Shere Drop
Surrey Hills Brewery Limited
- From:
- Surrey Hills Brewery Limited
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Bitter
Ranked #28 - ABV:
- 4.2%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #15,884 - Avg:
- 4.05 | pDev: 13.09%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 04, 2026
- Added:
- Nov 20, 2006
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
The flagship beer is pale in colour with a subtle hint of grapefruit and lemon in the aroma. The wonderful hop bitterness is complemented by a balanced malt flavour. The beer has a long finish, which is moderately dry.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey
4.17/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
(half pint cask pour at NERAX on Thu 26 Mar 2026... review copied from notes)
Surrey Hills Sheer Drop 4.2% - field gold color, persistent bubbly head… nose is minerally, wet grass, bit of doughy malt slowly emerges… palate is pungent bitter, biting long into the aftertaste, fresh and earthy hops, tiny dry biscuit note late; mellow dried apple and sultana fruitiness… little bit of round silkyness to the body, not to mention some slow moving sticky resins… overall not as malty but at least doubly bitterer than the Haggis; loving this (2536)
Apr 04, 2026Surrey Hills Sheer Drop 4.2% - field gold color, persistent bubbly head… nose is minerally, wet grass, bit of doughy malt slowly emerges… palate is pungent bitter, biting long into the aftertaste, fresh and earthy hops, tiny dry biscuit note late; mellow dried apple and sultana fruitiness… little bit of round silkyness to the body, not to mention some slow moving sticky resins… overall not as malty but at least doubly bitterer than the Haggis; loving this (2536)
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.32/5 rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
October 2016: Cask 1/3 pint, gravity dispense, at the 16th Twickenham Beer & Cider Festival, Golden colour, white head. Moderate malty aroma, some toffee, a little fruit. The flavour is nice enough, but not very special - probably got the Gold award in the CBoB 2016 for not being offensive in any way.
Oct 30, 2023
Reviewed by Ant777uk from England
4.47/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.47/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Drank in a local English country pub next to the brewery...with some English salt and malt vinegar crisps...perfect :)
Great bitterness from the hops. Really well chosen, amazing hoppy balance. Beer has a great overall flavour, and is a very good example of an English bitter beer. There is an underlying fruitiness, perhaps elements of orange/lemon peel. Would be fairy happy to drink this for most of the day.
The hops are immense...
This could also be an IPA, it is beyond being an English bitter, to compete against some of the American ones...this is an extremely high level beer and should be internationally recognized as such
Apr 09, 2016Great bitterness from the hops. Really well chosen, amazing hoppy balance. Beer has a great overall flavour, and is a very good example of an English bitter beer. There is an underlying fruitiness, perhaps elements of orange/lemon peel. Would be fairy happy to drink this for most of the day.
The hops are immense...
This could also be an IPA, it is beyond being an English bitter, to compete against some of the American ones...this is an extremely high level beer and should be internationally recognized as such
Reviewed by vinicole from England
3.92/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Cask. Gravity serving. Amber with a thin frothy head.
Light aroma of English hops and digestive biscuit malt.
A wonderfully balanced flavour reflecting the the fruity hops and fudge like malt.
Decent cask feel. A fresh barrel provided light carbonation.
A true English Bitter.
Jan 10, 2015Light aroma of English hops and digestive biscuit malt.
A wonderfully balanced flavour reflecting the the fruity hops and fudge like malt.
Decent cask feel. A fresh barrel provided light carbonation.
A true English Bitter.
Reviewed by fullsweep from England
3.18/5 rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.18/5 rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
On keg at a house party. Poured into a glass.
Nice and cloudy, especially immediately after pouring. A reddish-brown with orange tints as well. Very minimal head from this home keg. Head is beige and doesn't last long.
Smells a tad fruity but with a classic English ale scent.
Taste is sweet and a margin of fruit on the initial sip, but very bitter on the finish. I'd almost argue this is an English bitter as opposed to a pale ale.
Mouthfeel was a bit disappointing as there is very little carbonation or crispness.
Wouldn't turn it down if offered again, and would certainly try different serving formats.
Jun 14, 2009Nice and cloudy, especially immediately after pouring. A reddish-brown with orange tints as well. Very minimal head from this home keg. Head is beige and doesn't last long.
Smells a tad fruity but with a classic English ale scent.
Taste is sweet and a margin of fruit on the initial sip, but very bitter on the finish. I'd almost argue this is an English bitter as opposed to a pale ale.
Mouthfeel was a bit disappointing as there is very little carbonation or crispness.
Wouldn't turn it down if offered again, and would certainly try different serving formats.
Reviewed by PLUChris from California
5/5 rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I'm totally biased, because the owner of the Brewery is a very old friend of mine, but I've got to say that Shere Drop is a remarkable ale! I sampled it at the brewery and took home a couple of 4-pint containers to share with the family! I would be very interested to read any reports on the latest addition to the brewery's range Hammer Mild - it was in the planning stages when I visited the brewery, but has recently been released.
Apr 04, 2008Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California
3.55/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Presentation: Sampled during a fantastic Country Pub Ramble in the Surrey Hills, the spiritual and geographical home of the Surrey Hills Brewery.
Listed as Shere Drop - ABV 4.2%, and served from the Beer Engine.
Appearance: Traditional English Bitter looks, dark brown with some amber tones. Head was wispy but the conditioning was solid. Temperate looks yet with an old school look about it.
Nose and Taste: Hops are muted by the malts, gentle biscuit and oatmeal hints mix with a flowery hop finish. Citric bitterness in the beginning melds with the malts and finishes with a drier bitterness in the ending. Lingering aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Heavier body than the Ranmore Ale, but the Shere Drop has a more pronounced malty middle, it is creamier and though the finish is dry and bitter, it is not that hoppy - the lingering bitterness balances the malts adequately.
Drinkability: Refreshing and easily capable of being slugged down. Though the heavier Mouthfeel and dry bitterness lend this a more Premium Bitter feel. Not quite a Session Ale, moreover this is a great brew to finish the night with or sneak in once in a while during a Ranmore Ale session.
Overall: The third and final brew from the Surrey Hills Brewery to cross my lips. The Shere Drop was just as good as the rest, a high quality clean well balanced brew with a solid bitterness. Surrey Hills Brewery is a very welcome addition to the small band of English Country Breweries, and it widespread availability in its own locale makes walking in the Surrey Hills even more of a treat.
Nov 20, 2006Listed as Shere Drop - ABV 4.2%, and served from the Beer Engine.
Appearance: Traditional English Bitter looks, dark brown with some amber tones. Head was wispy but the conditioning was solid. Temperate looks yet with an old school look about it.
Nose and Taste: Hops are muted by the malts, gentle biscuit and oatmeal hints mix with a flowery hop finish. Citric bitterness in the beginning melds with the malts and finishes with a drier bitterness in the ending. Lingering aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Heavier body than the Ranmore Ale, but the Shere Drop has a more pronounced malty middle, it is creamier and though the finish is dry and bitter, it is not that hoppy - the lingering bitterness balances the malts adequately.
Drinkability: Refreshing and easily capable of being slugged down. Though the heavier Mouthfeel and dry bitterness lend this a more Premium Bitter feel. Not quite a Session Ale, moreover this is a great brew to finish the night with or sneak in once in a while during a Ranmore Ale session.
Overall: The third and final brew from the Surrey Hills Brewery to cross my lips. The Shere Drop was just as good as the rest, a high quality clean well balanced brew with a solid bitterness. Surrey Hills Brewery is a very welcome addition to the small band of English Country Breweries, and it widespread availability in its own locale makes walking in the Surrey Hills even more of a treat.
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