Best Bitter
Ringwood Brewery
- From:
- Ringwood Brewery
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Bitter
Ranked #64 - ABV:
- 3.8%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #26,238 - Avg:
- 3.78 | pDev: 13.23%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 10, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 01, 2005
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Beer from the heart of the forest.Brewed in the heart of the New Forest, Best Bitter is a rich brown well-rounded beer with a malty, toffee flavour balanced by a tangy citrus hoppiness. It is brewed with floor-malted Maris Otter along with delicious chocolate malts in a traditional mash tun. Goldings, Progress, Fuggles and Challenger hops give a balanced aroma and flavour tothe beer
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by vinicole from England
3.71/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On cask.
Nice pint. Very drinkable.
Jan 09, 2015Nice pint. Very drinkable.
Reviewed by BigBry from Canada (AB)
3.97/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
While visiting friends in Andover, England we had to try some local ales and Ringwood fit the bill. Proper pint glass, pour, and temp.
Clear, light copper color with a small but thick head of off-white foam. Good head retention leaving nice lace sheets. Smells of toasted malt and sweetish caramel, along side some herbal and slightly fruity hops. Good, solid malt base, rich and bready. Herbal and tangy hop bitterness, slight fruit finish. Medium body, moderate toward low carbonation (as expected), and a slightly dry, yet sweet finish. Very smooth, highly drinkable. Minimal bitterness keep the palate fresh. A great local sessional, which I found my self consuming at numerous locations on our visit.
Sep 15, 2012Clear, light copper color with a small but thick head of off-white foam. Good head retention leaving nice lace sheets. Smells of toasted malt and sweetish caramel, along side some herbal and slightly fruity hops. Good, solid malt base, rich and bready. Herbal and tangy hop bitterness, slight fruit finish. Medium body, moderate toward low carbonation (as expected), and a slightly dry, yet sweet finish. Very smooth, highly drinkable. Minimal bitterness keep the palate fresh. A great local sessional, which I found my self consuming at numerous locations on our visit.
Reviewed by nickfl from Florida
4/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Clear, copper-honey colored body with a small head of off-white foam. The head settles slowly and leaves nice lace.
S - Toasted bread and caramel with a hint of honey. Some musty, herbal hop notes in the background.
T - Lightly sweet malt up front with red apple notes of yeast. Some herbal, musty hop flavors in the middle with bready malt. Finishes with light bitterness and herbal flavor, balanced by rich malt.
M - Medium body, moderately low carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.
D - Nice and drinkable. The malt is pleasant and sweeter than most British ales. This sweetness blends well with the fruity yeast and is balanced by the light bitterness. The hops only provide minimal bitterness but they are flavorful with a nice herbal character and hints of sour mustiness.
Aug 30, 2010S - Toasted bread and caramel with a hint of honey. Some musty, herbal hop notes in the background.
T - Lightly sweet malt up front with red apple notes of yeast. Some herbal, musty hop flavors in the middle with bready malt. Finishes with light bitterness and herbal flavor, balanced by rich malt.
M - Medium body, moderately low carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.
D - Nice and drinkable. The malt is pleasant and sweeter than most British ales. This sweetness blends well with the fruity yeast and is balanced by the light bitterness. The hops only provide minimal bitterness but they are flavorful with a nice herbal character and hints of sour mustiness.
Reviewed by PartyBear from England
2.64/5 rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.64/5 rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A - A reddish brown hue, with a small but persistent head.
S - To be quite honest I struggled to get anything from this in way of aroma. There is a very faint scent of hops, but little else. As fair as smell goes this beer clearly hides it very well.
T - The taste is hoppy, with a mildly dry finish.
M - The feel was somewhat light and watery, which portrays the low ABV. However, English Best Bitter are low ABV by nature, and to me taste pretty drab and watery as a whole.
D - Not my type of beer, probably wouldn't drink this again.
Jul 22, 2009S - To be quite honest I struggled to get anything from this in way of aroma. There is a very faint scent of hops, but little else. As fair as smell goes this beer clearly hides it very well.
T - The taste is hoppy, with a mildly dry finish.
M - The feel was somewhat light and watery, which portrays the low ABV. However, English Best Bitter are low ABV by nature, and to me taste pretty drab and watery as a whole.
D - Not my type of beer, probably wouldn't drink this again.
Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England
3.65/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.65/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Brown 500ml bottle, best before 7th Aug 09, drank mid Feb 09. Poured into a UK pint sleeve glass.
A reddy, copper body with a white top of small bubbles.
No huge aroma, some hops (it is made with Goldings, Progress, Fuggles and Challenger hops), but not strongly. The Maris Otter barley used doesn't add to the aroma a great deal but it does sweeten the smell a little. I am a great fan of Fuggles hops and I like to think I can pick out its aroma, I couldn't on this occasion.
Fairly dry tasting, hoppy and refreshing. A typical English Best Bitter. Nothing overpowering, just a good blend of fine ingrediants.
A pleasant drink and I would emagine even better in a pub and on cask.
Feb 21, 2009A reddy, copper body with a white top of small bubbles.
No huge aroma, some hops (it is made with Goldings, Progress, Fuggles and Challenger hops), but not strongly. The Maris Otter barley used doesn't add to the aroma a great deal but it does sweeten the smell a little. I am a great fan of Fuggles hops and I like to think I can pick out its aroma, I couldn't on this occasion.
Fairly dry tasting, hoppy and refreshing. A typical English Best Bitter. Nothing overpowering, just a good blend of fine ingrediants.
A pleasant drink and I would emagine even better in a pub and on cask.
Reviewed by GreenCard from France
3.36/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.36/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: ruby-ish brown, great clarity, fine-beaded layer of off-white foam that collapses to an ever-present crown
Aroma: toasted hazelnuts, angel food cake, caramel, hop leaves, Ringwood yeast
Flavor: dryish malt backbone with a slight tanginess just before a thin citrus-rind bitterness; finishes semi-dry with a lingering vegetal hop flavor
Mouthfeel: medium body, terse carbonation, rough texture, slightly minerally
Other comments: Ringwood is one of my favorite breweries in England, but this is not my favorite of their beers. Though it's good, Old Thumper and Fortyniner are Excellent!
Oct 08, 2006Aroma: toasted hazelnuts, angel food cake, caramel, hop leaves, Ringwood yeast
Flavor: dryish malt backbone with a slight tanginess just before a thin citrus-rind bitterness; finishes semi-dry with a lingering vegetal hop flavor
Mouthfeel: medium body, terse carbonation, rough texture, slightly minerally
Other comments: Ringwood is one of my favorite breweries in England, but this is not my favorite of their beers. Though it's good, Old Thumper and Fortyniner are Excellent!
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