Saddleworth Shaft Bender

Brewed by Saddleworth
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Oldham, England

Cask Stillage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham 23/03/2002 Black and rich on the palate. Some fruit flavour. Roast malt finish.

Sampled on handpump at the Church Inn, Saddleworth, where the beer is brewed. A lovely pub next to the isolated St Chads Church high on the edge of the moors above Uppermill, with views down into the valley. Plus there’s an excellent J W Lees pub (the Cross Keys) just a little further up the hill, with a helpfully signposted footpath between the two. I had this beer down as a stout but I see that other sources have it as a strong bitter, whilst the commercial description has is as a "stout/porter bitter". That seems to cover all the angles. Whatever it is, I thought it was a superb beer. very dark, very rich with a creamy beige head. Lots of roast malt and touches of coffee in the aroma. Dried fruit and mocha in the flavour. Dry finish. Excellent.