Gales HSB (Can)

Can from the Malthouse. Pours dark amber, thing off white head.
A lightly roasted malt nose, with a very British hop character.
Flavour is somewhat bready, with a light bitterness following.
This is a classic British session beer, reminds me of pommie pubs - even though I’ve never been to one...

It’s not retired, i had one today!!!! I’d planned to only drink a little of this....just to rate it and then dump the rest but this is GOOD! much better than i remember...guess we have fullers to thank for that! hmmm to flavours etc light toffee on the nose...really quite appetising, very clean fruity toffee notes and extremely drinkable.

440ml can from Sainsbury’s. Rich chestnut colour with thin beige head. Rich dry malt aroma. Touch of vanilla. Basic, malty flavour in mouth. Finish is pretty good. Hops porvide dryness and rich maltiness grows. Some caramel in there too. Some choc. Bit like the advertised Christmas cake. Unsubtle, but I have a sneaking liking for it.

It’s a damn shame to foist this off on unsuspecting Yanks as ’traditional English Ale.’ Watery with very light malt notes, the best thing that can be said about this brew is that it’s not terribly offensive. A good drink, I suppose, if it’s hot, you’re thirsty, and it’s cheap. And it is. I got mine for 1.50 at the Fox and Parrot in Gatlinburg, TN. But you do in fact, get what you pay for, no?

Can. Lots of toffeeish malty dried fruits. Hop flavour is quite muted and although this is fairly sweet the sweetness doesnt get out of hand. Seems much the same now it is brewed by Fullers if slightly less hops are present, although that comparison may not be particularly valid considering I last had canned HSB several years ago. On the whole a pleasant canned beer.

Can from Waitrose. Pours a deep brown colour with a thin but dense white head. Aroma is of a premium bitter rich in sweet malt and fruit. To taste there is loads of caramel, malt, dried fruit. Notes of toffee and fruitcake, some hop bitterness in the finish. Thick mouthfeel, not bad condition for a can but lacks the fresh feeling a cask gives.

Can, from Waitrose. Copper bronze, good fluffy white head and moderate condition. Low caramel and gentle fruity hops in the nose, sweet burnt treacle and caramel tempered by bitter hop in the mouth, lingering bitter sweet finish with treacle and hops both noticable. Not bad for a canned beer.

Clear copper / brown. Dense beige head.Clean peppery, bready smell. Very "English" - Understated bitterness with hint of plum jam and toast. Not bad.