Wellington Arkell Best Bitter

On tap at Patty Boland’s (Ottawa). Nice copper body topped with a thin off-white creamy head. Light and pleasant hoppy (Fuggle, Golding) aroma with some roasty and brown sugar hints. Taste is well balanced, but is a bit too mild. It ends with an inoffensive bitter finish. Not bad, but slightly disappointing...

Draught (cask). At The Black Tomato, Ottawa. Poured a hazy brown-amberwith a small off-white head. Mild aroma of sweet lightly roasted malt, yeast and a bit of hops and grain. Flavour is a bit like toast - mild roast malt, wheat and rye cereal, a bit of nutmeat flavour and not enough hops in there to mention. Fairly thin mouthfeel. Easy to drink but needs a bit more oomph, as well as a small boost to the carbonation and hops.

Bottle. Aroma is moderately hoppy with some bread. Small white head with little lacing and a mostly diminishing head. Colour is medium amber. Flavour also has some bread notes with light sweetness and moderate bitterness initially. The bitterness diminishes slightly for the average length slightly dry finish. Light to medium body with soft to lively carbonation.

draught. orange-copper body with a medium fluffy white head. aroma of mild hops and cereal. flavour of toasted malt, subtle hops, and grassy grains. light, thin body. meh.

Poured a faint brownish colour.Showed a small off-white head that didn’t last long. A not too bitter, watery, watery,watery.

341ml. bottle. Dark amber color with a decent off white head. Biscuit malt aroma with a bit of caramel. Flavor was a bit bland, but very drinkable. Mostly malt with a touch of bitter hops at the end.

Cask: Poured a clear brown color ale with a small head that disappeared quite fast. Aroma is quite weak with some malt being distinguishable with some light hops. Taste is refreshing but very light with some sweet malt and light hops. Body is too thin for my own liking and was expecting more bitterness. Not bad but there is some way better bitter out there.

341 ml bottle. Pale amber colour, thick tan head. Nice bready malts, a touch of yeastiness and light fruitiness. A bit of sulfury aroma as well. Spicy/grassy hop aroma. Flavour is a bit thin but it is well-balanced. Bready malt and faint sweetness balanced by light spicy hops. Tasty for 4% ABV, but not quite as good as some English bitters I’ve had.