Saturday 7 January 2012

Celt Experience 'Dark-Age'

The Celt Experience are a brewery based in Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan, also the home of Newmans. I'm not sure of the relationship between the two, it seems that Celt are an off shoot focusing on organic ales inspired by Celtic history. 

Each bottle I've bought has a little historical statement, this one says
"This beers name comes from the Dark age. Folklore has highlighted many stories of Celtic warriors and kings that waged successful battles against the intruding Anglo-Saxons. None more than King Arthur, who legend has it, fought in 12 battles in the late 5th and early 6th century."
Each bottle is also very well presented, several awards for them have been won and rightly so.



Dark Age, 500mls, 4%,  not bottle conditioned.


Labelled as a full bodied Welsh dark beer, it looks like a mild, smells and tastes like a mild, and a very good mild at that.
 
Aroma was muted but thats because I have a cold, but certainly roasted coffee and chocolate.
Nice ruby colouring through the darkness. Lovely and smooth, light burnt coffee and chocolate, but not to dark or strong. A little fruit sweetness and light brown sugar. Understated hop bitterness comes through, light carbonation, with a small creamy head all the way down the glass.

I would love to know who the brewers are at the two previously mentioned breweries, is there a difference or is it the same people? I ask because the Celt bottles I have had in the past are generally quite good, this Dark-Age a case in point, where as the Newman beers, (granted I've only had four), but they have not been as impressive.

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