JCB
Wadworth and Company Ltd.

Brown 500ml bottle, obtained from the excellent 'Goat and Tricycle' pub in Bournemouth. Best before 8th Oct 09, drank 22nd Jul 09.

Poured into a vase shaped pint glass which was branded 'Old Speckled Hen'.

Looked good, deep amber body, which was clear and clean. The thin off-white head sat on top for almost the whole tasting, impressive!

Malts in the nose and the promise of something rich and creamy to follow.

Rich and creamy it isn't, the hop combination of Fuggles and Goldings ensure it is more hearty and earthy in the taste. Well balanced and crisp, this is a very good example of an English Bitter in a bottle.

4.7%ABV is fairly high for a standard UK Bitter, but this carries the strenght off very nicely.

Very drinkable and enjoyable. I like this breweries beers, I have more in the stash to review, looking forward to it.

Tasted by half-pint at my local JDW pub, the Half Moon, East End London, during Wetherspoon's beer festival 11-21/05/06.

A: pours a bright copperish hue, a nice thick off-white frothy head sustains pretty well on the top, leaving uneven sheets of lacing behind.
S: hop-resins and earthy Fuggles lead the nose, quite assertive; a softer bed of maltiness stays firmly underneath, decorated with with dark fruity hoppyness in the back.
T: a profound, caramely-malty flavour comes with plenty of underlying, tea-ish hoppyness, before a sour-sweet berry-fruit flavour takes over the palate; a mild touch of alc. joins in the back to provide some excitement, while a healthy dose of bitterness lingers in the finish.
M&D: a medium-bodied bitter with a clear malty theme; when on form, this beer is truly lively and refreshing by the standards of English Bitters. Solid.