I've got a terrible habit of scanning the beer aisles whenever I go into a supermarket. It's almost a nervous reflex, even if I'm popping just in for a pint of milk (yes, I know you get that from the corner shop, the supermarket is about 200 yards from our front door. The corner shop is half a mile). Morrison's have just got a lot of new beers in, including Worthington White Shield at £1.89 (about what it costs wholesale to the independent trade), and also featuring are a couple of super-premium bottled ales - Marston's Pedigree VSOP (Very Special Old Pale, 6.7%abv) and Wychwood Special Reserve King Goblin (6.6%abv).They couldn't be more different. The VSOP is clearly a well-researched brand extension, sharing some of the similarities of Pedigree but adding a few bells and whistles in the shape of conditioning on brandy cask staves, and an extra hopping regime. Both of these add to the beer, making it more complex and oddly lighter at the same time. By contrast, the King Goblin just tastes like a bigger version of Hobgoblin - more malt, more hops, more alcohol - and as such seems to struggle under its own weight, especially when compared with the surprisingly spry Pedigree VSOP.
Ordinary brown beer with a little more oomph. Extraordinary brown beer.
See this post of mine. I found the VSOP disappointing - it didn't really seem to drink its strength, and showed poor head retention, which is always offputting. The King Goblin, on the other hand, was drier than I expected and a dark amber colour a touch paler than the standard Hobgoblin. It drank its strength more than the VSOP (indeed I would have put it at about 7.5% if I didn't know its strength), but it's not something you'd really want to drink more than one of.
ReplyDeleteYeah I saw them yesterday in Tivvy Morro, got the WS, but baulked at the other two for reasons I don’t recall, but Morros do seem to have the best selection of Brit regional beers at the moment amongst the supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteMorrisons beer range is also much more clearly and logically presented than their competitors.
ReplyDeleteCurmudgeon - I suppose you might be right about the respective drinking strengths, although I equated the VSOP to elegance. I guess it depends on what you want from your beer, really.
ReplyDeleteAdrian - you can tell which I preferred I'm sure. And you're right about Morrisons having a good range - and right on my doorstep too.
Hi mate. Tried the VSOP last week and didnt like it - well, that's not entirely true. I just didn't understand what was so unique about it. For me, it just tasted similar to Marston's entire output; although in a roundabout way that might back up your point about it being well-made, even if not to my palate. That WS price is very good, though. Stayed clear of the Wychwood!!
ReplyDeleteHobgoblin was the beer which got me into real ale. The mate which got me into Hobgolin (that was the beer which got him into real ale too), and therefore real ale, was in Oxford last week and sent me an excited text saying he had had the King Goblin with exactly the same description as your - Hobgoblin but more. I'm not entirely sure how enticing that is...
ReplyDeleteLeigh - horses for courses, I guess. I thought it was distinctive and different, and as I said, would probably buy it again
ReplyDeleteMark - I wouldn't be surprised if Hobgoblin was a beer that got a lot of people started on ale. I remember drinking it when it was launched, and certainly not just once.
I'd second that - Hobgoblin does have its fans. I recently drank it on tap as it was the only 'beer' available in a pub we were in, and it did the job. No more, no less.
ReplyDeleteHobgoblin does have a certain amount of "street cred" amongst younger drinkers that a lot of other established cask beers don't. I recall the strength of the cask version being reduced from 5.2% ABV to 4.5% some years ago to make it more "sessionable". The standard bottled version is still 5.2%.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that King Goblin is 'Hobgoblin but more' - unless you mean more booze and some sticky sweet treacle - it was more like 'Marston's Owd Rodger but less'!
ReplyDeleteI've given the VSOP the cold shoulder at the moment, plenty of other great beers for around the same price point.
They didn't have any sign of the Whiteshield when I was in last but I'm really looking forward to that one being on the shelves!
Baron - yes, that's pretty much what a I had in mind! A stronger, sweeter, chewier Hobgoblin. I din't mean "like Hobgoblin, but better", just more of everything.
ReplyDeleteFor what its worth I found VSOP quite nice, citric hops combined with reserve style ageing. No bbq beer but a sophisticated tipple to finish an evening on the terrace (not patio) ;-)
ReplyDeleteSome of the other supermarkets seem to be scaling back their range. I went hunting for wheat beer a few weeks ago and, after visiting three supermarkets in the course of two hours, managed to find four bottles of Schneider. Morrisons do seem to be the best. I am also incapable of getting to the checkout without going down the beer aisle.
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