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Boddington’s Pub Ale

English Bitter

3.5% ABV

The very first time that I tried Boddington’s was with my great uncle Terry.  He is old; very old.  His sarcasm is drier than the strongest english bitter.  He is a former school bus driver who said that the only real way to deal with children is with a set of ear plugs and a pack of Pub Ale.  Unfortunately, neither of those were fit for driving.  He would just have to wait until the last ‘bloody bugger’ was dropped off and the bus returned.  Those tall yellow cans greeted him every afternoon, sitting in the vestibule with widgets waiting patiently.

The Cream of Manchester has been brewed since 1778.  Terry would tell you thats ‘just a fews years’ before his birth – you might believe him.  Brewed in Manchester, originally at Strangeways Brewery, it wasn’t until almost sixty years later that a traveling salesman, Henry Boddington, joined the company.  He was a hit; first promoted to partner before buying sole interest in the company by 1853.  By 1877 the industrious Henry Boddington owned the largest brewery in Manchester and one of the largest in Northern England.  Take notice, young beer enthusiasts.  Your brewery may already be out there, waiting for you to knock on its door.

The first thing you notice when this brew sits before you is a color that strives to match the can.  It is golden and clear and as dignified as an english gentlemen should be.  Make sure to watch as your bartender fills your mug.  The crisp foam travels down to the bottom of the glass, laces beautifully, and forms a solid two inch head above your beer.  Every monarch needs a crown.  Boddington’s looks and pours like a beer should.  Enjoy it.

While its flavor is not a revelation, it has a certain charm.  Some beers try to do too much, swinging for the fences and coming up empty.  Boddington’s hits for average and does it well.  You’ll first catch a rounded bitterness that leads to a subtle malt on the back end; a bit roasty with a fleeting sweetness that chooses not to hang around too long.  It reminds me a bit of Terry: it doesn’t talk to much, but when it does, you generally agree.  You can spend an entire evening with this beer and not get sick of it.

The brightest gem in the Boddington crown is its mouthfeel.  Here the analogies to Terry must end (to learn more you would have to ask my Aunt Pat – but she would tell you to mind your manners).  Boddington’s is creamy, velvety, and perfectly smooth.  In a delivery this good you find the secret to Boddington’s classic flavor.  This liquid is a joy to drink.  It is light but still has a refined thickness and weight that define it as silky and smooth.  The extra weight adds a characteristic texture that will not let you down.

76%  -  Solid!

Boddington’s is a solid beer with its own character and charm.  It is in the canon of ‘must-try’ beers.  Boddington’s is like Terry.  It’s a working class englishman:  dependable, good company,clever enough not to be dull, and it looks damn good in its suit.  While Anheuser-Busch recently purchased the brewery, they haven’t ruined it yet.  Try it before they come out with Boddington’s Light! and Boddington’s Lime.  Stop by the House of Beer and sit with old Henry Boddington for a while; you won’t regret it.