Shropshire Lass
Wood Brewery Ltd

Bottled
Pours a golden body with big foaming white head that retreats but pretty much covers the surface
There's a citrus aroma
The flavour has been trashed by the force pasteurisation

 

 

Brown 500ml bottle, best before the end of July 2010, drank in April 2010. Poured into a 'Batemans' badged pint sleeve.

This 4.1% Blonde was a light amber, almost golden colour, clear and fairly bright. On top at an off-white/cream coloured head. Some good lacing appeared on the glass as the beer level sank.

The rear label claims 'Pear drops and a fruity smell', I got some hop aromas and fresh yeast, no fruit or pears for me.

They have used Pale malts and a blend of Fuggles and Cascade hops, this appears to have given the beer a well balanced feel and an easy to drink flavouring. It isn't hoppy or malty, just a pleasant mix of the two and very understated at that.

Well carbonated for a UK bitter, but not really fizzy or over the top.

All in all another good beer from one of my local breweries.

500 mL brown bottle poured into a pint glass. (On a side note, I'm not convinced this beer should be classified as an English bitter, as it tastes much more like a blonde or an English pale. Having said that, I know nothing about the brewing methods of this particular beer.)

A: thick head upon pouring of about 1-2 fingers, but dissipates quickly leaving some lacing.

S: faint and mild but picking up the subtle hops and fruity sweetness (peach?)

T: mild fruit on the sip followed by some mild hoppy bitterness, with a little peach and grapefruit, w/o the sourness.

M/D: average mouthfeel with minimal to moderate carbonation and a smooth finish.

Purchased at the Sainsbury's supermarket, coming in a 500ml slim brown bottle, not bottle-conditioned, at 4.1%abv.; BB July 2010, served cool in a straight imperial pint glass. NOTE: Ingredients include English pale malts, Fuggles and Cascade hops.

A: pours a faintly carbonated dark golden hue with light reddish glows, topped with a fast retreating off-white foam.
S: lightly dusty notes mixed with sweet-citric and Fuggles hops, melted barley-candy like pale malts and a little boiled sweet root veggie. The sweet edge goes a bit too strong and drags down the whole performance a bit.
T: the lightly spritzy swallow of semi-sweet pale malts comes with lots of biscuity (and lighter boiled-veggie) flavour that makes up the main theme on the palate, slowly going hoppy with a moderate level of soothing bitterness and rather light aroma+flavour of Fuggles to linger in the pretty clean finish. Cascade, if indeed used, is most restrained in both aroma and flavour, showing but a light floral tinge as a reluctant reminder in the remote corner of the palate.
M&D: despite the initial spritzy mouthfeel, the carbonation in fact is not assertive at all, pairing the light flavour and light body quite well. This Blond Bitter is not quite hoppy as described on the back label, but rather places an emphasis on the decent body of English pale malts. I expect the cask-conditioned version might show a more appealing flavour profile by highlighting a bit more hops and less sweet edge of both malts and pasteurisation. But we'll see.

This light amber beer had nice head retention and lacing was plentiful. Good visuals were followed by a flowery subtle hop aroma underpinned by grainy malt. This was a complex beer for a bitter and grapefruit notes were most prominent in the fruity profile. Fairly light bodied yet creamy, another easy drinking, very flavorful session bitter.