Tasting beer is by no means an exact science. Just because I sit here on my soapbox and tell you what I think of a particular beer doesn't mean that I'm the ultimate authority on the subject. Sure, there are certain beers that a lot of beer guys who know their stuff universally agree on. There are other beers however, that somehow seem to divide the so-called experts right down the middle. One such beer is Hen's Tooth Ale, which coincidentally is the beer that I've chosen to drink tonight. Hen's Tooth has some of the most mixed reviews that I can remember seeing for a beer in a long time. Some people love the rich and robust taste, while other thing that it is too bitter. Some people are intrigued by the auburn color of Hen's Tooth, while others see it simply as average. It's almost impossible get a sense for what this beer is really like by trying to balance all of the positive and negative reviews, so you'll just have to deal with my evaluation of Hen's Tooth!
Like many English ales, Hen's Tooth is a bottle conditioned ale, which means that it is allowed to finish the fermentation process after it is bottle. Bottle fermentation gives the beer a very distinct and crisp flavor, but some people are turned off by it. I found Hen's Tooth to be really crisp and flavorful, which is pretty much what I would have expected from an English ale of this quality. Some people aren't all that jazzed on the look of this beer, but for my money Hen's Tooth displays some of the most impressive coloring, head, body and lacing that I've seen in an English Ale. The taste is dry and hoppy, which could easily turn some drinkers off. If I were to rate this beer on a scale of one to ten, Hen's Tooth would easily be an 8. But as usual I say to you, don't take my word for it. Get out there and try a bottle of Hen's Tooth for yourself.
Cheers,
Ian
http://www.greeneking.co.uk/
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