Bloomsbury

Formerly brewed at John Smiths (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Bitter
Tadcaster, England

Cask at Jamaica Ale House in London. Copper body with a small white head. Aroma is light hops, sweetened malts with brown sugar and/or caramel notes. Taste is mild bitter hops, faint caramel and a light malt backbone. Mouthfeel is moderate but leaning towards watery in parts. Finish is mild hops with faint caramel. Not too bad.

Having carefully examined the pump clip and found no origin information whatsoever, and got uncomprehending looks from the bar staff, I had resigned myself to not getting a rate out of this one. However, I see that Duff has managed to track it down - well done. It was a pretty nondescript bitter - mid brown, fruity and not very bitter - but I didn’t find it as bad as Duff. I still suspect a Courage Best rebadge, but if Duff’s going to rate it, so am I! Cask (handpump) at the Jamaica Ale House, City of London.

Cask@The Britannia, Richmond. This is a nasty little concoction from our friends at Scottish and Newcastle. Not much different to Courage Best. Stale, figgy fruit, very thin and grainy, flat and dull. Avoid.