Freeminer Swift & Bold

Brewed by Freeminer
Style: Bitter
Cinderford, England

Serve in English pint

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Pours a regular brown for a bitter with a decent citrus aroma. When you drink it, you realise this citrus influence is far, far, too strong. After a decent bitter mouthful the citrus aftertaste is way too dominant and in fact feels more vinegary. A rare pint that I was unable to even finish - I wondered if my pint was off but looking at the comments below would suggest that perhaps it’s just not a good beer. I should point out that with the Ratebeer system I have to give it fair points for aroma and appearance and but in terms of taste, this is actually a worse beer than the pale lagers I have at 1.4 or less because they’re at least drinkable.

Tasted this in the Saltcot, Saltcoats (JDW) in August 2009. Cask, handpump dispense. This beer was in perfect condition and after reading the previous reviews, its good to know that perhaps this is what the brewers intended. Clear orange amber in colour with a thin off white head. Very slight hint of fresh green apples in the short aroma. Thin watery mouthfeel and good lacing. Pale malt base gives a light digestive biscuit flavour which is quickly replaced by a strong cider vinegar taste. A weak note of herbal hops makes a brief appearance in the short bitter aftertaste. Finish is thin and watery with rotten apple flesh dominating overall flavours. Not one for a session though but I would recommend having a half pint for novelty value alone.

Cask @ Wetherspoons, Edinburgh.
Pours brownish amber with a fine, staying, frothy, off-white head. Aroma is lightly citric, some caramel. Highish carbonation, thin mouthfeel. Flavour is fruity, caramel, and infected sour. Close to being completely off, I still could drink a few slurps.

Cask-conditioned at the Commercial Rooms (JDW), Bristol 8/07/09. Deep amber in colour with a slight white head. Orange marmalade aroma with some earthiness. Flavour had sweet oranges that reminded of spangles and an earthy, bitter finish. An odd combination but not undrinkable.

Pint on tap in the Kings Head, Monmouth. Orange/copper colour with a thin white head. Very strong smell of citrus and orange fruit. Sharp and vinegary, may be off. Low carbonation. Bad grapefruit finish.