500ml bottle from Somerfield. I quite liked this bitter, typically English bitter with yeast hop aroma, some caramel. I had a couple of bottles whilst I was in a hotel in Brentford. Distinctive Badger yeast and hop. Good enough for a simple drink.

Keg, as Extra smooth, in the Masons Arms, Marylebone, London. Muddy brown, aerated, big soapy head. Ok, a quick half for a rating, its just an homogenous mess really, full of Nitrogen, burping for England afterwards. It’s done now.

hops nd malt welkl balanced for once. good effort ll round with a dry hoppy finish.

Pasteurised bottle. Carbonation is artificial, but not aggressive. Pasteurised notes all over the place giving this beer an odd burned sugar sweetness, a stale hops flavour and a dead quality which is really quite unpleasant. That’s a shame because the malty and hop soaked ale that exists underneath the appalling final treatment is quite pleasant, and is fighting to come through. It’s certainly pulling above 3.8%.

On tap. Creamy off-white head on top of a clear, golden ale. Weak malty aroma with some hoppy fruityness. The flavor is the same. Thin body and a pineapple-fruity, lightly hopped finish. A quite pleasant and balanced beer, but a bit boring. (060712)