Bass (Cask)

InBev UK
Brewed at Marstons (Marstons plc)
Style: Bitter
Luton, England

Serve in English pint

Cask at Horsley Lodge, Derbyshire. I hadn’t had Bass, either cask or keg, for years. I found it to be adequate; I was just pleased that there was a cask beer available at the wedding reception I was attending. It is not dissimilar to other Marston’s beers but mostly lacking the unpleasant sulphur quality. Its flavours are fairly pedestrian malt with a bit of hop bitterness on the finish, nothing special.

Cask-conditioned at the Inn on the Green, 3/6/08. Amber coloured with next to no head. Light earthy hop, caramel aroma with a hint of sulphur. Flavour had a touch of sweetness with some fruity malt and a very short bitter finish. I am told by the older generation that this was a great beer - it isn’t now. Just about drinkable.

maNana le meto la verga a estos ratings porque voy a ir a DBA. seguramente acabo tendido en la lona aprovechando que el viernes viajo de regreso y puedo dormir en el avion. no pague mas porque no vale mas! esta birria se biche.

Cask (The Anchor, Cambridge)
Past its prime, flat, not quite off, but definitely oxidised. Could be tempted to rerate, but my memorues of this are not that wonderful anyway.

UPDATED: MAY 29, 2008 In an attempt to somewhat recreate Bass of old, we dry hopped a 9g cask with almost 200g of Goldings and matured it for 4 weeks. But what a disappointment. The ratings are based on the dry hopped version. The aroma of course was of 200g of Goldings, fresh, citrussy and flowery and some came thorugh in the mouth too. The problem was that it just isn’t a great or interesting beer at all underneath it’s makeup. There’s flavour, but in the same stables as Green King IPA, and a shockingly thin body. Why put such a great yeast to waste? (Although it was improved by blending with Timmy Taylors Landlord) Update After a couple of days of being on, the beer became more balanced and was a slightly more hoppy version with that earthy dry hopped effect, drinkable but still needs more body.

Peach, apple and malt aroma. Golden amber color. Light sweet peach malt flavor with just a kiss of hops. Decent but not spetacular.

Cask~ Morarities, Phildaelphia, PA- amber coloring, nice head and lacing, malt and vegetable and mild hops. Pretty middle of the road, but better than most of the American’s i’d put in a similar category.

Cask at The Wall, London. Amazing that it’s taken me more than 1100 beers to get to Bass, an old favourite. A nice dark orange with thin head. Malty, fruit notes of orange. With a nice bitter finish. A solid bitter.