Harveys Sussex Best Bitter

Brewed by Harveys
Style: Bitter
Lewes, England

Serve in English pint

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Cask at the Holly Bush NW3. Mid copper coloured bitter, soft mouthfeel, slightly fruity with hop finish. Very drinkable session bitter, nothing remarkable.

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.

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.

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.

Cask at Royal Oak. Amber gold colour with a small beige head. Very similar to the pale for some reason but a bit fruity. No creaminess, but has a bit of stinkiness about it. Bit oily in the mouth and with a slightly bitter finish.

UPDATED: JAN 27, 2012 On tap at London Bridge. Amber colour with an off white head. Nice mixed aroma of caramel, light roasted malt, hoppy and fruity. Flavour are also more powerful than ususal. Moderate sweetness. Fruity and hoppy

June, 2003:The Anchor, Sevenoaks. A firm fruity best beer but with a full taste of oak. Yeast, sulphur and fruit on the nose. Glowing golden amber colour. After big fruit rush the finish initially goes empty, then a mild dry bitterness starts to come through along the roof of the mouth, fruit joins in briefly before the mild, dry bitterness is left alone again to end on a salty note. Pulls well above its strength, and reminded me of Abbot Ale. [3.5]
Dec, 2004: Royal Oak, London. Sweet. Oak notes. Smooth and delicious. [3.4]
Aug, 2006 Little Gem, Aylesford. Fucking glorious! This is what beer is all about - fantastically drinkable and thirst-quenching, yet packed with flavour. So tasty you want more and more and more, and to keep on drinking for ever, yet interesting and varied enough to invite investigation and contemplation. Sweet malt and a stunning burst of hops. Fragrant, flowery, infused and floating, earthy and gently spicy, warm hop oil burning on the tip of the tongue. O yes. O yes, yes, yes. [4.7]
March, 2007Kings Head, Battle Awesome. Fresh and unbelievably flavoursome. I could drink this all day. I WANT to drink this all day. In here, in this pub. Die happy. [5]
Feb 2009 Who’d Ha Thought It, Rochester. Each time I have this beer I love it. I love it. I love it. It’s a perfect drinking beer. [5]
June 2009 Cask at Lewes Arms, Lewes, and seven other locations, including the brewery, on the RateBeer Harveys Brewery Tour Fucking glorious! Best goddamn beer in the world. [5]
March, 2011 Plough, Eynsford. Oh! There is so much character and flavour in this beer. The hop blend, the yeast, the open fermentation, the wild bret, all contribute to making one of the world’s most consistently fascinating, satisfying and enjoyable beers. This is my desert island beer. Caramel, toffee, wood, wet leather, spice, hops, lovely. [5]
Oct, 2011 Victoria, Eastbourne My reward for completing the Beachy Head Marathon is a pint of the best beer in the world, served in one of the best pubs in the world. Absolutely spanking gorgeous. Sweet, characterful malt - best quality brewing malt in the world. And that scintillating blend of English hops. No Bret in this batch, which means the malt and the hops play main stage, and what a show they put on. Unbelievably great beer. [5]

Cask at Market Porter. Lovely ale slightly sweet, unusual tasting beer. Would have again

Cask at the William Blake. Hazy amber pour with a light white head. He aroma is quite nice. Soft fruity aroma. Lots of earthy hop aroma along with a bit of soft chewiness. Tobacco and a bit of savoury flavour in back. An odd metallic flavour as well. Soft palate and a pretty decent brew.

Cask @ The Market Porter London. A clear amber colored beer with a small white ehad. The aroma of bitter hops, with fruits like citrus and caramel. The taste starts with sweet moving to strong hop bitter. The aftertaste is long bitter.