Whitstable Bay Pale Ale
Shepherd Neame Ltd
- From:
- Shepherd Neame Ltd
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Bitter
Ranked #170 - ABV:
- 4%
- Score:
- 79
Ranked #37,280 - Avg:
- 3.39 | pDev: 13.86%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 14
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 15, 2026
- Added:
- Nov 27, 2013
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 12
SCORE
79
Okay
79
Okay
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.51/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.51/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A gentle bitter.
I poured this pale into a tulip and got a lot more foam than I would a pint glass. Smells are average for its style, mostly sweet malt with a hint of hops. However, Tastes are well-balanced with the slightly bitter hops announcing in mid-palate and gradually and modestly asserting themselves for a nice finish. Medium-mouthed for this moderate style. Paired well with cheddar and OK with Stilton.
I like Shepherd Neame's traditional one-stop shop hospitality: brewing, brewpubs, gastropubs and 300 inns. Such diverse businesses make them less likely to be bought by a beverage conglomerate. For all that, I give them good Overall Hugs. Cheers!
Mar 15, 2026I poured this pale into a tulip and got a lot more foam than I would a pint glass. Smells are average for its style, mostly sweet malt with a hint of hops. However, Tastes are well-balanced with the slightly bitter hops announcing in mid-palate and gradually and modestly asserting themselves for a nice finish. Medium-mouthed for this moderate style. Paired well with cheddar and OK with Stilton.
I like Shepherd Neame's traditional one-stop shop hospitality: brewing, brewpubs, gastropubs and 300 inns. Such diverse businesses make them less likely to be bought by a beverage conglomerate. For all that, I give them good Overall Hugs. Cheers!
Reviewed by Badonde from England
3.22/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.22/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Very coppery on the nose and tongue, I've got to assume it's a bottling defect here. Dark malt and hops on the nose, sweet apple and grain on the tongue. Coppery again on the finish.
Oct 26, 2024
Reviewed by bmaslakov from Russian Federation
3.56/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.56/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Tried it on tap in a fish pub in Whitstable. Colour is beautiful dark straw and maple syrup with thin milk-white foam. Starts with some nice punchy smoky caramelised hops, but then the taste quickly wilts and fades away, leaving an astringent aftertaste. All in all ok, but underwhelming for how beautiful it looks.
Sep 25, 2022
Reviewed by KleinSchwein from England
3.7/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look:- Deep brownish red russet coloured with a brief ,thin head that left a small amount of lacing.
Smell:- Pleasantly hoppy.
Taste :- Light and mildly hoppy , a slight taste of citrus in the aftertaste with a slight sweetness.
Mouth feel :- Light bodied with light, sparkling carbonation.
Overall :- Easy to drink , refreshing and light .
Sep 19, 2022Smell:- Pleasantly hoppy.
Taste :- Light and mildly hoppy , a slight taste of citrus in the aftertaste with a slight sweetness.
Mouth feel :- Light bodied with light, sparkling carbonation.
Overall :- Easy to drink , refreshing and light .
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil
3.24/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.24/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Golden color with a thick thin head.
Aroma with notes of faint English hops and malt sweetness.
Flavor with notes of English tangy and citrusy hops, Pale malt sweetness, lemon drops, a bit of tea leaves, faint pine and mild orange peel. Dry aftertaste with a medium bitterness.
Light body with appropriate carbonation.
Easy to drink and refreshing English Pale Ale with citrusy notes. Quite simple and neutral.
Sep 27, 2019Aroma with notes of faint English hops and malt sweetness.
Flavor with notes of English tangy and citrusy hops, Pale malt sweetness, lemon drops, a bit of tea leaves, faint pine and mild orange peel. Dry aftertaste with a medium bitterness.
Light body with appropriate carbonation.
Easy to drink and refreshing English Pale Ale with citrusy notes. Quite simple and neutral.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.47/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.47/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L- Quite deep amber, clear, pours with thin white head that clears quickly.
S- When I popped the bottle I immediately got a heavy waft of almost cannabis notes. Now in the glass it's calmed to a pleasant hop aroma.
T- I'm pleased that it is more of a trad pale ale than a contemporary hop-bomb incarnation. Even then it seems quite subtle on the hopping, with balancing malty body following.
F- It is a balanced and quite subtle beer, and others have noted eminently sessionable. Zero aspects for me stands out as unwanted or unbalanced. This would make a lovely refreshing beer especially in warmer months.
O- Understated elegance for those who appreciate quality, and wish to take it a bit more gently once in a while. Very nice, I'd buy it again in the latter circumstances.
p.s. I've rated the beer as I found it, but writing this I realise the inclination (at times) to up-rate drama in a beer. Higher ABV% tends to provide a foundation for such drama, as does being mega over-hopped for hop-heads. Being understated, producing a refined satisfying but drama-free beer of 'just' 4.0% seems to inherently draw lower ratings.
Dec 17, 2018S- When I popped the bottle I immediately got a heavy waft of almost cannabis notes. Now in the glass it's calmed to a pleasant hop aroma.
T- I'm pleased that it is more of a trad pale ale than a contemporary hop-bomb incarnation. Even then it seems quite subtle on the hopping, with balancing malty body following.
F- It is a balanced and quite subtle beer, and others have noted eminently sessionable. Zero aspects for me stands out as unwanted or unbalanced. This would make a lovely refreshing beer especially in warmer months.
O- Understated elegance for those who appreciate quality, and wish to take it a bit more gently once in a while. Very nice, I'd buy it again in the latter circumstances.
p.s. I've rated the beer as I found it, but writing this I realise the inclination (at times) to up-rate drama in a beer. Higher ABV% tends to provide a foundation for such drama, as does being mega over-hopped for hop-heads. Being understated, producing a refined satisfying but drama-free beer of 'just' 4.0% seems to inherently draw lower ratings.
Reviewed by Gajo74 from New York
3.58/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear amber color with a modest head that acts more as a sturdy creamy film that skims the surface. It shows good retention.
Earthy hops aromas that are redolent of dry tea leaves, tobacco and grass. There is also a slightly burnt hay aroma.
Throughout the 1st half, the palate feels dry and with significant bitterness. Flavors of dry tea leave, tobacco, and dry toasted nutty malts. As the flavors open up, a mild sweetness that is caramel and toffee like, and slightly fruity, improves the complexity and drinkability.
Medium bodied, very smooth and gently carbonated.
I haven’t seen this in the States; currently enjoying it in London. Very English; refined, restrained and very sessionable.
Jul 06, 2018Earthy hops aromas that are redolent of dry tea leaves, tobacco and grass. There is also a slightly burnt hay aroma.
Throughout the 1st half, the palate feels dry and with significant bitterness. Flavors of dry tea leave, tobacco, and dry toasted nutty malts. As the flavors open up, a mild sweetness that is caramel and toffee like, and slightly fruity, improves the complexity and drinkability.
Medium bodied, very smooth and gently carbonated.
I haven’t seen this in the States; currently enjoying it in London. Very English; refined, restrained and very sessionable.
Reviewed by Spike from England
3.26/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.26/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
On draught at ‘Smith’s Bar & Grill’ at Paddington Basin, London.
L: Pale copper colour, clear, lots of bubbles, thin smear of head.
S: Light, sweet, caramel.
T: Follows the nose, floral & semi-sweet.
F: Light body, smooth mouthfeel, dry finish.
O: An easy-drinking, unremarkable but refreshing, golden ale.
Jun 17, 2018L: Pale copper colour, clear, lots of bubbles, thin smear of head.
S: Light, sweet, caramel.
T: Follows the nose, floral & semi-sweet.
F: Light body, smooth mouthfeel, dry finish.
O: An easy-drinking, unremarkable but refreshing, golden ale.
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