The Angle of the Dangle! (Wychwood Dogs Bollocks)

Member Name: tange

Product:	Wychwood Dogs Bollocks
Date:	08/12/08 (314 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty and well balanced strong ale.

Disadvantages: Silly name.

I was just thinking the other day that I hadn't had a pint of this particular beer for ages. Then...low and behold...I was on a beer ratings trip where we happened upon some lurking on the hand pumps of Clowne Social Club! This beer is one that you should always get someone else to order (because it's funny) or just take the bull by the horns (or the dog by the dangly bits) and order a pint of Dog's Bollocks (furthermore to be written as Dog's...because I'm lazy NOT embarrassed).

THE BREWERY

Wychwood Brewery was set up in 1983, in the Oxfordshire market town of Witney. The brewery is named after the Royal Forest of Wychwood, which was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. The medieval forest theme carries through to the Wychwood branding and many of the beer label pictures show characters from various forest myths and legends; look out for witches, goblins and beasties!

In 2002, when the Brakspear Brewery closed down, Wychwood took over production of their brands too in a dedicated Brakspear brewing area, increasing the Wychwood portfolio and output to over 50,000 barrels per annum.

The brewery uses water from the nearby River Windrush, and yeast from the old Morland Brewery, to produce a range of interesting bottled and cask conditioned beers. Names to look our for include the infamous Hobgoblin (a ruby red, fruity beer at 4.5% ABV), Winter's Troll (a chocolaty winter beer at 4.8% ABV) and BeeWyched (a seasonal blond honey and fruit beer at 4.2% ABV).


THE BEER

***Vital Stats***

Dog's weighs in at 5.2% ABV and is brewed using wheat and Styrian hops (from Slovenia).

***Look, Aroma & Texture***

Dog's is a deep, rich, dark golden coloured strong beer, with an off white, reasonably long lasting foamy head that leaves some lacing around the glass as you drink. Aroma is quite slight; predominantly caramel, mixed with a grassy hop element. Texture is medium bodied, with a good amount of carbonation, giving a pretty nice tingle on the tongue.

***Tange's Taste Test***

For a strong beer and a beer with such an in your face name, Dog's actually has a surprisingly subtle flavour blend and is well balanced too. Dominant taste for me is a rich fruitiness (vine fruit and plums), combined with spices, pepper and citrus. This leads to an increasing bitterness that carries on to the dry, crisp finish. The aftertaste is surprisingly sweet and has a caramel edge, conflicting a little with what came before.


WHAT I THOUGHT

I actually really enjoyed my pint of Dog's and remembered why I used to drink it all those years ago. It's a shame that it doesn't seem to be around as much as it used to be, but perhaps the saying is true and absence really does make the heart grow fonder! I liked the balance of flavours and found it to be extremely pleasant for a strong beer. I was pleased the texture wasn't too heavy or syrupy too, as strong beers sometimes can turn out.

That said, it probably wouldn't rate as one of my Desert Island beers, because there are certainly much classier and interestingly flavoured beers on the market! I did like it though and would most certainly have had another if we were able to stay at the Social club and not move on to another pub. I also think that the pint we had was especially well kept and, as such, a good example of how this particular brand should taste (not all places could sell it looking and tasting so good).

Our pints cost £2.20 from the social club - a bargain price for a stronger beer these days! Expect to pay anything from that figure to around the three quid mark, depending on where you are in the country. Most pubs around my area (in Derbyshire) tend to see beers like this for sale at around £2.50, so anything under that is certainly a bonus.

Although not the best beer you're ever going to find, I would certainly recommend Dog's Bollocks to anyone who appreciates a fruity, flavour filled beer, with a pleasant mouth feel.

Definitely one to try....if not to order in polite company!

BREWERY DETAILS

The Wychwood Brewery Co Ltd
Eagle Maltings
The Crofts
WITNEY
Oxfordshire
OX28 4DP
UK

01993 890 800

Summary: Surprisingly good beer!