The Proof Is In The Pudding
I love pudding. I like Chocolate, Vanilla and Tapioca pudding. By far, my favorite pudding is Butterscotch. However, I also like Toffee pudding especially when it is made into Sticky Toffee Pudding. OMG, if you have never had Sticky Toffee Pudding you haven't lived. Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert consisting of a very moist sponge cake, finely chopped dates, covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream. Can you feel the calorie counter running amok? I have to admit it, the British really came up with a winner here and they took it one step further at the Charles Wells Family Brewery in the heart of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.
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Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale / Charles Wells Brewing Family / 5.0% ABV
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The Charles Wells Brewing Family has been crafting beers since they bought their first brewery in Bedford in 1876.
Today, they have plans to build a new brewery, visitors center, shop and on site brew pub. For more information on the
Charles Wells Brewing Family go to their web site at http://www.charleswells.co.uk/.
If you remember last year, Wells came out with a delicious Banana Bread Beer. This is one of Mrs. Meister's favorites. As a follow up, they have taken the ingredients of sticky toffee pudding and converted them into an ale. Now mind you, I am not a huge fan of sweet or sour beers, but am more of a traditionalist when it comes to drinking beer. However, I am game to try anything and my love of pudding lured me to this beer.
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SIGHT: At first pour, you get a clear brown color with a reddish hue down the middle. The head was about a 1/8 of an inch thick, tan in color which dissipated quickly. When I first looked at this beer in my glass, I thought it was cream soda. It made me think back to being a kid with an ice cold glass of cream soda.
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AROMA: With the name of Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale I expected nothing more than the aroma of toffee pudding. Guess what, that's exactly what it smelled like. Not much more to say here other than it smelled delicious.
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TASTE: As I took my first sip, I got the toffee flavor up front all the way to the end with very slight hints of vanilla. The flavor was not overpowering but just right. I was pleasantly surprised that it did not overpower me with a sickening sweet flavor that would send me into diabetic shock. The one thing that took me back a bit on this beer was the after bite at the end. I was somewhat surprised by it considering the toffee flavor up front. Hey, this bite is not a real bad thing, just surprising.
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Overall, I would have to say that the proof was in the pudding. I couldn't drink it all day or on a hot sunny day, but it would be great to have after dinner with your dessert. You can pair up a cold Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale with a slice of apple or pecan pie or a big bowl of french vanilla ice cream. You can pick up a 4 pack of Charles Wells Sticky Toffee Ale at Leo Beer on Welles Street in Forty Fort.
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5= Outstanding
4= Very Good
3= Good
2=Fair
1=Skunk
