Spring Goddess
George Bateman & Son / Batemans Brewery

Tasted by a half pint at the Capitol, a JDW pub at Forest Hill, SE London, during the chain's April-May Beerfest. 2007.

A: dark golden in colour, with a thin off-white foamy head and very low carbonation.
S: lightly lemony aroma with Challenger's citric edge prevails, while a swirl wakes up the sulphurous and buttery note underneath. Overall, the nose is "quietly" pleasant.
T: the foretaste highlights Goldings' citric and Liberty's flowery fragrant flavours; the tannic bitterness (almost like crushed citrus seeds) develops at the back with an additional touch of lychee fruits. The long aftertaste sees more lingering maltiness, but the chewy/tangy bitterness still rules here.
M&D: softly fizzy and light-bodied, this is a session type of Golden Bitter designed to quaff. This ale on cask rates much higher than the bottled version, and features a relatively complex hop profile that's rare for most English Bitters. Recommended!