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Duchy Originals
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Duchy Originals, Organic Ale (England) 
Made for the Price of Wales' Duchy Originals brand by Wychwood brewery, this has a deep amber-coloured ale with a thick, creamy off-white head. On the nose it is very tangy with grassy hops and nettly qualities, and a nice suggestion of background toasted oats and malt. On the palate it is a thick-textured, luxuriously creamy beer, with very forward bittersweet hop flavours and a certain biscuity richness. This beer has lots of bitterness and toast into the long, well-balanced finish, and is a very tasty beer indeed. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.79, Booth's, Waitrose, independents. |  |
Duchy Originals, Organic Summer Ale (England)
A little lighter than the regular Duchy's Ale, and has been brewed, according to Wychwood, who brew the Duchy ales, with "more than a nod to the hop". It pours a light to medium gold, with a moderate white head. The nose is immediately filled with citrus and nettles, with bright, forward, hop and fruit notes, and an almost spearminty lift. On the palate a creamy body plays against a really dry, bittering hop character that has lots of green, grassy notes and a nice pear and ripe apple fruitness. Quite uncompromisingly dry on the finish, this is another winner from Duchy Originals. 4.7% ABV, 50cl, �1.69, Waitrose. | |
Duchy Originals, Organic Winter Ale (England)
Launched in 2005, this brew from Duchy originals (brewed for them by Wychwood) is stronger and darker than their popular Organic Ale, and is brewed using First Gold hops from Hereford and Target hops from Kent, as well as organic barley, rye and oat malts. It pours a very deep and vibrant ruby, with a good cream-coloured head. It has a really lovely nose: a sumptuous mélange of burnt toffee and dark chocolate, with orange and red fruit aromas, and a nice stripe of nettly hops. On the palate it is full, creamy and rich, with immediately bitter flavours of oily hops but also a bittersweet dark chocolate. It has lovely body through the mid-palate, and finishes with spice and hints of dried fruits in abundance. A lovely winter beer. 6.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Waitrose.  | |
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