RateBeer
Score
3720
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Wells & Youngs
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Bedford, England
Serve in English pint

bottling
unknown

on tap
common

Regional Distribution

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RATINGS: 142   WEIGHTED AVG: 2.88   EST. CALORIES: 144   ABV: 4.8%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask: Regular.
Originally brewed at Alton Brewery in Hampshire in 1903 for the Courage directors; spare beer was sold as Alton IPA, which acquired the nickname of Director’s Bitter.
Moved to the Courage owned Simonds Brewery in 1969, then to the Anchor Brewery in Bermondsey, then, in 1981 to Bristol. When Courage was taken over by Scottish and Newcastle, production moved to John Smith’s brewery in Tadcaster. Production was later contracted out to Youngs in London, and in Jan 2007 the Courage Brand was purchased by Wells & Young who brew it in Bedford.


3.6
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
ravidesai (916) - Bombay, - OCT 26, 2002
(on cask) big fruity hop nose which hinted at flowers and berries. taste is more subdued but still hasa floral element. bitter finish very smoothpalate. a good bitter

2.7
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 10/20
Frovigalning (1456) - Örebro, SWEDEN - MAY 13, 2012
I found this on tap at the Rummer Tavern in Cardiff. If it says Superior Ale at the bottom I got it right. It poured an amber liquid. Malty beer with a low amount of hops. Some burned toast and a slight roasty bitterness. Toasty smell and taste, a bit one-dimensional.

2.2
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 4/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 8/20
The_Bish (162) - - APR 1, 2012
Very normal bog standard bitter. Nothing to write really. What you’d expect.

2.5
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 10/20
tombyars (1102) - Saltcoats, SCOTLAND - MAR 13, 2012
A staple beer found in the JDW chain throughout the land!! Last sampled this bitter in the Salt Cot, Saltcoats (JDW) in April 2006. Cask, handpump dispense. Clear copper red in colour with a thick creamy white head. Slight malty tang in the aroma with good mouthfeel. Robust pale malt complexes giving fiery digestive malt with dry woody oak flavour in mouth. Sharp tang of hop resin in the aftertaste. Not a popular beer with the locals and took a bit of a concerted effort by all to remove it. When seen in other JDW oulets - I regard it as a lack of imagination from management in not trying out local microbreweries - there’s plenty out there to choose from!!

2.5
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 10/20
foxo82 (162) - Leicestershire, ENGLAND - FEB 23, 2012
Half at The Royal Children, Castle Gate, Nottingham. Typical brown/auburn and with a thin, patchy head. Faint treacle aroma. Tastes medium bitter with an average finish. Hoppy. Slight hint of sweetness coming through in the end. Thin. Not unpleasant but, as with so many I have drunk recently, it is in need of an extra something to mark it out from the crowd. Average bitter here.

2.7
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20
jackl (729) - London, Greater London, ENGLAND - DEC 18, 2011
Deep orange color with a modest head. The nose is malty, caramel a bit of wood. The taste is sweet and grainy, less bitter than your standard example for the style. The mouthfeel’s medium. OK.

3
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
tkrjukoff (2673) - SWEDEN - NOV 25, 2011
Cask @ Back of Beyond. Pours clear copper amber with a nice white head. Aroma is malty, hoooy and fruity. Flavor is malty, a bit sweet, some caramel, fruity and medium bitter. Finishes bitter and a bit fruity.

2.8
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 10/20
EdKing (937) - London, Greater London, ENGLAND - NOV 18, 2011
Cask in The Tipperary, London. Tasted alongside Pedigree and there is no discernible difference. Generic English bitter. Clear dark brown colour. Nose is but of caramel malt and not much else. Taste is caramel, sweet malt grain and not much bitterness.

2.9
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 11/20
HenrikSoegaard (7863) - Randers, DENMARK - OCT 24, 2011
Cask at Price Alfred Queensway, London. Frothy white good mostly lasting head. Yellow colour. Light malty and moderate hoppy aroma. MOderate bitter flavor. Average moderate bitter finish. Creamy palate.

2.6
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 11/20
Benjii (2397) - Edinburgh, SCOTLAND - OCT 6, 2011
On cask at the Counting House in Glasgow. Pours a golden brown colour with a thin beige head. Aroma of Weetabix, caramel and barley. Quite thin with similar flavours and a light caramel and black pepper linger. Mild carbonation. Not the best.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20
thepegjett (1195) - Cambridge (via Winnipeg), Cambridgeshire, ENGLAND - AUG 30, 2011
A - Malty caramel and fruit A - Caramel brown with thin white head T - Sweet with roasted bitter P - Medium and soft to creamy O - Nice malty bitter


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