Brewery: Moorhouse’s
Location: Burnley, Lancashire, England
ABV: 4.8%
Version: Cask
Source: Wetherspoons, Belfast

The 30th Anniversary Wetherspoons Real Festival kicked off on Wednesday, so I popped in to see what the Belfast branch had to offer. And as I expected it was a predictable not much. With only 4 ale pumps (even though there are nearly 30 others dedicated to the usual lagers, cider and Guinness) I didn’t expect too many of the 50 featured festival beers to be present, but 2 is just not trying. Surely for the duration of the festival they could have ditched the other two more regular ales, which are currently Ruddle’s Best and Hobgoblin.

I didn’t fancy the Greene King Boss Hogg, a 4.1% best bitter brewed specially for the festival, and one of 31 bitter beer styles featured. So instead I went for the Moorhouse’s Black Panther, another one brewed for the event. At 4.8%, this is basically their award winning Black Cat, only stronger. Pouring black, with a slightly fruity chocolatey aroma, it certainly starts off very enticing. And it follows through in the taste as well. Dark chocolate at the start, with touches of dried fruit, plums, raisins and liquorice also present, a bit toasty, and a lingering slightly dry finish. Very nice indeed. I would quite happily have had another of these, but getting back to work unfortunately had to get in the way.