RCH Pitchfork

Brewed by RCH
Style: Bitter
Weston-super-Mare, England

Serve in English pint

Cask @ Akkurat, Stockholm
Strange that I haven’t rated this before as it is one of my favourite uk real ales. Has a great flowery malt aroma. Persistent head. Rich natural hop taste balanced wonderfully with a certain fresh maltiness. Taste developes into a rich and complec, though still balanced, hop freshness. Very hoppy by UK standards. A beer one can drink all night with equal pleasure throughout.

1 Pint, 9oz bottle Rich gold color with small head. Semi floral and slightly bready aroma. Medium body that’s dry and refreshing (I wish I could get this on cask). Mild carbonation. This is what I want from an ESB.

Multiple cask half-pints/pints at NERAX on 5/4 and 5/5/07
What a beer! This was definitely high on the list of most samples I had of a beer at the fest.
Great appearance. Perfectly bright, with a rich, white head that leaves good lace and sits atop a dark bronze body.
Lovely, clear, fresh, highly aromatic hoppy nose is not the typical tangerine, nectarine, lemon, but rather a much more deep, green, lush hoppiness with light resins and some sweet grapefruit. Very fragrant, with lightly sweet caramel malts in the background and just a wonderful balance overall. A slight touch of earthy, mineral-laden yeast is enjoyable as well. Absolutely flawless, with no alcohol noted.
As hoppy as the nose is, the malt is foremost present in the flavor. Dry, not overly so, but with a creamy, soft texture that belies the good attenuation. Hops are not as overly flavorful as the aroma is aromatic, but still provide plenty of leafy, brisk flavors (resin, grapefuit) and lots of bitterness on the end. Similar to the Fullers beers, the malt had a very polished, almost woody flavor to it, with very light biscuit notes. Some esters on the end as well. Perfectly engaging, tight carbonation leading to a very drinkable texture. Flawless.

Pours gold into an English pint. Bright white micro head tophats the rim. Leaving sheet lacing as it slowly recedes. Grapefruit and lemon zest aromas. Crisp and full malts upfront turning creamy summer fruits before the dry, lasting grapefruit finish. IPA-like.

A very refreshing light coloured ale with a supurb taste and dry crisp finish. Excellent and very moreish.

Cloudy orange amber pour. Aroma is bready yeast. Taste is smooth bitter hops, yeast, malt and resin. Rated 5/14/05

Cask at Max’s in Baltimore. Cloudy dark yellow, thin white head that disappears rapidly and leaves massive lacing. Aroma of citrus and malt, with a bit of white pepper. Taste is dominated by the malt, but well-balanced, dry bitter, peppery finish. This is pretty much what a traditional English bitter should taste like - not over the top, not massively hopped or highly spiced. Classic example of the style, properly served.

Pours with a large foamy head. This has a fresh, fruity, grain aroma. Flavours are malty, fruity but its the hoppy finish that makes this so good. Oily hops are complemented by a JHB-like grapefruit zest. A proper bitter. Try it.