RCH Pitchfork

Brewed by RCH
Style: Bitter
Weston-super-Mare, England

Cloudy copper with a massive rocky off-white head. Bits of yeast and hops lace the head and also appear in the body. Aroma is all hop, mostly grapefruit and lime. Some caramel malts and yeast hover in the distance. Bitter, simple flavour, with citrus hops balancing well with sweet mostly caramel malts. The finish is slightly harsh from the hops. A very good bitter.

Amber with a big foam head. Very lively. Malt aromas. Thin and watery with not much taste but a moderate bitterness. Sweet.

(bottle) Hazy orange gold. Very large off white head. Pine hops in the aroma. Flavor of malt and hops. Solid bitter.

Las Vegas Nv, Lee’s Discount Liquors - 500 ml bottle. Light golden pour, good bubble action, crisp white head, good lacing. Some fresh lake water accents in the aroma and a hint of honey. Flavor is crisp and clean. Nice underlying subtle bitterness with a citrusy bent. Hints of cake mix sweetness. Clean, even mouthfeel. Survived the trip well across the big pond.

Bottled. Poured honey-colored with a foamy white head. Nice lacing. A floral nose leads to a wonderful, citrusy flavor followed by a nice bite of hops in the finish. Crisp and dry, a very refreshing ale.

Bottled picked up in Herefordshire. Pours a warm golden colour with a white quite frothy head, definately quite hoppy but also citrusy lemonyness and good crisp bite the best of the RCH beers I’ve had but still I have had much better.

(500 ml bottle: $5.19 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA) Surprisingly hoppy and bitter, this "rebellious bitter" is aptly named. While the mild, grainy, slightly nutty malts provide a modest base, the moderately bitter English hops is the focal point here, especially in the finish where the bitterness really sets up shop on the palate for the duration of the session. The pleasant nose is all British hops to me, and I’d like to see a bit more of the malty underworking coming out. Light-medium bodied, crisp and clean with moderate carbonation, this isn’t smooth like many other British ales. A fairly solid curtain of lace covers the glass for awhile before gradually dissolving into smaller patches. With too much bitterness for too little maltiness, this imbalanced beer simply isn’t my style. Stick a (pitch)fork in this one, I can’t imagine buying it again, especially given the pricetag.

Head is initially large, frothy, white, fully lasting. Body is hazy medium yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), lightly hoppy (flowers, herbs), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with a note of lemon zest. Flavor is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Nothing much.