Mighty Oak Wonkey Donkey

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		27 Oct 2026	1st beer of this visit: Only its third day on for this pale ale but head and lacing only lasting for its pour and not beyond. It transpired that I must have had nearly the very last one out as it took a very long time to pour it and was then taken off when I went back to the bar for the finale. Tasted rather flat but still lightly tropically fruited from its US hops without a doubt. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Sunday 25th October 2026 and when it was fresh on.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	26 Oct 2026
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	25 Oct 2026
Hogan Sampling		25 Oct 2026	2nd beer of the visit: Fresh on and exhibiting very good head and lacing on this seasonal gold-coloured pale shining like a newly minted sovereign and perhaps the first Christmas-themed named beer of the coming season that I have seen never mind tasted. Mighty Oak Brewing Company got its nimble legs moving back in 1996 when they first lit the fires over in Brentwood, Essex. In January 2001 it carted the whole kit and caboodle to the historic maritime town of Maldon, still in Essex, setting up their permanent copper kettles inside the West Station Yard. A mildly fruited first hit. A hoppy and not tropical fruitiness rising despite the guvnor’s tasting notes warning of tropical fruit, citrus and pine. A tossing of a New World greenery into the boiling copper, namely its Willamette and Centennial, the former lending a hint of herbs and a whisper of damp wood, while the Centennial bursting with citrus notes and a sharp bitterness for me. A tossing up of meadows and wild hedgerows came to my mind. A pairing of classic Maris Otter Barley, behind its crisp biscuit sweetness and a hearty dose of Rye lending a sharp graininess with a hint of peppery spice. It really was not seriously bad in being reminiscent of the tropics in its outflow of fruitiness in leaving a remarkably crisp, pine-tinged bitterness that lingered pleasantly in wetting my whistle. Served in good nick with plentiful conditioning.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	28 Nov 2024
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	28 Nov 2024
Philip Pirrip		27 Nov 2024	Really failed to offer the flavours in the tasting notes
Hogan Sampling		27 Nov 2024	Good head and lacing. Only its first night on. First hit was a sweet one from the floral and herbal flavouring. Good conditioning with a wholesome, full-bodied mouthfeel lingering.

Leyton Orient Supporters Club, Leyton, Greater London