John Smiths Bitter / Extra Smooth

Brewed by John Smiths (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Bitter
Tadcaster, England

1. Keg Handpump at the Penny Black, Northwich (JDW) 12/03/2001 Very smooth on the palate and slightly bitter. 2. Can 30/05/2001 Some malt flavour. Smooth on the palate. 3. Keg Handpump at the Old Merchants Hotel, Blackburn 06/09/2001 Mid brown coloured smooth and creamy with a hop finish. 4. Keg Handpump at the Blue Barrel, Northwich 29/12/2001 Amber and malty with with a slightly dry hop finish. 5. Keg Handpump at Mr Smith’s, Warrington 20/06/2002 Amber and smooth on the palate with a malt finish. 6. Keg Handpump at Mr Smith’s, Warrington 29/08/2002 Mid brown slightly malty with a bitter slightly dry finish. 7. Keg Handpump at De Bees, Winsford 28/12/2003 Amber golden slightly fruity with a smooth slightly hoppy finish. 8. Keg Handpump at Bluu, Nottingham 17/07/2004 Mid brown amber and slightly fruity. Some dryness in a smooth hop finish. 9. Keg Handpump at the Bulls Head, Davenham 27/12/2004 Golden amber smooth and slightly hoppy. Some dryness and bitterness in a malt finish. 10. Keg Handpump at the Witton Chimes, Northwich 18/05/2005 Mid brown amber smooth and slightly fruity. Some dryness in a malt finish. 11. Keg Handpump at the Blue Bell Inn, Long Eaton 23/09/2005 Mid brown amber and fruity with a crisp slightly bitter malt finish. 12. Keg Handpump at the Church Inn, Salford 18/10/2006 Thick white head. Amber bronze coloured and slightly fruity with some dryness in a smooth crisp malt finish. 13. Keg Handpump at Prohibition, Manchester 22/12/2006 Creamy white head. Amber coloured and smooth on the palate with a crisp and slightly bitter malt finish. 14. Keg Handpump at the Burton Arms, Manchester 15/10/2007 Malt aroma. Amber coloured smooth on the palate and malty with a crisp and slightly dry finish. 15. Keg Handpump at the Priory, Ashby 15/12/2007 Some malt aroma. Mid brown coloured slightly fruity and dry with a lasting malt finish. 16. Keg Handpump at the Old Crown, Northwich 26/12/2007 White head. Some malt aroma. Mid brown coloured smooth on the palate and malty with a crisp and slightly bitter finish.

Bland and boring. Nice white head and a pretty golden/amber colour. No hints of hoppyness anywhere though, slightly malty, but generally watery and sweet (artificially)

Cannette. Goût légèrement carmelisé, très amère. Bien ordianire, pas à reboire.

Oddly enough, the canned version of this had more flavour than the cask version (a first in my experience). Canned, this appears a deep amber orange with a generous foamy tan head that forms funky shapes as it sits, like a bowl full of whipped potatoes. Bready and slightly caramel aromas, the palate delivers the same but with more caramel showing through. Modestly bitter. Nice.

Very creamy, smooth finish, very fine head. Drank from both cans and tap in England.

Hop malt aroma. Clear dark brown colour with excellent head and lacing. Smokey spicy hop malt flavour. Flat palate.

17 Oct 05 - Low sweet malt and lowly hopped aroma. Clear brown-red colour, good nitrogen/manufactured head with sheet lacing. Light malt and hopped flavour. Light bitter hop finish. Uninspiringly plain.

Smooth bitter, pulls with a thick creamy head. Plenty of malt, little bit of hops. Not much to be said, average mass-produced beer.