Dave and James Boston Blog Redux- Bad King John

Hi everyone, Dave again. I'm taking care of the review for this beer, "Bad King John" A Very English Black Ale by the Ridgeway Brewing Company of Oxford





At first take, the beer pours very dark. The color is quite reminiscent of a stout, however, it is more translucent than Guinness. The head is moderate-more than some of the previously reviewed beer, but still not substantial. The odor is very malty-quite reminiscent of a traditional stout.

First tastings are bitter-and reveal more hops than a traditional stout, though there are earthy notes. Much more sharply flavored than I would have thought, given the color of the beer. The body of the beer is not thick-much more "drinkable" than Guinness (it begs comparison).

Overall, it is nice, though at its price point I would rather get a 4-pack of Guinness for the cost of 1 Bad King John. An average stout, but still tasty.

Flavor: Labelled as a Black Ale, but tastes like a stout to Dave and James
Color: Dark, very dark, but still fairly translucent-almost dark red.
Alcohol Content: 6.0% (per volume)
Average Price: One arm and one leg ($5.99) per 16.9 oz bottle.