29 December 2018

Wychwood Brewery Ripsaw Beer (Aldi) By @SpectreUK

Wychwood Brewery Ripsaw Beer


This is my last beer blog of 2018. It's been a tough year health wise, with the later part of 2018 spent rehabilitating my knee after its second surgery, and I'm sure the first part of 2019 will be spent doing the same. However, I wanted to pick a beer that showed strength and resolve. The Viking leaning on a huge saw on the front of this Ripsaw beer made me think of hard times behind me and stoic determination to succeed. I'll continue to rehabilitate my knee and then work towards a new start. What's you New Year's Resolution?

This Ripsaw red beer was produced by the Wychwood Brewery, in Oxfordshire. At 4.2% volume this ale was made with barley and rye (for extra spiciness and its red colour) with a twist of maple syrup. Maple syrup goes well with everything. I've had it recently for breakfast with bacon, on burgers and even more recently flavouring pork crunch (for lunch this afternoon in fact). I'm certainly expecting plenty of sweetness here from the crystal malts, roasted barley and caramalts, and that twist of maple syrup.

There was a sweet roasted barley smell on opening this Ripsaw beer, followed by a citrus hoppy bitterness in the aroma. The spiciness from the rye is the first thing I tasted from this deep red ale. This spiciness is quickly followed by the sweet malts that reach almost maple syrup sweetness before the roasted barley kicks in… mmm… this is a lip-smacking beer with a citrus bitterness at the back of the flavour running into the aftertaste. Ripsaw is a perfect winter warmer with its spiciness and sweet malts, and its bitter strength of resolve. Perfect to toast everyone to a new year. Have a wonderful 2019! ;-)

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