Courage Best (Cask)

Handpulled cask at JDW Harrow. Looked good to start, plenty of condition settling to a crystal clear amber pint with a healthy, lasting off-white head. No aroma to speak of and the taste wasn’t really much better. Slightly sugary tasting watery malt base with virtually no hop bitterness at all! One of the most tastless bitters I’ve ever tried. I’m lucky enough to remember this beer when it was brewed at the old Symmonds brewery in Reading. In those days it more than held it’s own against the other Thames valley bitters. It has moved 3 times since then and in my mind declined each time. If the current shortages and high prices of brewing materials are to have an adverse effect on the quality of beer produced then this is a good example of what could be expected. Beer that tastes cheap, bland and compromised.

Cloudy golden with medium off white head. Sweet fruity flavor with floral hops and caramel notes. Creamy mouthfeel and bitter end.

Browm in colour, ok head. Basically what a tourist would expect from a bitter. Bring on Real Ale - this is a pale shadow of what it can be.

ask at Prince Alfred, Bayswater. Clear amber colour with medium creamy off-white mostly lasting head. Malty aroma and flavor. Bitter finish.

In London, cask pulled - amber color. Not much for the smell, but makes up for it in the taste. A bit malty but not overly, lighter mouth feel than expected but not at all bad. Just average.