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Harveys Sussex Best Bitter

Score
8299
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Harveys
Style: Bitter
Lewes, England
Serve in English pint

bottling
unknown

on tap
common

Regional Distribution

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RATINGS: 199   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.3   EST. CALORIES: 120   ABV: 4%
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask: Regular.
Ingredients: Spring water from Harvey’s artesian well; Maris Otter malted barley; Fuggles, Goldings, Progress and Bramling Cross hops; Harvey’s yeast - repitched for over 50 years.
First brewed in 1955.
A superbly balanced session bitter with a prominent hop character. Our most famous and popular brand - it makes up over 90% of our total brewing capacity. Winner of the Champion Best Bitter of Britain title at CAMRA’s Great British Beers Festival in 2005 and 2006. Winner of the First Prize Gold Medal at the International Brewers’ Exhibition in 1980. Brewed to an original gravity of 1036° -1040°. Fermented between five and nine days. Longer fermentations will have Bret character from the resident Bret in the brewery.


5
   AROMA 10/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 10/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 20/20
oldfitzgerald (1) - Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, ENGLAND - JAN 31, 2012 does not count
The Taste of Sussex. Southern English session pint perfection. One of the best reasons to visit the pubs of Brighton and the ’brewery cathedral’ town of Lewes. Harveys flagship bitter is so well rounded and balanced. Optimally hopped with aromatic locally brewed freshness that seems to set it apart from all others in this style (I would put Timothy Taylor Landlord second). This ale would stop me from emigrating, or moving anywhere beyond the 50 or so miles distribution radius. Heavenly flavour.

3.5
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
BrewBoxer (789) - Brooklyn, USA - DEC 28, 2011
Tan brown color on cask. Smells of toast, hops and wheat. Hoppier then I expected but not overbearing. Pretty good

3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
jackl (405) - London, Greater London, ENGLAND - DEC 18, 2011
Kidney failure brown with a modest off-white head that disappears. The nose is a bit nutty, some toasted grains, grassy hops. The taste is moderately sweet with a dry, bitter finish. The body’s medium, the texture slick. Easy to drink nice bitter.

3.5
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
tkrjukoff (2326) - SWEDEN - NOV 25, 2011
Cask @ The Retreat. Pours clear dark amber with a small bubbly beige head leaving nice lacing. Aroma is toasted, sweet, fruity, malty, some caramel and a slight touch of smoke. Flavor similar to aroma, medium bitterness mates well with the good sweet maltyness. Finishes bitter fruuty and malty. Very nice.

2.9
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
JorgeLee (189) - Greater London, ENGLAND - NOV 9, 2011
Cask at the Holly Bush NW3. Mid copper coloured bitter, soft mouthfeel, slightly fruity with hop finish. Very drinkable session bitter, nothing remarkable.

3.1
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
ads135 (321) - Lawrence, USA - NOV 9, 2011
My distaste for English bitters aside, this is an underwhelming beer. Small, soapy head compliments its soapy moth feel. Slightly bitter, but by no means the "best" example of the style.

4.6
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 10/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
Orgeogre (10) - Lyon, FRANCE - NOV 6, 2011
I grew up on this one (late 70’s yes I’m an old taster) as I lived not far from the brewery. The quality of this is (or at lest used to be) quite variable from one pub to another. When it at it’s best it is the epitomy of Southern English ale. Perfect balance between fruit and hop biterness. If I had to chose a last pint before dyeing it would be this.

3.2
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
Geiserich (2282) - Vienna, AUSTRIA - NOV 1, 2011
Draught: Light hazy, amber color and an off-white head. Aroma is light sweet and caramelic, some hop notes. Flavor is light sweet and caramelic, light fruity citrus notes and an intensive dry, herbal bitterness. Yery dry, bitter end. Bit unharmonic.


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Rating Notecard:
Beer: Harveys Sussex Best Bitter Rating Avg: 3.3 No. of Ratings: 199
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