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Draught House Pub & Brewery

 

 

 

This is a superb example of an American-brewed English bitter. Despite all the fantastic beers on tap at the Draught House I'll often spend the whole evening drinking this, only to switch to something more, shall we say, esoteric, to finish off the session.

It's a malt-dominated beer with a subdued hop presence, tasty but innocuous, drinkable but restrained, just the way a session bitter should be. I spent the first 25 years of my drinking career in the tied house system so I'm very used to drinking the same beer all evening, and this one gives me no problems in that area.

On tap at the Draught House 42nd Anniversary Party. The beer pours an amber color with a white head. The aroma is heavy on the caramel and bready malt. The flavor is a mix of grassy and earthy hops with some bready and caramel/toffee malts. Low bitterness. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Served in a pint glass a semi-clear copper color very much looking like an ESB. No head retention and very little lacing is evident.

Nutty malts and floral hops are on the nose with some hints of clover and minerals. A pretty fresh and clean smelling brew.

Taste is like a toned down ESB. Very little hop flavor, but the bitterness goes along way with some caramel and toasty malts balancing it out nicely. Good brew.

On Draught at the pub. It pours a slightly murky burnt orange color with a nice white head and good lacing.

Nice biscuit, dried fruit, bread, malty and grassy aroma.

Nice bready malt flavor with grassy hop bite and a good mouthfeel. Very balanced and drinkable. This is a great bitter.