Oakham JHB

 

I've always been a bitter girl and sometimes it's nice to have an old fashioned bitter so I picked up a bottle of Oakham's JHB from Home Bargains.

It's a golden yellow ale with a small, reasonably robust off-white head that dissipates to leave a thin layer.  It has very light aroma of hops, caramel and citrus.

Flavour is also quite light but I picked up notes of citrus bitterness, smooth caramel and tangy hops.  Carbonation is quite low and soft and the medium body gives it a quaffable smooth mouthfeel.

This is a very refreshing and crisp bitter.  It's nothing fancy but rather a good every day beer and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Oakham Ales, Peterborough
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Oakham Ales

Saltaire Titus

I do love a good bitter and just look at this stunner!  Saltaire's Titus is a beautiful clear amber coloured bitter with a good sized, reasonably tight cream coloured head that retains a decent layer of foam while you're drinking it.

It doesn't have a strong smell so I needed a good sniff to pick up notes of hops, caramel and citrus.  The flavour is similar with a combination of hops, malt and caramel followed by a lingering citrus bitterness.  It's well carbonated and has a good, medium body.

It's a lovely refreshing bitter and the zingy citrus is a nice change from more metallic bitterness you often get in bitters.  With the growing popularity of IPA, Saltaire have updated a more traditional bitter that will appeal to pale ale fans looking for a new taste.

Brewed by Saltaire Brewery, Shipley, West Yorkshire
3.9% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Saltaire Brewery

Thornbridge Lord Marples

 

I've had a few Thornbridge beers over the years but I didn't realise that Lord Marples was their first ever beer.  It all started here!

It's a deliciously dark  mahogany brown coloured beer with a small, loose, beige head that disperses slowly to leave a thin, patchy layer.  The aroma is mouthwatering, especially for a bitter fan like me; it's a traditional bitter smell of malt, caramel, honey, tangy hops and dark fruit.

Flavour is quite light but definitely bitter; it's a stunning mixture of caramel, honey, malt and dark fruits with an unusual bittersweet finish.  It's very well carbonated and has a thin but not watery body.

It's quite an unusual bitter in that its balance leans towards the sweet side but its light flavour make it a very nice, easy drinking beer.  I love bitter so Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Thornbridge Brewery, Derbyshire
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Thornbridge Brewery

Hexhamshire Whapweasel

 

Whapweasel is such a great name that the beer has a lot to live up to but thankfully it does deliver.

It's a light amber/dark golden beer with a small, loose, rapidly vanishing cream coloured head.  A few foam patches remain but it quickly has a flat appearance, which is a shame.

It has a lipsmacking aroma of sweet caramel, malt, and sticky toffee pudding and the taste is similarly mouthwatering.  Sweet caramel and malt combine with tangy hops to give an almost trappist taste and the slight bitter finish lingers on the tongue.  The body is medium and carbonation is decent with softish bubbles that caress the tongue.

This is a delicious bitter that's as memorable as its name and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Hexhamshire Brewery, Northumberland
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Hexhamshire Brewery

Fyne Ales Maverick

Fyne Ales Maverick is quite an impressive sight - it's a nutty brown, dark amber ale with a tight, cream coloured head that barely budges.  Definitely full marks for appearance.

It has a lovely traditional bitter smell: tangy hops, sweet toffee, malt and a slight citrus/metallic hint.  It tastes like a traditional bitter too, although it's quite a light flavour of malt, toffee, tangy hops and a dry, metallic bitter finish.  The toffee flavour intensifies as you drink and it's a nice contrast to the lingering bitter finish.  Body is thin but not watery and it's quite fizzy so it gave my tongue a good tingling.

It's nothing extraordinary, just a good old traditional bitter, so it didn't score exceptionally high but I do enjoy a nice bitter so I'd have this again.  Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Fyne Ales Farm Brewery, Argyll, Scotland
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Fyne Ales Farm Brewery

Anspach & Hobday The Ordinary Bitter

 

Bitter is one of my favourite styles of beer so I was really looking forward to trying The Ordinary Beer from London brewers Anspach & Hobday and I was not disappointed.  It is awesome and it definitely gets a big thumbs up from me.

It's a very lively beer and it couldn't wait to burst out of the can complete with a huge frothy and tight cream coloured head.  The beer itself is a deep golden, amber colour (as you would expect from a traditional bitter) and it has a slight haze to it.  The head lasts very well and laces thickly on the glass.

Notes of caramel, biscuit and malt combine to create a mouthwatering aroma, along with a slight hoppy sourness and hint of sweet dark fruit and fresh pine.  The flavour is equally mouthwatering with a combination of caramel, malt, toffee and biscuit exploding on the tongue and finishing with a subtle bitterness.  Low, soft carbonation and a medium body give a super-smooth mouthfeel and with an ABV of 3.7% it's a very easy drinking bitter.

This should be called The Extraordinary Bitter as it is absolutely lovely.  I love the added sweetness and the light bitter finish with no hint of pithy citrus at all.  Perfectly balanced, it leaves a lovely sweetness on the lips and a bitterness on the tongue.  I highly recommend The Ordinary Bitter and it's no surprise that  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Anspach & Hobday, London
3.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Anspach & Hobday

Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle

 

What a beauty!  Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle looks right up my street!  It's a deep golden, amber ale with a tight cream head that smells of hops and delicious malts.  I was very excited to get my first sip of this one and I was not disappointed.

With a base of dry biscuit malt and slight citrus fruit bitterness, this ale is so perfectly balanced.  It's bitter but not pithy and sweet but not sugary - just perfect!  It's so softly carbonated and very smooth to drink, my only disappointment was when I emptied the glass.

Deliciously malty and definitely one for my repurchase list: Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Moorhouse's Brewery, Burnley, Lancashire
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Moorhouse's Brewery

Goose Island Honkers Ale

 

No longer produced in bottles, Honkers Ale is an English style bitter from USA.  I love bitter so I was really looking forward to this one.  Let's see what I thought.

It's a beautiful warm amber colour but it has a dirty dishwater coloured head that vanishes within seconds.  There was also quite a bit of sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour to get a clear ale.  I got a bit of sediment in mine so it does have a bit of haze to it and the sediment seems to remain suspended in the liquid which was quite off-putting when drinking.

Rather alarmingly, it has no smell whatsoever.  I couldn't detect a whiff of anything and my nose was in full working order.  Slightly odd, but on to the taste.  Erm...there's not much taste either.  It's a little malty perhaps but I'm really pushing it to even say that.  It doesn't help that the body is very thin and watery and the bubbles are really harsh despite the flat appearance.  It's like drinking slightly malted fizzy water.

It's nothing like a beer never mind an English Bitter and Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Goose Island Brewery, Chicago
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.5/5

Find out more at Goose Island Brewery

Three Kings Tyneside Tommy

 

This is an absolutely wonderful idea from Three Kings Brewery who have produced a traditional English ale with Tyneside's First World War soldiers commemorated on the bottle.  The beer has been brewed to raise awareness of the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project which aims to create a memorial garden and place blue plaques on 600 homes of Tyneside soldiers who fell in the conflict.  

Each bottle has a little tag around its neck with a photo and story of a real Tyneside Tommy.  I got Private Joseph Forster who was born in Cramlington and lived in North Shields with his wife and six children.  We often hear of enlistees claiming to be older than they were but in an unusual twist, as he was considered too old for military service, Joseph Forster amended his birth certificate to make him appear younger than he actually was.  Private Forster was killed in action on the Somme in October 1916, aged 44 and I raise my glass to him.  

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Tyneside Tommy pours a lovely deep gold/light amber colour with a very impressive tight, thick, cream coloured head that lasts and laces right up to the last drop.  It has a hoppy and lightly fruited aroma that you would expect from a traditional ale.

When you can actually get through the huge head, it has a metallic bitter taste with a dash of citrus and tangy hops.  It's a lovely old fashioned bitter and you can just imagine many a Tyneside Tommy drinking a pint of this when they returned home on leave.  It's full bodied and moderately carbonated giving a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

A tangy and refreshing old fashioned bitter this is a beer for real heroes.  I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up a bottle if you see it as it's a lovely bitter and supports an amazing project.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Three Kings Brewery, North Shields
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Three Kings Brewery

Corsendonk Agnus

Agnus is a lovely deep golden slightly hazy Belgian Tripel with a tight frothy off-white head.  It's quite lively on opening so it needs a slow and steady pour to get it out of the bottle in one go.  The head lasts well and laces the glass.

The aroma isn't strong but it has hints of honey, caramel, hops, biscuit and sweet fruit.  The overall smell reminds me of bananas drizzled in honey.

It really twanged my taste buds when I had my first sip.  Lashings of caramel over ripe banana provide a big hit of sweetness followed by tangy hops and a slight spiciness before finishing with a lovely dry lingering bitterness.  It's pretty fizzy with champagne-like prickly, tingly bubbles and has a medium body.

It's a very refreshing, fruity and well-balanced ale, especially if you have a sweet tooth as it leans more towards the sweet side of the scale and it seems to get sweeter as you drink it.  With the distinctive hoppy, spicy tang of a Belgian Tripel, it's very moreish but at 7.5% ABV you can't glug it too quickly.

Another one that's cracking value, purchased for £6.99 for 4 from Lidl.  You can't go wrong for £1.75 a bottle and it's a quality Belgian ale to boot.  Look out for these hitting the shelves again and Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Corsendonk Brewery, Belgium
7.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Corsendonk Brewery

McColl's Lady Marmalade

 

McColl's is an innovative new brewery based in the North East of England and whilst their core range includes traditional ales like IPA, Porter, Belgian Blonde and Best Bitter, they have taken these old favourites and 'made it their own', as Louis Walsh would say.

I'm definitely a bitter fan so first up is Lady Marmalade.  It's a bit lively on opening so it took two pours to get it in my glass but it's well worth the wait; it's a stunning hazy golden hued ale with a huge frothy cream head.  It does need a careful pour as there's quite a lot of sediment in the can to give it that lovely hazy appearance.

The aroma is deliciously fruity with citrus notes of orange and grapefruit combined with a hint of spice and slightly floral hops.  This is replicated in the taste with rye adding a hint of spice and the floral citrus notes resulting in a long lasting bitter finish.  The lingering bitterness seems a bit pithy at first but I found this surprisingly palatable and I soon got used to it.  It sure is bitter though; it really gave my taste buds a good old tingling!

A decent medium bodied ale, it's quite fizzy with prickly bubbles that burst like fireworks, scattering flavours of citrus and rye across the tongue.    The carbonation works hard to maintain the amazingly frothy head which lasts and laces well.

“It’s bitter, Jim, but not as we know it.”  Lady Marmalade is a fresh and funky bitter for a new generation of beer lovers. Although I personally prefer my bitter to taste like I’ve sucked a handful of copper coins, there’s no doubt that Lady Marmalade will appeal to more palates with the bitter balance tipped towards citrus zest reminiscent of an IPA.  It's a core beer to have in any beer stash and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by McColl's Brewery, Bishop Auckland
4.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at McColl's Brewery

Black Sheep Yorkshire Square Ale

 

Pouring a beautiful golden amber, Black Sheep's Yorkshire Square Ale looks like molten toffee in my glass.  It has a small but robust cream coloured head that retains a thin layer while you drink.

The aroma is quite light for this one.  There's a bit of malt and hops but nothing else that stands out for me.  Thankfully, it redeemed itself in the flavour!  It's deliciously malty with a lovely dry finish.  There's also a hint of sweetness (from the addition of demerara sugar) which tastes quite treacly when blended with the malt.  To please bitter fans, there's a slight metallic bitter taste to the dry finish that rounds it all off nicely.

It's quite a fizzy medium bodied ale but the bubbles aren't harsh so it's very easy to drink.  As the bubbles burst on my tongue, I did feel like I could detect a little fizz of demerara sugar.

It's not up there with my favourite Black Sheep ales but it's a decent ale nonetheless.  Being sweet, dry and bitter, it has a bit of everything to appeal to many palates.  I would have it again, but I wouldn't actively seek it out; I'd definitely recommend you give it a try if you see it (you can also find it in Sainsbury's labelled as Yorkshire Bitter).

Brewed by Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire

5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Black Sheep Brewery

Andwell Gold Muddler

 

This is a dinky 275ml bottle of Andwell's Gold Muddler and it's certainly gold by name and gold by nature.  It's a deep golden blonde ale with a crisp, white and frothy head; it's a pretty lively one as it almost exploded out of the bottle.

It has a lovely hoppy, sweet and slightly citrus aroma; what I would refer to as a traditional beery smell.  The notes in the aroma are replicated in the flavour resulting in a lovely hoppy ale with a subtle citrus bitter finish.  It's a very traditional tasting beer and it actually reminded me of watered down Stones Bitter.

Very softly carbonated and a bit watery in body, it's a crisp, dry and refreshing blonde ale.  The liveliness experienced on opening results in some excellent lacing as that robust head clings on to the side of the glass.  At only 3.9% ABV, it's not a strongly flavoured ale but it's a very good thirst quencher that will appeal to many palates, especially those just starting their real ale journey.

Brewed by Andwell Brewery, Hampshire

3.9% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Andwell Brewery

Otter Brewery Otter Ale

 

I have never had a bad Otter Brewery beer and Otter Ale is no exception.  Just look at how beautiful Otter Ale is.  It's a vibrant amber colour with a loose, frothy cream coloured head; although the head doesn't last long, leaving a thin, patchy layer.

It has a very traditional beery smell of hops, caramel, dark fruits, malt and a hint of spice.  The caramel and dark fruits give the aroma a more sweet than bitter balance.  It's so deliciously malty that I couldn't wait to have a sip.

What a fabulously balanced flavour!  It is very malty with a burnt caramel taste and a dry and bitter finish.  The bitterness is only slightly citrus flavoured so it's not overpowering at all.  I also got some warming spices coming through as the flavour developed.  Mouthfeel is distinctly average with a medium body and medium carbonation.

With the warm, spicy notes it reminded me of a winter ale so you just need a cold night and a roaring fire to get the best out of Otter Ale.  I loved it so Ale Be Seeing You all year round.

Brewed by Otter Brewery, Devon
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Otter Brewery

John Smith's Original

I do like a bitter and John Smith's is my go-to cheap as chips beer if I find myself in a pub with a poor choice of real ales.  Pubs serve the John Smith's extra smooth variety, which is in the green can, but when Amazon pantry had a 4 pack of original for £1.75 I couldn't check out fast enough.  So at just under 44p per can, let's see what I thought.

I love the colour of this, it's a clear chestnut brown ale with a frothy and loose cream coloured head.  The head disappears quite quickly, leaving a patchy foam layer.  The aroma is pretty uninspiring; it's more metallic than anything else with an underlying dirty water smell.  Sounds great, doesn't it?  I kept the faith as John Smith's had never failed me!

It definitely pulled its socks up in the taste.  It's so easy to drink with delicate notes of sweet malts and bitter hops along with a delicious nutty flavour.  It's light, fizzy and so very easy to drink.  I do think I prefer the John Smith's Smooth but I'm glad I tried this one; indeed who wouldn't try it for the amazing bargainous price I paid?

John Smith's is my not so guilty pleasure and I'm not ashamed to say Ale Be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by John Smith's Brewery, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
3.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at John Smith's Brewery

Black Sheep Ram Tackle

I consider Black Sheep Brewery to be one of my favourite breweries and ruby one of my favourite types of ale so it's almost as if Ram Tackle was made for me.  I like my ruby ales more on the dark side but there's no denying that this is a beautiful looking ale.  It's a mouthwatering amber colour and looks like molten toffee with the trademark thick and creamy Black Sheep head.

The aroma isn't terribly strong but I got whiffs of hops (unsurprisingly as there are 8 varieties of hops in it), juicy raisins, biscuit and caramel.  The aroma matches the flavour with malty biscuit flavours transforming into tangy bitterness.  The bitter aftertaste is lovely and if I had a blindfold on, I'd have said it was a bitter rather than a ruby ale.

With decent carbonation, a smooth mouth feel, medium body and amazing lacing, you can tell it's a Black Sheep ale.  I would have liked a stronger flavour to give my taste buds a workout but it's another quality ale from Black Sheep and one Ale Be Seeing again.

Brewed by Black Sheep, Masham, North Yorkshire
4.1% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Black Sheep Brewery

Otter Bitter

Otter Bitter is a beautiful light amber traditional looking bitter with a small, loose off-white head.  I was a bit disappointed that the head disappeared so quickly giving the beer a flat appearance but what it lacks in appearance, it certainly makes up in the aroma and flavour.

There's a mouth-watering aroma of malt and fruit, particularly juicy ripe apples, with a slight metallic tang as you would expect from a bitter.  It's quite light at 3.6% so I wasn't surprised to find that the initial flavour is not overly strong, but I tasted toffee and biscuit followed by a slight bitter aftertaste.  Although the taste is quite subtle at first it seems to develop with every mouthful and the delicious bitterness really takes over.

It's a beautifully smooth bitter; medium bodied with soft carbonation which somehow manages to produce a sherbet-like fizz on the tongue.  I found myself enjoying it more and more and was quite disappointed to drink the final drop, especially when I'd only bought the one bottle.

Otter Bitter is a very pleasant traditional English bitter and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Otter Brewery, Devon
3.6% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Otter Brewery

Great Newsome Frothingham Best

Now this is just the kind of colour I like my ale: a deep amber reminiscent of molten toffee.  It's a shame it has so little head to complete the perfect picture; the head that is there is very small. consisting of a few beige bubbles that disappear rapidly, leaving just a whisper of foam.

The aroma of malt and sweet caramel gets a big thumbs up for me and there is a slight whiff of sour hops to follow.  The malt aroma transfers on into the taste but the maltiness is very subtle and not as strong as I expected.  The strength of bitterness caught me by surprise with a huge kick of citrus and a metallic tang that lingers far longer than anything I have tasted before.  With such a watery appearance, it's unsurprising a rather thin bodied ale and with little carbonation, feels quite smooth on the palate.

Overall it's a pretty decent English bitter, but it's such a shame that it appears flat and headless.  The lingering bitterness both surprised and delighted me, especially as I'm not a fan of citrus flavours but in this bitter it just seems to work.  Although it's not a beer I'd keep in stock, I'd certainly have another pint if I saw it on draught.

Brewed by Great Newsome, Yorkshire
4.3% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Great Newsome Brewery

Brakspear Hoppy Holidays

What a vision of coppery loveliness!  This is a beautiful molten toffee copper coloured ale with a very robust, tight cream head.  The head appears so smooth, very much like a Guinness.

It's well named 'Hoppy Holidays' as the initial aroma of hops and sweet malts gives way to delicious Christmassy smells of red berries and a touch of cinnamon spiciness.  The taste is surprisingly bitter with a hint of lemon coming through after the first burst of toffee and malt biscuits.  I noticed the bitter citrus less as I drank it and the smooth malty flavours intensified.  It's softly carbonated giving a smooth but slightly thin feel and that oh so impressive head clings on for dear life right until the very last drop.

I have to say that I do love the honey bee caps on Brakspear ales, so I had to take a photo to share with you if you haven't seen one.

Smooth and malty, I wouldn't call it a Christmas ale but I'd definitely have another one if I was looking for a light bitter.

Brewed by Brakspear, Oxfordshire

4% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Brakspear Brewing Co

Otter Brewery Otter Head

This would look like a perfect pint for me if it had a bit more of a head, perhaps it should be called Otter Headless (sorry).  It's a beautiful mahogany red/brown ale with an AMAZING aroma of fruit cake, malt and sweet baked apples.

Oh my word, I can describe the taste in one word and that word is DELICIOUS!  The maltiness is perfection itself with hints of sweet treacle and a slightly bitter aftertaste.  It is so full of flavour that it actually tastes as if it has been home-brewed.  Full-bodied, smooth and quite strong at 5.8% it's a good contender to give me beer goggles to watch the match.

I bought this from Help for Heroes with the glass and, despite its headlessness, Ale definitely Be Seeing Otter Head Again if I come across it when beer shopping.

Brewed by Otter Brewery, Devon

5.8% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Otter Brewery