Southwark Bitter

Brewed by South Australia Brewing (Lion Nathan Co.)
Style: Pale Lager
Thebarton, Australia

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Lager glass, Shaker

UPDATED: JUL 8, 2005 Drank this one on the odd occasion Cooper’s wasn’t on draught in my two years in Adelaide. Pours a clear gold with a bubbly white head that dissipates quickly. Aroma was definitely hop driven, but not the delicate floral Kentish hops, Pride of Ringwood came to mind with a mix of grassy, metallic, stale hops of a different variety. Nose follows into the mouth with a heightened oxidised edge and biting carbonation, thin body and bitter in the back with a little sweet malt and corn starch to attempt a compromise. Finishes off quite crisp and forgettable. Come to think of it I don’t know why I drank it, I suppose it was because it was beer and I was at a pub and thats what you do there. Not the best from Southwark.

Supposedly Australia's most bitter beer with an IBU (International Bitterness Unit, whatever that is) of 25. Still it tastes pretty ordinary, I couldn't finish the bottle. I think it would be a lot better, as is VB, if it was much colder to kill the taste. Pretty ordinary stuff. Cheers folks

A nice change for Melbourne Bitter drinkers who just want to look at a different label. Spanner.

Not very bitter. Tastes pretty much like their "premium" to me. I guess they are owned by LN. A VB alternative.

Pretty bad, typical Aussie "bitter". Rusty metal/tinny, with the traditional POR hrashness on the finish, malt sweet (corn), i not really bitter at all, thin body. Pretty lame, but better than a lot of Aussie bitters.

I hate bitters that are described as lagers, especially when they are brewed to have a sweeter finish. It is sweet but there is no balance in the finished product. An inoffensive beer.

UPDATED: MAY 25, 2005 Not too bad. Not a pretentious beer in that it doesn’t claim to be something it’s not. Goes down OK. Re-rate: what was I thinking? Had this recently on a trip to SA and couldn’t finish the bottle.

The beer has improved since it was commonly known as ’Green Death’ but still has some distance to go before it becomes the drink of choice for many.