pouring you are greeted with a strong scent with banana tones. This dark golden beer rests beneath an enticing head of froth, which although rather patchy, stays with it all the way to the last drop. The initial taste is of raisins, although in a subdued, savoury sort of way. This taste blooms in the flavour of Xmas pudding in the finish, together with a certain bitterness and undertones of banana. The bitterness directs itself mainly at the palate, whilst a mild fizziness envelopes the rest of the mouth. A puddingy treat for all of you enthusiasts of lovely, flavoury English beers. Those dark winter nights need no longer be so cold.

Hobgoblin is available both in bottle and on draught. Both are distinctively different beers. This is a review of the bottled version, which is undeniably superior. In fact, arguably, it is the best Wychwood of them all (and there are many!).

This is a sweet to medium-sweet beer, not too carbonated, and as full-bodied as they come. On the first sip, malt dominated the flavour, sometimes but not always with hints of bitterness. The malt carries over into the aftertaste, mainly on the palate, along with caramel and hints of liquorice.

Hobgoblin is an attractive looking dark beer, with a medium-sized head of froth, through which emanates an aroma that is not overly strong, but which contains hints of malt, nut, caramel, syrup and straw, also slightly sour, or perhaps bittery, and occasionally reminiscent of washed fabrics. This beer warms you up like a wholesome beer should, with its smooth, syrupy mouthfeel, rather sharp, but malty on the tongue.

It is widely available in England, always recognisable by its fanciful blue-ish label. A really great beer for the winter and summer months alike.

Unless you look really hard, you wouldn’t notice that this is a Wychwood beer at all. This beer certainly vies for the status of king of all Wychwood beers. It is a full-bodied, medium-sweet beer, with a caramel, bitter flavour, with blackcurrants, blackberries and caramel in the finish.

Its streaky, ringed head tops a medium to dark golden brew with an aroma that contains blackcurrants, malt, caramel and chocolate. In the mouth, a lot of juiciness prevails, along with chocolate, and a pleasant fizz, that leaves a fruity film on the tongue and palate. Overall a very tasty English beer, that’s not too hard to go down. Available in some supermarket and off-licences.

Windrush Gold is one of Wychwood’s most recently released bottled beers. It’s smooth flavour, leading to a hoppy finish, make it distinctively Wychwood. If you ever taste one of their beers, you will know what I mean by this.

It is a bit weaker than your average Wychwood, at only 4.4% abv. This is because it is their table beer. The beer is topped by a thick layered head, through which a hoppy aroma emerges. It has a lovely juicy mouthfeel, although it is rather sharp. This probably isn’t a great beer, but it probably lives up to its expectations at a dinner table.