Brakspear Bitter (Bottle)

Brewed by Wychwood (Refresh UK - Marstons plc)
Style: Bitter
Witney, England

Bottle from the LCBO. Relatively clear orange-amber with a small white head. Aroma of fruity malt with some nice mineral notes in the background, and a hint of wood. Medium bodied. Soft malts off the top of the flavour with hints of butterscotch, a nice earthy/mineral character in the middle, and a surprisingly well-hopped finish. A solid session bitter.

On cask NERAX ’02: My notes become a bit unclear at this stage of the session. However, I’m sure the comment ’F%&k Brakspeak (sic) bitter’ isn’t a good sign.

Bottle. Pours amber/red with a medium off-white head. Bready, earthy aroma with notes of burnt sugar and some strange aroma (wet wool?). Smooth body, and a nice bitterness in the finish. A very good 3.4 abv bitter.

Poured a fairly standard amber but not a lot of character. Didn't have that glow I like in a beer that's pale enough to see through. The head was nice and slow to fade, though. The nose was surprisingly hoppy as was the flavor. Since the body was really thin the abundant hopping was forced to carry the beer. Unfortunately, the hops (Goldings, according to Oakes at least) don't have enough flavor and character besides the bitterness and a slight medicinal quality to add much excitement. Although the malt there was nice, like buttered caramel, there wasn't enough of it. Not bad, just not good.

Bottle: Poured a light clear brown color ale with a medium foamy head with average retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of light caramel malt with some dry Fuggles hops. Taste is also a mix between some dry Fuggles hops and a medium caramel malt base. I thought it was relatively well done for the style.

An amber-orange body is topped by a medium thick head that disappears quickly and leaves a good amount of lace. Sweet toffee malt aroma with sour flowery notes. Slightly sweet and bitter flavor with good malty notes and a sour bitter finish. Medium bodied, relatively smooth and slightly dry.

660 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Served with original Brakspear pint glass, nice! "Double dropped", ABV is 3.4%. Brewed with Maris Otter malts, Goldings and Fuggles hops. Copper coloured, low head. Aroma of "dusty" Goldings hops + rusty iron in stale water + hospital flesh wound dressings(!) Flavour is very tasty for a 3.4% pasteurised beer, nicely balanced between the malts and hops, nutty and toffee elements, not sweet. Moderate carbonation. A nice Fuggles finish.

660 ml bottle. Coppery amber body, off-white head. Initially some caramel in the aroma then hop notes, pine and resin. Light in body but has good flavour through the length of the drink plus the hops feature more than malt. I have had a good rest from bitters so this beer seemed half decent.